Best info. you learned from SWB or Jessie Wise?

[Alicia64]

I would love a thread on the biggest lesson you've learned from SWB and/or Jessie.

Mine was this.

It was 2011 or '12 in Richmond, VA when I saw Susan speak in person. I'm paraphrasing, but at one point she said, "If you're an engaged parent, there's very little you can do to harm your children, but saddling them with student loans is one way to harm their future."

Mine were only seven at the time, but I never forgot this info. ♥♥♥

Re: Jessie. She has an audio called What I Wished I'd Known or something like that. I listened to it two or three times. She tells how she and her husband put 16 year old Susan in a freshman dorm, and Susan returning home with scary stories about dorm-life.

I can't remember if Jessie recommends against student housing, but that was -- for sure -- my takeaway!

Mine are 18 today, in college and living at home.

What are your takeaways from SWB or Jessie?

Wendy

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Alicia64

[Slache]

Nothing specific that has been said, but the general attitude of someone who strives for the excellence I want to strive for who has put such emphasis on extending grace has made quite a difference in how I think.

[Quarter Note]

Alicia64, what a wonderful idea for a thread! Thank you!

It was TWTM that cemented our decision to homeschool our kids. After only reading a few pages of the book, I turned to my husband and said, “You have got to read this.” SWB described everything I had longed for (but didn't get) as a kid in public school. What she wrote felt so right for our family. I've mentioned this on the forum before, but when I read her words about teaching K-4, “Spread knowledge out in front of them, and let them feast,” (chp. 3, 3^rd ed.) I was hooked. Happily, TWTM recommendations always seem to work for our kids, too. SWB has never let me down!

Both of my kids learned to read with OPGTR, by Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington, and they are both very strong readers. When my then-8-year-old son, with diagnoses of ASD and ADHD in the future, independently read The Hobbit, I was in awe. I really couldn't have done that on my own. Thank you, Jessie and Sara!

I'd also like to put into the Internet-air thanks for a long-gone woman, Jessie's Aunt Meme, who cheerfully taught young Jessie according to the way she knew was right, despite all the nay-sayers who predicted failure for young Jessie. What a brave woman! As I look into the high school years in the near future with my kids, I hope that I will have the same courage that Aunt Meme, and Jessie later, did.

 

(Psst, @Alicia64, just a friendly recommendation to change the title:  SWB's mom's last name is Wise.  She didn't take on her daughter's married name!)

[Michelle in MD]

I began homeschooling in 2001 when I had six children, ages 10 and under.  I wrote to the WTM website, wondering if such a thing were advisable or even possible.  I don't know that I really expected anyone to read my message, much less reply, but a day or two later I received a lengthy, heartfelt response from Jessie Wise, full of ideas and encouragement.  Wow, it still gives me goosebumps to think of it! Unfortunately, I was also rather new to Internet communications at the time and didn't save that email.  But I've always treasured that gesture in my mind and had the greatest respect for SWB, her mother, and their influence on the homeschooling world.

I hope they see this thread.

[Porridge]

@Susan Wise Bauer tagging SWB!

[Alicia64]

3 hours ago, Quarter Note said:

Alicia64, what a wonderful idea for a thread! Thank you!

It was TWTM that cemented our decision to homeschool our kids. After only reading a few pages of the book, I turned to my husband and said, “You have got to read this.” SWB described everything I had longed for (but didn't get) as a kid in public school. What she wrote felt so right for our family. I've mentioned this on the forum before, but when I read her words about teaching K-4, “Spread knowledge out in front of them, and let them feast,” (chp. 3, 3^rd ed.) I was hooked. Happily, TWTM recommendations always seem to work for our kids, too. SWB has never let me down!

Both of my kids learned to read with OPGTR, by Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington, and they are both very strong readers. When my then-8-year-old son, with diagnoses of ASD and ADHD in the future, independently read The Hobbit, I was in awe. I really couldn't have done that on my own. Thank you, Jessie and Sara!

