Thursday, April 17, 2014

To get more jokes

When I was a student I often asked why something was important to learn, but my teachers rarely had good answers.

When I was a teacher, I was asked those things too.

Then one day, the question came phrased a new and better way: "What is this GOOD for?" The answer I gave then changed my life and thinking. I said quickly "So you can get more jokes." I think we were reading a simplified Romeo and Juliet at the time. I could've gone into literature and history and fine arts, but the truth is that the best and most immediate use of most random learning is that it illuminates the world.

The more we know, the more jokes we will get.

The larger paragraph above is from:
To Get More Jokes
or
"Thinking and Learning and Bears"
by Sandra Dodd, 2007

photo by Sandra Dodd, of Holly Dodd dressed for a costume party

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Something old. . . something blue

antique blue pickup

Something old, something new,
something borrowed, something blue."
—traditional English saying about what brides should wear

"And all of this is true because it rhymes."
—Vitruvius, in The Lego Movie

Look for beauty, truth and humor. Connect the dots!

SandraDodd.com/connections
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Better, patient, kind


Learning to live better with children makes one a better person. Being patient with a child creates more patience. Being kind to a child makes one a kinder person.

SandraDodd.com/betterpartner
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Monday, April 14, 2014

Good habits


"If you want to establish good habits, be gentle with your kids' feelings. Make their lives warmer and softer and easier so the habits they develop are those of warmth and joy, comfort and care."
—Meredith Novak
April 13, 2014

You might like "Building an Unschooling Nest": SandraDodd.com/nest
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Sunday, April 13, 2014

The most important word

"The most important word in unschooling is 'with'."
—Sue Patterson
April 12, 2014
More on being with: SandraDodd.com/being
photo by Sandra Dodd

Saturday, April 12, 2014

New truths

"A lot of learning about unschooling is unlearning a lot of stuff that you're sure is true about learning."
—Joyce Fetteroll

light through a hole in the top of a cave

More by Joyce about How Unschooling Works
and the original writing, of which the line above is just the closing
photo by Sandra Dodd

Friday, April 11, 2014

Don't fight nature

"Unschooling involves recognizing that fighting against human nature doesn't make better people."
—Meredith Novak

SandraDodd.com/pressure
photo by Sandra Dodd
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