Tag: unschool

How is unschooling different from homeschooling?

Posted on by Monica Oliveros

How is unschooling different from homeschooling?

Posted on June 28, 2023

Many times you have read on our blog and throughout our website the word “Unschooling,” and it is possible that you approached us to do “Homeschooling.” You may have thought that they are synonymous. They are not, and each one has its particularity.

Homeschooling is usually the first approach to changing the traditional educational system to adapt to their lifestyle. This does not leave aside the subjects, grades, and evaluations. The content is dictated by the educational system, with a mixture of interests. All this is learned at the student’s pace and from home.

As we go through homeschooling, it is normal to lose a bit of the structure and the rhythm to become more and more lax. We start to worry if our children are being educated correctly. This period of family readjustment can be very uncomfortable for all family members, and the fear of the future and doubts about having made a good decision settle in family dynamics: Conflicts begin.

At this point, some families ask for outside help and hire tutors to help them maintain the pace with which they came, others return to the traditional educational system, and others opt for unschooling. All options are valid since only families know what is best for their children’s education.

Dos puertas de dos colores distintos

Homeschooling and Unschooling

Unschooling is about education without the curriculum established by the traditional educational system, without grades. At West River Academy (WRA), we feel comfortable with both systems and even dual enrollment if the family decides to continue with the traditional educational system and certify their other activities with us.

The fundamental pillar of unschooling is natural learning. This speaks of the promotion of the innate qualities of the individual, expanding the space for experimentation without rigorous study plans or excessive care. Giving rise to the spontaneity and curiosity inherent to the human being.

For many years we have been told that it is impossible to have a functional life if we do not have the same schedule every day; we share with a number of people and that someone else must bring us knowledge in a structured way. In reality, this type of education is one of the many that there are to offer. 

Choosing the traditional educational system is an option, but other alternatives can be accredited. At WRA, we pride ourselves on welcoming all those who do or do not fit into the established educational system. There are as many ways to be educated as there are families!

dos tipos de paredes, una de ladrillo y otra frisada

What is the difference and similarity?

The fundamental difference between homeschooling and unschooling is that in homeschooling, the school is transferred to the home, with all its elements. In contrast, unschooling is based on natural learning, and there are no subjects or evaluations but life. This is why our slogan is: “Turning life experiences into academic credit.”

In both systems, education is considered, one in a schooled way and the other in an unschooled way. It is common to confuse education with schooling when one contains the other, and they are not synonymous. Unschooling doesn’t mean being uneducated.

We hope we have clarified all the doubts regarding these two concepts with this brief explanation. Now that you know if you are homeschooling or unschooling or plan to try it, you know the difference.

Setting limits in parenting and in everything else is necessary.

Posted on by Monica Oliveros

Setting limits in parenting and in everything else is necessary.

Posted on June 27, 2023

When we think of setting limits in parenting, the first thing that comes to mind is the negative connotation that has fallen socially on the word “limit” and its derivatives: limitation, limited, and so on. This article will clean all the external emotions of the word and associate it from today with Freedom.

Limits never speak of being an obstacle or locking an individual into an idea. It talks about boundaries and that space that belongs to each individual or group of people and that not only helps us to respect others but also to respect and make our personal space respected.

Once this parameter is established, we can realize that limits are necessary, not only in parenting but also in the healthy development of any group of people of any age and any field.

Two fundamental factors for the limits to be effective are setting and enforcing them. It is only helpful to set limits with sustained accompaniment. Setting boundaries is not pleasant when the situation reaches a hostile point. It is always possible to do it.

niños jugando libremente en el bosque

Norms and limits in parenting

When we place limits on our children from an early age, these limits are usually given in a more conciliatory way. Another word associated with boundaries and with negative emotional charge is “authority.” We must also clean this word to make more helpful use, and we will do it in another article. We want to clarify that limits do not have much to do with authority. They have to do with Freedom and Respect.

