"Everything's a learning opportunity" ....
... as they say. ("Who's they?" "Um... autonomous educators? Or should that be: educators of autonomous learners? Unschoolers, y'know.. those kinds of people.")
Anyway, here's some of the learning that's been going on here in the past day or two:
Watching the path that water takes - always the one of least resistance.
"The water isn't strong enough to move the cup - it can't go down the plughole."
First bank statement: what do all the columns and numbers mean? Remembering that she did draw £20 out last week, as it says there.
Feeling ill, so can't go and play at friends' house. Got to lay on the sofa instead, wondering what's happening inside, and why.
"Why doesn't our kitchen clock have proper numbers on it? What do you mean, 'Roman numerals?' "
"OK, yes I get that now. But what do you mean by 'Roman'? Who were they, and why are their numbers on our clock?"
All this took place spontaneously, in and amongst lots of other things happening. I love the fact that she asks so many questions. The older ones stopped doing that after a few months of school.
Anyway, here's some of the learning that's been going on here in the past day or two:
Watching the path that water takes - always the one of least resistance.
"The water isn't strong enough to move the cup - it can't go down the plughole."
First bank statement: what do all the columns and numbers mean? Remembering that she did draw £20 out last week, as it says there.
Feeling ill, so can't go and play at friends' house. Got to lay on the sofa instead, wondering what's happening inside, and why.
"Why doesn't our kitchen clock have proper numbers on it? What do you mean, 'Roman numerals?' "
"OK, yes I get that now. But what do you mean by 'Roman'? Who were they, and why are their numbers on our clock?"
All this took place spontaneously, in and amongst lots of other things happening. I love the fact that she asks so many questions. The older ones stopped doing that after a few months of school.
posted by Gill at 4:38 pm
3 Comments:
I love watching children learning when they're allowed to do it naturally :-)
But: "educators of autonomous learners?" - no, because we don't educate them...they do it themselves! What about 'observers of autonomous learners' or 'people who trust in autonomous learning'?
I don't like 'unschooling' - why define oneself by something one isn't?
I agree about unschooling - too much like deschooling!
It's a tricky one though, isn't it? I think that's why I settled on "those kinds of people." ;-)
I often discribe myself as a facilitator. I enrich, encourage and enable. 'Facilitator' has been in my job title in the past, and this 'job' is certainly still utilising all those skills!
Post a Comment
<< Home