TECH TREK

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To be honest, I thought this blog was dead.  I migrated to Twitter some months back and became like a tiny plankton sucked in by a huge whale--no easy way out of the steady stream of dialogue, links, and daily chit-chat.

Now, as I look back, I see that I had a lot to learn: about blogging, about social media, about just about everything related to Web 2.0.  Twitter taught me more than I ever imagined and continues to be my source for community and learning throughout the day.

I look forward to renewing our conversations about the challenges and joys of helping our kids learn to love learning.

Cheers!

Wouldn't it be great if all students had passion? Think how much they'd learn!

But be careful what you ask for.  Passion allows--and is often associated with--a level of effort that can overwhelm bystanders.  Just ask Thomas Edison's grade school teacher.

According to legend, little Thomas was not content to sit quietly, absorbing information that he could parrot back to his teacher.  Instead, he dared to ask questions--lots of them, apparently.  Out of frustration, the teacher declared him a bad student who simply could not learn. Shortly thereafter, Thomas' dear mother removed him from school and set about the task of schooling him herself.

Such is the lot of parents raising children who do not respond to the world as expected, who refuse or are unable to meet established norms of conduct. Focusing on one's passion at the expense of what is expected of us can often be disatrous. And yet, most of the world's greatest ideas have come about because of individuals who were willing to challenge the status quo, who questioned what they were told and sought other answers.

The choice to unschool is contentious. Many would say that it results in children who are essentially uneducated.  But to parents like me, who have been given a child with a keen sense of focus and passion, I say. "So be it." The risk of mediocrity is, in my mind, far worse than the risk of failure.

In failure, we continue to learn. And, when we continue to learn, we gain the most meaningful education of all. This is what Thomas Edison's mother knew.

The rest is history.

Me: "Hey! Let's (fill-in-the-blank) today."

Boy 2.0: "No. I don't want to."

Thus starts another homeschool day. Or, at least it used to. Lately, I've adopted the strategy of "stealth" homeschooling.

Boy 2.0--like his father--is a night owl. He falls asleep each night listening to a book on CD. His mornings are spent in bed, waking slowly while he fiddles away on his iPod.

To combat homeschool lethargy, I've been starting homeschool without him. Every morning at 10AM, I set up the computer in the dining room and start playing CDs, DVDs, whatever is on the day's agenda. I turn the volume up so that he can hear it in his bedroom.

The result? He's drawn into school each morning, gently and on his own terms. He lays in bed, listens, and then comes out to watch what's on the screen. After he emerges, I move on to reading to him from books or engaging him in conversation about what we've been listening to.

We've covered a heck of a lot of learning this way. And, we're all the happier for it.

I'd call that a homeschooling success!

Well, where the heck you been? (You're most likely asking me this question.)

The past few months, homeschooling kinda slid under the table. Boy 2.0 (as I've come to call him) doesn't respond well to dark, cold days. Instead of fighting a losing battle, I put him on autopilot and went off on a sidetrip of my own to the land of Twitter.

Twitter.com is a world where folks come together online to share thoughts, weblinks, happenings, pictures, news flashes, jokes, music, and (unfortunately) sales pitches. All of this in 140 characters or less. The action is fast, addictive, and much needed for a Mom like me who can't talk much with other adults during the day. A few of the folks I've met I consider friends--we provide each other with support, advice, and the occasional laugh to help the day go along.

The connections can lead to opportunity as well. I recently landed a guest post for the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour, an online resource for parents who want to put more "green" in their kids' daily lives. (My blog is scheduled for March 4, if you're interested.)

Curious? Check out Twitter.com. I'm @edisonsmother and @worldismygarden.  Look forward to seeing you there!