To place healthy and practical limits, these have to be drawn from the natural consequences and not from the whims or fears of our wounded inner child. We have a guide to spot the difference. Once detected and healed, setting limits will be the most coherent and straightforward thing that has happened to you.

Practical exercise in understanding limits

In respectful parenting, the fundamental pillar is always to put yourself in the other’s shoes. It is based on empathy. That is, place ourselves at the same height as our children and do the exercise of feeling what they would experience, of being in the same place.

Today we bring an exercise that will change our perspective on how limits look, feel, and are needed and how they bring us a healthy coexistence.

mujer le habla a un hombre con mochila al aire libre

Let’s play with the imagination. First, we need you to get into character:

You decided to spend this year backpacking from one country to another. You don’t know what to expect from this first meeting with your host. You have never met them in person. 

 

Let’s play!

You arrive in the town with all your luggage, with the typical exhaustion of a train journey of hours and a walk to find your destination. When you finally find the address and knock on the door, your host opens with a big smile, but you can tell he’s in trouble. He quickly explains that an emergency arose, and he was waiting for you to come out. He hands you the keys to his house, tells you you’re at home, and leaves. He doesn’t give you the opportunity to accompany him.

Please take some time to reflect on how you feel and what your next step would be.

What could you do while your host is away? What would you do while you wait?

BREATHE — IMAGINE — FEEL

esperar

Possible answers

  1. You enter the house, visualize the clearest corner to leave your things, and disturb as little as possible, you hang around the house a bit, but you always end up next to your things and entertain yourself with your things to pass the time.
  2. You enter the house, leave your things at the entrance, and since you have the keys, you decide to go out and see the surroundings and come back when you think there will be someone at home.
  3. You enter the house, leave your things and go straight to the kitchen. You decide to please your host by receiving him when he returns with a typical meal from your country, plus you are hungry from the trip.

What is behind each answer

  1. You placed limits within ignorance and uncertainty, which made you fall prey to the situation. Much of your freedom is paralyzed until the host returns. Counterintuitively, someone else has control, even though they told you you are at home with the best smiles and intentions. This scenario benefits the one who does not set limits.
  2. You decided not to belong to the group, to continue until you could adequately interact with someone individually. In the best scenario, you arrive a few minutes before your host and start over. On the other hand, in a not-so-nice scenario, your host returns to look for something quick to return, he had given you the only key, and you are not there. The host seems aggrieved and shifts the blame to you.
  3. You are at your peak of freedom, happy with the surprise that your host will get, and when he arrives, you find out that some of the ingredients you used, he was going to use for something that he promised to bring the next day, and it is too late to replace it. Although your intentions were good, you added something else to your host’s day of emergencies. You feel responsible for the discomfort.
familia de tres integrantes, uno señala mostrando algo

Transferred to parenthood

The world of unschooling can be overwhelming at first, and one of the reasons is precisely not knowing how to set limits, confusing freedom with the absence of limits when in reality, it is the other way around.

Let’s switch roles. You are the host, and your son is the backpacker. Only now, you are the mother/father/tutor, and the child or adolescent is himself. In most cases, kids who have dropped out of the school usually start with option three, and if some punishments or rewards do not obey natural consequences, they turn to options 1 and 2.

The absence of limits could cause a lack of creativity due to fear of failure. Distance from the family so as not to disturb them. And three, in confusing behaviors, which are done with the best intentions, only the results are not harmonious with the family group. Does it sound familiar to you? Once this is known, everything is repairable. Limits are fundamental.

How to set boundaries in parenting

Following the same line as the backpacker, let’s play imagining again. You are again that person who travels and arrives at a stranger’s house, and your host receives you with a big smile, even though you notice he is in trouble. This time the situation has something different:

This person explains that they have an emergency, that everything is ready in your room, which is the one with a red and black duvet, and your bathroom is the yellow one on the right when you leave your room. He gives you a copy of the key and tells you that everyone has their own, that there is food already made in the kitchen, and that you can walk around the house except for the room in the back, which is blue and, above all things, you can’t touch the law books on the shelf. He says goodbye and leaves.

