Living Without School: Unschooling and Planning

Friday, August 17, 2007

Unschooling and Planning

Kim of Starry Sky Ranch is hosting a blog fair - the Loveliness of Lesson Planning.

Lesson planning? Unschooling?

You are right. The two don't seem to mix. And to be frank and totally honest, I will start this post with an admission ~ I don't do lesson planning.

Even when I was teaching in schools, my lesson plans were minimal. Barebones.
Even when I teach at Homechool Group Learning my lesson plans are minmal. Barebones.

I like to be open to the teaching moment, as John Holt would say. To serendiptiy.

ser·en·dip·i·ty (srn-dp-t)
n. pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties
1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
3. An instance of making such a discovery.

Our unschooling is serendipitous.

We do, however, have learning and living routines. And our routines and learning lifestyle start with ideas.

I like to gather ideas for our learning adventures. I look at the usual school documents, at kids' interests, and at the liturgical year. At life.

Here is where the book "A Continual Feast" is a big help...

As are the sampling of other books shown above.

And websites such as ~

Catholic Culture
Waldorf Family Network

Ambleside Online
Toad Haven Online

Then, things just come up ~ serendipitiously.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: Oh I'm with you. I don't lesson plan either. Oh I try to choose good, worthwhile ideas and books to put before my children. I consider their needs at the present time but also for the future. I pray and lean on the Holy Spirit. And that's it!

But as you know, I haven't always been that way. Oh the struggles, the pains, the headaches I have caused myself over lesson planning. Whew, I'm really kinda comfortable in my own skin now. I think that's a good thing.

but I'm still going to pop over and look at the post. There's always something else to learn or glean or be encouraged in ~smile~; 2:54 pm
Leonie said...: Susan, you sound like you are in a comfortable place. We choose books and life and learning ( lesson plans? records?) follow!; 4:28 pm
Jane Ramsey said...: Leonie,
When I was teaching, I absolutely hated lesson plans. I would do them, because it was required, but usually did not follow them! I'm sure it will be the same now that I'm homeschooling. I have a rough schedule for the week, but I think most of our learning will be serendipitous! (love that word!); 4:19 am
Leonie said...: We sound pretty similar, Jane. I loved reading about your plans on your blog, btw!; 8:12 am

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O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

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