We all would have achieved so much more if we had been left to our own devices instead of incarcerated for 12+ years in "school"
I watch and listen to my children and they never cease to AMAZE me with the things they are achieving at such tender ages
My eldest...the old soul who started me on this path has published her first book
read a preview herehttp://www.lulu.com/content/1615296and is also creates wearable works of art like the earrings on her cover...
And tonight...I realized that my second oldest can play anything by ear
ANY
THING...
She got a keyboard a few months ago and has gone online, found a song that is dear to her heart
Pachebel's Canon
And taught herself to play the beginning of the song...she cannot read music (yet) and has not had any formal training until last Sunday
When a counselor from her summer program begin giving her some lessons
Whenever there is a free moment
The child just sits there and plays
Beautifully
But tonight...after we had decided not to stay up any longer and to finish the raw strawberry cheesecake we were preparing tomorrow
She bops in, in a typical sixteen year old way and says "Mommy watch this"
Picks up her baby sister's acoustic guitar
Now my middle baby asked for a guitar for Winter Solstice about two years ago and Baba and I were able to make it happen
While we were living in Barbados, a sister friend who is a folks singer gave her some very very rudimentary training
She spends her time creating songs on the guitar and sometimes she and the older girl collaborate
But back to tonight
Tonight my second oldest
The pianist *smile*
Picks up the acoustic guitar
And says with typical teenage nonchalance
Mommy, watch this
And plays Bob Marley's Redemption Song
A piece which is , of course, nearer and dearer to me than Pachebel
I made her play it five or six times, which of course embarassed her
But...it is such a powerful example of what unschooling is and how it allows the mind the freedom to expand and evolve