What could you do while your host is away? What would you do while you wait?

BREATHE —- IMAGINE — FEEL

esperar

You likely sit in your room, rest, bathe, eat, and feel completely free since you know the rules and how far you can go for the good of family life. We still can’t read minds, nor can your son or daughter.

Compared with situation 2, if your child understands the rules, he will be able to move freely and be authentic, without fear, as long as those limits are consistent and protect personal and group well-being.

Another important aspect when setting limits is that once established, the reason behind them is explained, but when reminded, they should be directed without needing further details. A long argument in a risky situation can lead to confusion and loss of the sense of limit.

As they demonstrate responsibility by taking specific actions, the boundaries will loosen as their purpose will be understood. Sometimes the limits will still exist, but we will no longer be responsible for enforcing them because it will not be necessary. Our children will understand and use them. 

This does not imply that in the future, we will once again have the responsibility to enforce it, remember that the second important factor of the limit is implementing them.

Don’t be afraid to set limits again

When we repeat behaviors that we were told are part of the role of a mother or father and do not question them, we likely believe that it is a weakness to set limits again since it is a lack of authority. How many times did you listen to others or hear yourself say? “How many times do I have to repeat it to you? ”; the answer is: as many times as necessary, and it will also be done in the same way as the first time, calmly, in a conciliatory and firm manner. Click here to read about an exercise that avoids repeating behaviors without question. 

An example of this can be seen in the field of cooking. When we start teaching our children to cook, a straightforward and typical rule is that they do not use sharp kitchen utensils. These are reserved for adults only. Over time, this rule is relaxed, allowing them to use them under adult supervision until they reach the point where they can handle the cookware without supervision.

However, at some point, they invite their friends over and, excited by the visit, begin to take the kitchen utensils as toys. In that case, it is necessary to take back the responsibility of setting limits and explain to them that their behavior was not responsible or safe for themselves or themselves. For this reason, “you will not be able to use the utensils again when there are visitors since you have shown that you cannot handle the situation with an additional variable.”

Over time, they may be able to use utensils with complete autonomy, but it is crucial ALWAYS to set limits. This is the way to accompany and care for our children.

madre colocando limites verbales a su hija en la cocina

Setting limits applies to children, adolescents, and adults, whether they are our children or not, as long as we are in a group with a common goal. This applies to a backpacker and host, at work, with friends, or in a sports team where you perform. In short, in every group of your life.

Setting limits and respecting the limits that others establish are essential to coexistence as long as they safeguard your safety and that of everyone. With this in mind, you can prepare your children to know how to act when faced with unfair rules that only benefit a particular group or person.

The key is to be consistent and live how we want the world to be.

I hope this walk through the limits has served you and knowing what to do lovingly and naturally.

Students who do not fit into the traditional education system

Posted on by Monica Oliveros

Students who do not fit into the traditional education system

Posted on June 27, 2023

Some students do not fit into the traditional system and have a characteristic feature that distinguishes them at school: they get bored and do not fit the mold. This mold is designed to carry out perfect harmony within the educational system. At West River Academy (WRA), we are pleased to receive these types of students because of their indomitable spirit.

In our day-to-day, as an educational institution, we receive emails, requests, and inquiries from parents who are concerned about their children. They worry they cannot fulfill themselves as human beings, as they are labeled within the traditional educational system.

These parents feel the pain of their children and their frustration at not being able to help them and ask with great sadness that we help them end this situation expeditiously; They ask us to advance years and certify degrees together so that their children can graduate from the educational system as soon as possible.

At WRA, we understand these family situations and discomforts very closely. This is why we are a solution for these demands; only it is impossible to do it the way said parents want. The good news is we have a much better counteroffer: Convert Life Experiences into Academic Credits.

Take a breath and stop to smell the roses

Knowing oneself, doing it at our own pace, and enjoying life are the fundamental pillars of our school. It is learning and educating yourself with your study plan and doing it in the order and rhythm you want: as each family feels and decides.

