Sunday, February 8, 2015

What the...

"People learn by playing, thinking and amazing themselves. They learn while they're laughing at something surprising, and they learn while they're wondering 'What the heck is this?'"—Sandra Dodd
SandraDodd.com/unschooling

Note: The quote lives at that address, but (awkwardly) it also shows up in the random quote in the upper corner, with my name after it (as above).

A sweet message arrived yesterday:
Hi Sandra,

I just wanted to share this funny story. My son Angel (9) was reading to me the daily quote from the top right corner of your website, he read it out loud as this:
People learn by playing, thinking and amazing themselves. They learn while they're laughing at something surprising, and they learn while they're wondering "What the heck is this Sandra Dodd?"
We both laughed heaps!

Tan Hibbert
photo by Sandra Dodd's computer (you can click it bigger)

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Books and clocks. . . music, blocks

Meredith Novak wrote, on facebook:
If you live in a home with books and clocks, movies, music, blocks, games, dishes, furniture, toys, clothes, the internet, and adults who are interested in kids, girl with her playdough foodthen you have "the basics" all around your kids all the time. And because those basics are there, kids will learn about them&mdashthey'll learn that words are a valuable tool and there are many ways to use them. They'll learn that numbers and patterns are as useful as words and sometimes better than words for a given purpose. They'll learn those things without lessons, living and playing and snuggling on the couch with you without ever needing to draw a line between those things and learning.
—Meredith Novak *
SandraDodd.com/meredithnovak
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Friday, February 6, 2015

No pressure

There was a question once about a resistant child.

Model trains, WWII, Japan—any obsession or "limited" interest touches on geography, history, materials, technology, cause and effect, human actors, religion, engineering, art, languages, all kinds of stuff.

The best thing an unschooled child can have is a parent who realizes there is learning in everything. As to "resist," it can only happen in response to force or pressure, right? Parents should resist pressuring their kids, I think.

SandraDodd.com/panel
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Thursday, February 5, 2015

Old and new

London Eye, behind a Georgian-or-so buildingRight between the past and the future, here we are. What's new today is getting old tomorrow.

Be glad to be there as the future reveals itself. You'll be able to say "I remember when that was new..."
SandraDodd.com/t/history
photo by Sandra Dodd, of part of The London Eye

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Regrets


I regret some times I spoke without thinking first, without breathing first.

Live (think, breathe) as well as you can now so your own list of regrets will be as short as it can be. You will sleep better in future years if you breathe before you speak today.

SandraDodd.com/breathing
photo by Sandra Dodd

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Do things and go places

 Thames, bridges, boats, from the London Eye

Say “yes” a lot. Do things and go places and explore the world together with your family — whether the world, to you, means your backyard, your neighborhood, your town, your state/country, or a giant chunk of the globe.
—Colleen Prieto

From Colleen's writings at the bottom of: SandraDodd.com/video/doright
photo by Claire Horsley

Monday, February 2, 2015

Exotic whatever

black and white cattle by a little barn in New HampshireLook around for what is new and different.

Be open to unexpected art.
Words are new, but the ideas are a good match for:
Suggestions for Creating Abundance when Funds are Low
photo by Sandra Dodd