I'd also like to put into the Internet-air thanks for a long-gone woman, Jessie's Aunt Meme, who cheerfully taught young Jessie according to the way she knew was right, despite all the nay-sayers who predicted failure for young Jessie. What a brave woman! As I look into the high school years in the near future with my kids, I hope that I will have the same courage that Aunt Meme, and Jessie later, did.

 

(Psst, @Alicia64, just a friendly recommendation to change the title:  SWB's mom's last name is Wise.  She didn't take on her daughter's married name!)

Thank you!! Fixed the name. Long, hard hot weekend. I'm still recovering. 🙃 I happened to pick up TWTM the night before Kindergarten and was too far on the K path at that point, but I also told dh, "you've got to read this." Dh -- who hadn't been on board at all -- wanted them pulled by Thanksgiving. But then I was panicking so I didn't pull them. By Christmas they were home for good (pun intended). They're 18 today and doing beautifully. Susan and Jessie deserve an eternal standing ovation for what they did for my family.

2 hours ago, Michelle in MD said:

I began homeschooling in 2001 when I had six children, ages 10 and under.  I wrote to the WTM website, wondering if such a thing were advisable or even possible.  I don't know that I really expected anyone to read my message, much less reply, but a day or two later I received a lengthy, heartfelt response from Jessie Wise, full of ideas and encouragement.  Wow, it still gives me goosebumps to think of it! Unfortunately, I was also rather new to Internet communications at the time and didn't save that email.  But I've always treasured that gesture in my mind and had the greatest respect for SWB, her mother, and their influence on the homeschooling world.

I hope they see this thread.

That's a beautiful, beautiful memory. ♥♥♥ Made me teary.

Edited August 4, 2021 by Alicia64

[Porridge]

SWB and JW gave me the courage to question the status quo and give homeschooling a spin. We thought we'd only do it for a year, but here we are, now entering our 9th year of homeschooling.

I think the greatest gift that SWB / TWTM has given our family has been the gift of great books. TWTM introduced me to the idea that education could be centered around "real" books rather than around textbooks and lessons. TWTM also emboldened me to introduce my kids to the "classics" early on, rather than assume the kids needed to be in high school or college before that type of literature could be accessible.  I later read a lot CM inspired stuff, but TWTM was where it all started for me.  Books have been a centerpiece of our shared family culture. So many of our memories, meaningful conversations, shared family vocabulary, shared family references, inside jokes....  they revolve around the great books we've read together.

 

[LauraClark]

Confidence. From their main book, TWTM, to their curriculum, like OPG, they taught me that I CAN homeschool my child. And not only homeschool, but teach them in a highly academic way-even if I don't have a PhD. I knew from the start that I wanted to teach in a classical style, but didn't have any further direction-no idea what kind of curriculums to even investigate-until reading TWTM. I haven't used all of their recommendations, but I've always used them as a starting point to figure out what will work for our family.

Edited August 5, 2021 by LauraClark

[Shoeless]

On 8/4/2021 at 10:16 AM, Alicia64 said:

I would love a thread on the biggest lesson you've learned from SWB and/or Jessie.

Mine was this.

It was 2011 or '12 in Richmond, VA when I saw Susan speak in person. I'm paraphrasing, but at one point she said, "If you're an engaged parent, there's very little you can do to harm your children, but saddling them with student loans is one way to harm their future."

Mine were only seven at the time, but I never forgot this info. ♥♥♥

Re: Jessie. She has an audio called What I Wished I'd Known or something like that. I listened to it two or three times. She tells how she and her husband put 16 year old Susan in a freshman dorm, and Susan returning home with scary stories about dorm-life.

I can't remember if Jessie recommends against student housing, but that was -- for sure -- my takeaway!

Mine are 18 today, in college and living at home.

What are your takeaways from SWB or Jessie?

Wendy

 

Is the audio "If I had to do it all over again"? I am listening to it now, and wish that I had it years ago. I laughed and nodded along when she said she took her "educational misfit" children to the psychiatrist and how the teacher was so worried because little Susan would read instead of play with the other children. I so, so, so wish I had known of this audio when I was going through the same.darn.thing. with my son and school. I could not find anyone that had been in my situation and it was so overwhelming! 