We do not recommend advancing years, certifying degrees together, and graduating early, because, being an institution established and legalized in the United States, this option can only be possible for early admission to the University or Technical School. Otherwise, it is not possible to advance degrees. And with our proposal, it is not necessary to promote years either.

We offer you to enter our institution with open content, we do not have a study plan, so your son or daughter will not have to get bored with pre-established content; instead, they can study what they want at the level they enjoy and not settle with the curricular design imposed by the traditional model.

Do your children love math and science? , at Khan Academy, the curriculum of studies up to Calculus II will be at your disposal. It’s even a great idea to encourage them to start with what they want to learn and realize that they could review and study previous content to reach their goal: at their own pace, in the order he wants, and as many times as he likes!

Do your kids love the arts and language? , in Kubrio, they will find endless artistic expressions, clubs, intensive courses, and study groups with this dye. In Kubrio, there is also space for the sciences, only that its members have taken it more towards the artistic, learning science through debates and creative expressions as projects. With people from all over the world!

Do your children love sports? In your town, there are thousands of options at different levels. The body is a machine that is forged, and sports need muscle memory, and this takes time. We have many students who train 12 to 18 hours a week. They are holistically focused on reaching their goals!

Do they love to delve into everything? They have 24 hours a day to choose what they want to learn. With video games, books, movies, and live. Why rush this extraordinary time?

At WRA, we focus more on helping you do what you love rather than on completing a list of knowledge to go from one grade to the next and then forget it. Each person has a gift that is accompanied by one or more interests. And that’s what we’re aiming for.

Mano levantando un birrete de graduación

How to certify without the official curricular design?

One of our benefits as an educational institution is being able to certify a school grade each year, respecting the official subjects, and adding, in the case of high school, some elective subjects. 

Parents can request a transcript of grades each year and thus certify each year from preschool. If the educational goal at home is to graduate from high school, they can wait for the last four years of high school and certify only those four years. 

The four years the student must accredit to graduate from high school must be equivalent in your country to the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades in the United States. And these four years must be completed in 4 different years.

Said transcription of notes will be the equivalent of what the student experienced. By making an annual summary or report of what you have learned, you will realize that you have covered every aspect of it: math, language, science, biology, etc., only with your curriculum, time, and depth.

 

Our proposal to students who do not fit into the educational system.

We live one year at a time. We don’t have a remote control that advances us years at will. We live them all and learn accordingly. At West River Academy, we encourage families to live their education through natural learning. It is unnecessary to advance years when you find a proposal so human and adapted to your day-to-day. There is no need to rush to live.

In addition, you can hear a very thoughtful podcast about this topic from Peggy Webb, Founder and Director of West River Academy:

 

We hope this article has brought the peace of mind and certainty you sought when contacting us. If you still have questions, schedule a free 15-minute consultation or read more on our blog.

Enroll with us if you don’t need anything else to start your educational freedom.

¿En qué se diferencia el Unschooling del Homeschooling?

Posted on by Monica Oliveros

¿En qué se diferencia el Unschooling del Homeschooling?

Posted on June 15, 2023

Muchas veces has leído en nuestro blog y en todo nuestro sitio web la palabra “Unschooling” o “Desescolarización”, y es factible que te acercaste a nosotros para hacer “Escuela en casa” o “Homeschooling”. Incluso cabe la posibilidad que hayas pensado que son sinónimos. No lo son y cada uno tiene su particularidad.

El homeschooling o la escuela en casa suele ser el primer acercamiento que tienen las familias a la hora de cambiar el sistema educativo tradicional a uno que se amolde un poco más a su estilo de vida. Este no deja de lado las materias, notas y evaluaciones. El contenido aprendido suele ser principalmente el que dicta el sistema educativo con una mezcla de intereses propios. Todo esto aprendido al ritmo del estudiante y desde su hogar.

