Living Without School: Back To School...Not!

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Back To School...Not!

This week, when Australian schools and homeschools are "heading back to school" for the 2011 school year...Anthony is not.

This fifteen year old, my last official unschooler, is reading and watching Noel Steatfeild's Ballet Shoes...not buying school shoes.

This unschooler is doing Kumon Maths and looking for his brother's Saxon Physics book, to work through this year...not buying textbooks.

This unschooler is lying on the sofa reading history books and Calvin and Hobbes...not in a classroom reading.

This unschooler is going to Borders, having frozen cokes at McDonald's, working at Kumon, serving at mass, talking to a friar, watering the garden, playing the piano, talking about the liturgical year, going to the movies with brothers and friends, having friends over for games...not travelling to and from school in the sweltering heat.

It's a hard life...but someone has to do it!
Unschool.
Where everything counts.

7 comments:

Mary G said...: what a wonderful kick-off to the year for Anthony! and your boys are wonderful proof that unschooling not only works, but works GREAT!

blessings and hugs on this Feast of Candlemas!; 12:17 am
JoAnn in CO said...: Wishing you were me neighbor! William (15) needs more unschooling friends! Your son's life sounds a lot like my children's lives.... :). Enjoy!; 1:47 am
Faith said...: We just read Ballet Shoes last year and then topped it off with watching the movie. The movie isn't bad at all, but the book is so engrossing and charming!

Have fun Anthony!; 4:04 am
sarah said...: I have had a lot of people hassle me lately about high school qualifications. Unschooling is awesome, but I'm doing a small freakout. What is your view on having a high school diploma? Do you have plans for your children taking exams etc? In NZ we have two different options and they're both as bad as each other.; 4:18 am
Leonie said...: I got the movie for Christmas! Thanks Mary, too...and Jo does your ds have a Facebook account or a blog?

Sarah, my kids start Open University courses ( with exams!) around age 16 or 17, and have used those re full time university entrance.; 11:40 am
Sue Elvis said...: I was interested to hear your children have done Open Iniversity units at 16 or 17. We do the same! It's an aceptable alterntive to the HSC. As far as exams and essay writing go, Leonie, have your children felt well prepared?; 6:40 pm
Leonie said...: Well we all write a lot ... As I said to a priest last year, for better or worse we all think we have something worthwhile to say!!!...And we do go through hints re exam prep... And bcos I am a Kumoh Education Supervisor the kids have done Kumon, their choice of subject, and there is testing on each level there....My kids tend to be confident ( is that good??) so have not felt ill prepared or that they couldn't do or try something. Now does unschooling build this confident, I can try anything attitude? Interesting question!; 8:24 am

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

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."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.