Learning in the Absence of Education

Essays on Homeschooling

© Beverley Paine

Learning Maths Conversationally!
(continued)

I did make a lot of board games - one called 'Shopping Spree' which imitates a day in a shopping mall, and requires the player to purchase a set shopping list from various stores with a budget of $120. Another game called 'Gobble Guts' helped understand equivalent fractions and was very difficult, even for seasoned mathematicians! I liked that game as it tended to level the playing field - all comers were equal in skill, from six year olds to adults. We play lots of card games, especially those that score, as well as scoring dice games. These are excellent maths games - as are 'gambling' games. Darts can be absolutely fantastic for building number skills.

For measurement and space concepts we did a lot of craft and art - maths just happens naturally so long as you remember to introduce and use mathematical terms to describe the processes and products. This is the trick, getting used to using mathematical terms, like sphere instead of ball, and prism instead of box. Math dictionaries can help here. Libraries have zillions of art and craft books - think of them as maths texts! My kids loved pouring over architecture books, and building cubbies...

In all of this I de-emphasised the need to record the maths on paper until the children fully understood the mental processes. I found doing maths on paper before this occurred only created massive learning blocks that were difficult to undo. Self confidence in mathematical ability drops drastically when concepts are pushed well before a child is ready to assimilate them.

Maths can be done anywhere any time, and should be. Later, when the children move into adolescence and adult life they will find the need to work out more complicated mathematical problems that need the aid of recording. This is then the time to show them the skills of paper math! Until then maths should remain in the realm of doing, making and talking, lots of talking!

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More than 60 essays covering a wide range of home schooling concerns and issues, such as late readers, value of play, socialisation, learning maths, part time school, and thoughts on testing. Learning in the Absence of Education is an intimate and honest look at day-to-day homeschooling life spanning several years. Includes articles on learning maths, reading and writing, spelling, socialisation, part time schooling, fathers and homeschooling, value of play, grading and testing, coping with stress and illness, and much more.

"These essays are the real life experiences of a long term home educator and activist and make inspiring reading... a valuable resource for all those interested in home education.... What I particularly appreciate are the personal day-to-day stories that are so specific in the incident or outcome These are essays written over time that reflect natural learning (read life) as it really happens.

I really enjoy Beverley's writing style in this book. It is very direct, sometimes even challenging the reader. She tries to be scrupulously honest always so we read of advantages and disadvantages of whatever topic she is discussing. She will also point out the ideal situation and how she thinks she falls short. Sometimes she is self-deprecating; sometimes she glows with enthusiasm for their successful lifestyle. There are touches of humour and sometimes wry cynicism.

Hopefully this book will answer many people's questions and fears about natural learning. It is all in here: how right it feels when natural learning is working well, what happens when we have insecurities ourselves, and the results so far. By presenting the natural learning case in this essay style, Beverley has been able to reflect the different moods, the ups and downs, that make the book a valuable resource for all those interested in home education, whatever their current style."
Janine Banks, home educator, Qld

ISBN 1876651016, 128 pages... $22.95

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Homeschool Australia SA HE Network Unschool~Kidz! About Beverley Paine

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