Al transitar el homeschooling es normal que vaya perdiendo la estructura con la que se empezó y que cada vez se haga más laxo el ritmo y nos preocupemos si nuestros hijos están siendo educados correctamente. Este período de reacomodamiento familiar puede ser muy incómodo para todos los miembros de la familia y el miedo al futuro y las dudas de haber tomado una buena decisión se instalan en la dinámica familiar: Empiezan los conflictos.

En este punto, algunas familias piden ayuda externa y contratan tutores que les ayude a mantener el ritmo con el que venían, otros vuelven al sistema educativo tradicional y otros optan por el unschooling. Todas opciones válidas, ya que solo cada familia sabe qué es lo mejor para la educación de sus hijos.

Dos puertas de dos colores distintos

Homeschooling y Unschooling

El Unschooling o desescolarización habla de una educación sin el plan de estudios establecido por el sistema educativo tradicional, sin evaluaciones, ni calificaciones. En West River Academy (WRA) nos sentimos cómodos con ambos sistemas e incluso con la doble escolarización, si la familia decide continuar con el sistema educativo tradicional y además certificar sus otras actividades con nosotros.

El pilar fundamental del unschooling es la educación natural. Esta habla del fomentar las cualidades innatas del individuo, dándole espacio a la experimentación sin rigurosos planes de estudios o excesivos cuidados. Dar pie a la espontaneidad y a la curiosidad que es inherente del ser humano.

Por muchos años se nos ha dicho que no es posible tener una vida funcional si todos los días no tenemos el mismo horario, compartimos con un número de personas y que es imprescindible que alguien más nos traiga el conocimiento de manera estructurada. Cuando en realidad este tipo de educación es una de las tantas que hay para ofrecer. 

Elegir el sistema educativo tradicional es una opción, solo que también existen otras alternativas que pueden ser homologadas y acreditadas. En WRA, nos enorgullecemos de recibir a todos aquellos que encajan o no en el sistema educativo establecido. ¡Hay tantas maneras de ser educado como familias existen!

dos tipos de paredes, una de ladrillo y otra frisada

¿Cuál es la diferencia y similitud?

La diferencia fundamental entre homeschooling y unschooling es que en homeschooling se traslada la escuela al hogar, con todos sus elementos; mientras que el unschooling se basa en la educación natural y no existen las materias o evaluaciones, sino la vida. Es por esto que nuestro slogan es: “Convirtiendo experiencias de vida en crédito académico”.

En ambos sistemas se tiene en cuenta la educación, uno de manera escolarizada y otra de manera desescolarizada. Es muy común confundir educación con escolarización, cuando en realidad una contiene a la otra y no son sinónimos.

Esperamos que con esta breve explicación hayamos podido sacar todas las dudas con respecto a estos dos conceptos y ahora puedan saber si están haciendo homeschooling o unschooling o cuál desean abordar en un futuro ahora que saben la diferencia.

Los límites en la crianza y en todo son necesarios

Posted on by Monica Oliveros

Los límites en la crianza y en todo son necesarios

Posted on May 29, 2023

Cuando pensamos en límites en la crianza, lo primero que nos viene a la mente es la connotación negativa que socialmente ha recaído sobre la palabra “límite” y sus derivados: limitación, limitado. Con este artículo le limpiaremos toda emotividad externa a la palabra y la asociaremos desde hoy con: Libertad.

De la manera más objetiva posible, definiremos “límite” como la misma Real Academia de la Lengua Española lo hace: “Línea real o imaginaria que separa dos terrenos, dos países, dos territorios.”. Los límites nunca hablan de ser un obstáculo o de encerrar a un individuo en una idea. Habla de ese espacio que le pertenece a cada quien y que no solo nos ayuda a respetar a otros, sino también a respetar y hacer respetar nuestro espacio personal.

Una vez establecido este parámetro, podemos darnos cuenta que los límites son necesarios, no solo en la crianza, sino también en el sano desenvolvimiento de cualquier grupo de personas, de cualquier edad y de cualquier ámbito.

