Sometimes life gets busy. Too busy. I like empty weeks: five days waiting to be filled with whatever we like. I thought last week was going to be an empty week. But unexpected things happened. We ended up having lots of appointments to attend and errands to do.
In the course of last week, I walked to and from our village a number of times as I posted and shopped and visited and attended… And as I walked, I chatted with my girls. I share some of those conversations in this week’s podcast.
I also discuss the following questions:
- Is unschooling just living life?
- Or is there more to unschooling than that?
- What if life is too quiet or too busy or there’s a crisis?
- Has unschooling changed as my children have grown older?
- Did Charlotte (17) give herself a good education?
- Was she prepared for tertiary learning?
- Or should I have supervised the last year or so of her high school years?
- Am I a proud mother?
- Is it possible for siblings to successfully teach siblings?
- And should we push children to develop and use their talents if they are not motivated to do this themselves?
I also share my latest resource discoveries!
Show Notes
Related blog posts:
Why I’m Not a Good Homeschooling Teacher
Resources
I haven’t watched all the following episodes so can’t comment on their suitability. All I can say is that they might be worth watching!
At the time of posting, the Youtube links were available. But things come and go on Youtube… We might end up buying these DVD series!
links on Youtube:
The Music of the Primes
Pain, Pus and Poison
links on Youtube
Catching History’s Criminals: The Forensics Story
links on Youtube
Website
Music
60’s Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
If you listen to my podcast… Thank you!
Images: Walking to and from our village.
This was an interesting podcast, Sue. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing the links, too. We're going to start with the maths ones, tomorrow. They look good.
xxx
Vicky,
I hope you enjoy the maths programs. The BBC is producing a lot of good series. I hope the ones I highlighted stay on Youtube long enough for us to view and enjoy.
Thank you for listening!
Another terrific podcast, thank you!
I love having new resources to look at so I'll be following some of those links.
Gemma loves reading to me too, I was amused to hear you and Gemma-Rose are reading Martha – so are we! You must read the rest of the Laura books, I think they are all as good as each other.
God bless you 🙂
Kelly,
I'm glad you like hearing about resources. I'm going to try and talk about a few in each podcast episode. It's good to share our discoveries, isn't it?
Gemma-Rose will be delighted to hear Gemma is also reading the Martha books! There's something wonderful about sharing the same book. We can smile or cry together, discuss and enjoy. I don't know why we went backwards from the Laura books and not forwards. Maybe we read the first one or two together before heading in the opposite direction. I can't remember! It doesn't matter. We've almost finished the Martha series so we'll be reading the Laura one next! I agree: they are good!
Thank you so much for listening, Kelly. Comments like yours and Vicky's make me want to rush off and record another episode!
God bless you too!
I'm not sure if I've mentioned "Farmer Boy" to you? It's about Laura's husband, Almanzo, when he was a boy. It's about our favourite one from the series (and the only one written from a boy's perspective!)
Kelly,
Gemma-Rose and I haven't read Farmer Boy together yet though I do remember bits and pieces of the story from reading it with one of the older girls years ago. Now you've mentioned the book, I'm looking forward to hearing the story again. Maybe it will become Gemma-Rose's favourite too! I was feeling a little sad because we've almost finished reading the Martha books. After reading your comment, I'm getting excited about returning to Laura's (and Almanzo's) story! Don't you just love the name Almanzo? It rolls off the tongue beautifully!
Now I see what you mean about Open Learn – a quick look and now I can't stop clicking!
Kelly,
OpenLearn is indeed a treasure trove! Every time I visit I also end up doing a lot of clicking as I follow interesting looking links. I like how the university has extra info and courses associated with various TV or DVD series. There are so many interesting free courses. I wonder though if we are eligible to enrol for them. I tried enrolling for an online history course associated with the Farm series (Ruth, Peter and Tom) a few months ago and got a message saying I reside in the wrong country. Very frustrating!
Thank you for all these wonderful resources, lots to watch .
I would have said we were still drifting into unschooling, until the other day, when we discovered we may be without internet for a few days. My daughter instantly complained that she would not be able to do her school, as she has a list of youtube channels and Ted ed videos she explores each day.
We are now at a point when the children are pursuing their own interests .
Kathryn,
I am so pleased my links are going to be helpful. And I'm very excited to hear about your daughter and unschooling. It sounds like she knows what she wants to do and has taken charge. I love seeing children wrapped up in their own learning!
No internet for a few days? Oh no! I don't know if I'd survive. Of course, I would really, but I like knowing the Internet and all its resources are there if I do want to use them. Thank you so much for stopping by to share your news!
I've been enjoying listening to your podcasts in my free moments. It's such fun getting a view into your lives, and the bits of Australian culture that creep into them. God bless, and keep them up! I don't always have time to comment, but I've loved each one I've heard 🙂
Karla,
I didn't know you listen to my podcasts. Thank you! I always assume our cultures are much the same and so the details of our lives are probably not very interesting to listeners. I'm glad you find those details fun! I went to Sydney yesterday with Imogen and Sophie. I might talk about that in this week's podcast. I could share the details of visiting such places as St Mary's Cathedral and the Lindt Cafe! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving this kind comment.
Karla,
You are kind! When I listen to my own podcasts, I often think I'm hopeless at talking spontaneously. I wonder if I sound uneducated because I make grammatical errors. Well spoken? Oh my, I'm now feeling much better! Thank you!
Sue,
For the most part our cultures are very much the same, but there are some fun differences…the way words are used, descriptions of things etc. I am always fascinated with the details of others lives, especially the way you describe things…you are very well-spoken 🙂