[Zoo Keeper]

From SWB's audio on Burning Out..I'm paraphrasing...

"Anyone can be your child's teacher; only YOU can be their parent." 

My take on this...

This is such a good reminder that my relationship with my child is more important than my role as The Teacher of All Wisdom. 

Relationship is more important than history cycles.

Relationship is more important than what math program.

And on and on and on...  I put sooooo much time and effort into my role as homeschool mom. 

BUT

So many things we stress about here in homeschool land are really not THE Big Deal of parenting.

preaching to myself here, folks....

 

[ScoutTN]

Writing is two hard tasks: thinking of what to say and actually writing it. Separating these things in the early years is good. 

With teens: shower, snack, nap. 

A fundamental tenet of homeschooling (that some pockets of the homeschooling community fail to apply) so well described and illustrated in SWB’s Rethinking School: One size does not fit all! 
 

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by ScoutTN

[Alicia64]

On 8/5/2021 at 9:55 PM, Zoo Keeper said:

From SWB's audio on Burning Out..I'm paraphrasing...

"Anyone can be your child's teacher; only YOU can be their parent." 

My take on this...

This is such a good reminder that my relationship with my child is more important than my role as The Teacher of All Wisdom. 

Relationship is more important than history cycles.

Relationship is more important than what math program.

And on and on and on...  I put sooooo much time and effort into my role as homeschool mom. 

BUT

So many things we stress about here in homeschool land are really not THE Big Deal of parenting.

preaching to myself here, folks....

 

This is awesome!! And so true. ♥♥♥

On 8/6/2021 at 12:29 AM, ScoutTN said:

 

With teens: shower, snack, nap. 

 

 

I always loved this one! She also said something similar about chocolate and getting the squirmies out by running around.

I wish I could remember. The chocolate enticement always made me feel better: because I did that too!

I remember her saying once that her dad could look from his house into hers and see the kids running.

[LMD]

I've listened to SWB'S workshops dozens of times. All of them. She's just so down to earth and cares about actual kids and real families and true education. The writing ones are my favourites.

I had a similar burst of wistful anger when I read wtm the first time. How different things could be. Susan and Jesse gave me a vision and confidence to go for it. 

[cintinative]

It was helpful for me to hear SWB say that although they wrote The Well Trained Mind to help us to craft our own version of classical education at home, she did not follow it completely nor did she expect us to.  As someone who tends to "box-checking,," it really helps for me to hear again and again that we hold these plans loosely and pivot with the child if necessary.  

I would also like to say that I have benefited from the generosity and graciousness of SWB (and Jessie Wise) by their support of this forum.  It says a lot about them that they are willing to host a forum where we can freely share what we like or dislike about many curricula, including the WTM products.  Really, when you think about it, that's amazing.  It shows that they not only stand behind their products, they also understand that they are not for everyone. I so appreciate the opportunity to dialog openly here about different books and programs. I have learned so much, and that would not have happened without the generosity of WTM for hosting this site. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by cintinative

[Alicia64]

On 8/8/2021 at 4:31 AM, LMD said:

I had a similar burst of wistful anger when I read wtm the first time. How different things could be. Susan and Jesse gave me a vision and confidence to go for it. 

Well said re: confidence. I never would have even thought to take a homeschooling approach seriously without TWTM. When I pulled ours from Kindergarten, my dad didn't speak to me for over a year. Dh would drive the two hours w/ the kids to see the grandparents.

Without Susan and Jessie, I never could have withstood his anger. My mom was more like, "but you wont homeschool them for high school, right?" Um I hate to break it to you, lady. . .

Now that they're 18 nobody is more astounded than I am at how spectacularly home school was for us.

On 8/8/2021 at 10:10 AM, cintinative said:

It was helpful for me to hear SWB say that although they wrote The Well Trained Mind to help us to craft our own version of classical education at home, she did not follow it completely nor did she expect us to. 

I loved hearing this too.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Alicia64
My "s" button doesn't seem to work.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I love the thoughts expressed here. Thank you so much, wonderful parents, for these kind and self-reflective words. I'm so grateful.

SWB