Dos factores fundamentales para que los límites sean efectivos, son: el marcarlos y el hacerlos cumplir. De nada vale solo colocar los límites, si no hay acompañamiento sostenido hasta forjar el hábito de cumplir con dicho límite. Colocar límites no suele ser agradable cuando ya la situación llega a un punto hostil; la buena noticia es que nunca es tarde para hacerlo.

niños jugando libremente en el bosque

Normas y Límites en la Crianza

Cuando colocamos límites desde pequeños a nuestros hijos, estos límites suelen darse de forma más conciliadora. Otra palabra asociada a los límites y que además tiene mucha carga emocional negativa es “autoridad”. Esta palabra también debemos limpiarla para hacer un uso más útil de esta y lo haremos en otro artículo, solo queremos aclarar que los límites no tienen mucho que ver con la autoridad. Tienen que ver con la Libertad y el Respeto.

Para colocar límites sanos y efectivos, estos tienen que ser trazados desde las consecuencias naturales y no desde los caprichos o miedos de nuestro niño interno herido. Tenemos una guía para detectar la diferencia. Una vez detectado y sanado, colocar límites será lo más coherente y sencillo que te ha pasado.

Ejercicio Práctico para entender sobre Límites

En la crianza respetuosa, el pilar fundamental siempre es colocarse en los zapatos del otro, se basa en la empatía. Es decir, colocarnos a la misma altura que nuestros hijos y hacer el ejercicio de sentir lo que ellos experimentarían, de estar en el mismo lugar.

Hoy traemos un ejercicio que nos cambiará la perspectiva sobre cómo se ven, se sienten y se necesitan los límites y cómo estos nos traen una sana convivencia.

mujer le habla a un hombre con mochila al aire libre

Vamos a jugar con la imaginación, primero necesitamos que entres en personaje:

Decidiste pasar este año mochileando de un país a otro, al encuentro de tus anfitriones. No sabes qué esperar de este primer encuentro. Contactaste a estas personas vía internet para que te den alojamiento. Nunca los conociste en persona, esta es la primera vez. 

 

¡Juguemos!

Llegas a la localidad con todo tu equipaje, con el típico cansancio de un viaje en tren de horas y una caminata para buscar tu destino. Cuando por fin encuentras la dirección, al tocar la puerta, tu anfitrión abre con una gran sonrisa, pero se nota que está en apuros. Te explica muy velozmente que le surgió una emergencia y que te estaba esperando para salir. Te entrega las llaves de su casa, te dice que estás en tu casa y se va, no te da la oportunidad de acompañarle.

Te voy a pedir que te tomes un tiempo para reflexionar como te sientes y cuál sería tu siguiente paso.

¿Qué podrías hacer mientras tu anfitrión no está? ¿Qué harías mientras esperas?

RESPIRA — IMAGINA — SIENTE

esperar

Posibles Respuestas

  1. Entras a la casa, visualizas el rincón más despejado para dejar tus cosas y molestar lo menos posible, merodeas un poco por la casa, pero siempre terminas al lado de tus cosas y te entretienes con tus cosas para pasar el rato.
  2. Entras a la casa, dejas tus cosas en la entrada y como tienes las llaves, decides salir a conocer los alrededores y volver cuando calcules que habrá alguien en casa.
  3. Entras a la casa, dejas tus cosas y vas directo a la cocina. Decides agradar a tu anfitrión recibiéndole cuando vuelva con una comida típica de tu país, además que vienes con hambre del viaje.

