I've got a 10 year old daughter who is working on overcoming her dyslexia. She still needs a lot of one on one attention. Anyway, I've wanted to get some input on unschooling. My daughter really has a bad attitude about "formal" schooling (probably because I didn't understand and know how to handle her dyslexia until recently). And we really don't even do much in a formal sense, if I were to compare it to some of the very structured homeschoolers I know. I'm debating on trying "total unschooling" or just a more "relaxed" form of schooling. I'm just tired of fighting with her attitude about learning. I don't know how she'll learn anything with the attitude she has now.
She told me the other day that she doesn't want to get up in the mornings because she knows she will have to do school work. But she likes to get up on the weekends or when we are doing a special project, because then she has something to look forward to. The biggest problem I have now is convincing her that she CAN learn. I guess this is not an uncommon attitude for kids to have if they have been struggling, as she has. Now that I've got a better idea on how to teach her, she doesn't want to be taught.
If I don't unschool or relax a bit, and continue pushing on as we have, I hope that as she does better she will gain confidence and begin to enjoy it. I just don't know what to do. I just want her to enjoy learning, is that possible?
Tina, is this your story or someone elses? I didn't know that J is dyslexic. You do know that kids don't "overcome" it, right? They learn to work around it and in spite of it. Gosh I have so much to say about this topic....maybe we can talk through email or something if you are interested.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is made up of comments from many parents, not just me. I think J is mildly dyslexic, but the above blog entry is not written about her.
ReplyDelete