Lo que hay detrás de cada respuesta

  1. Te colocaste los límites dentro del desconocimiento y la incertidumbre, lo que te hizo presa de la situación. Gran parte de tu libertad está paralizada hasta que el anfitrión vuelva. Contra intuitivamente, el control lo tiene otro, aunque te haya dicho que estás en tu casa con la mejor de las sonrisas e intenciones. Este escenario beneficia mucho más al que no colocó los límites.
  2. Decidiste no pertenecer al grupo, seguir de manera individual hasta que pudieras interactuar apropiadamente con alguien. En el mejor escenario, llegas unos minutos antes que tu anfitrión y comienzan de nuevo. Por otro lado, en un escenario no tan lindo, tu anfitrión vuelve a buscar algo rápido para volver, te había dado la única llave y no estás. El anfitrión se ve agraviado y te transfiere la culpa.
  3. Estás en tu máximo pico de libertad, feliz de la sorpresa que se llevará tu anfitrión y al llegar te enteras que algunos de los ingredientes que usaste, los iba a utilizar para algo que prometió llevar al día siguiente y ya es muy tarde para reponerlo. Aunque tus intenciones fueron buenas, agregaste algo más al día de emergencias de tu anfitrión. Te sientes responsable del malestar.
familia de tres integrantes, uno señala mostrando algo

Transferencia a la crianza

El mundo del unschooling o desescolarización puede ser abrumador al principio y uno de los motivos es justamente el no saber cómo colocar límites, el confundir libertad con la ausencia de límites cuando es al revés.

Cambiemos de roles, tú eres el anfitrión y tu hijo el mochilero. Solo que ahora tú eres la madre/padre/representante y el niño o adolescente es él mismo. En la mayoría de los casos, los chicos desescolarizados suelen empezar por la opción tres y a medida que hay castigos o recompensas que no obedecen a las consecuencias naturales, entonces se vuelcan a la opción 1 y 2.

La falta de límites podría provocar la falta de creatividad por miedo al fracaso, alejamiento del núcleo familiar para no molestar o en conductas confusas, las cuales se hacen con las mejores intenciones, solo que los resultados no son armónicos con el grupo familiar. ¿Te suena familiar? Una vez concientizado esto, todo es reparable. Los límites son importantísimos.

Cómo colocar límites en la crianza

Siguiendo la misma línea del mochilero, juguemos de nuevo a imaginar. Eres de nuevo esa persona que viaja y llega a casa de un extraño y tu anfitrión te recibe con una gran sonrisa aunque notas que está en apuros. Esta vez la situación tiene algo diferente:

Esta persona te explica que tiene una emergencia, que todo está listo en tu habitación, que es la que tiene un edredón rojo con negro, tu baño es el amarillo que está a la derecha al salir de tu habitación. Te da una copia de la llave y te cuenta que cada uno tiene la suya, que en la cocina hay comida ya hecha y que puede pasear por toda la casa a excepción de la habitación al fondo que es azul y por sobre todas las cosas, de la repisa no puede tocar los libros de leyes. Se despide y se va.

¿Qué podrías hacer mientras tu anfitrión no está? ¿Qué harías mientras esperas?

RESPIRA —- IMAGINA — SIENTE

esperar

Es muy factible que te asientes en tu cuarto, descanses, te bañes comas y te sientas en total libertad, ya que sabes las reglas, y hasta donde tienes permiso de llegar por el bien de una convivencia familiar. Aún no podemos leer las mentes, tu hijo o hija tampoco.

Comparando con la situación 2, si tu hijo entiende las reglas, podrá moverse libremente y ser auténtico, sin temores, siempre y cuando esos límites sean coherentes y protejan el bienestar personal y del grupo.

Otro aspecto importante al establecer límites es que, una vez establecidos, se explique el motivo detrás de ellos, pero al recordarlos, deben ser directos y sin necesidad de más explicaciones. Un argumento largo en una situación de riesgo puede generar confusión y perder el sentido del límite.

A medida que demuestren responsabilidad al llevar a cabo ciertas acciones, los límites se flexibilizarán, ya que se comprenderá su propósito. A veces, los límites seguirán existiendo, pero ya no seremos nosotros los responsables de hacerlos cumplir, porque no será necesario. Nuestros hijos lo entenderán y los aplicarán. 

Esto no implica que en el futuro volvamos a tener la responsabilidad de hacer que se cumplan, recordemos que el segundo factor importante del límite es hacerlos cumplir.

Que no te dé miedo volver a marcar límites

Cuando repetimos conductas que nos dijeron que son parte del rol de madre o padre y no las cuestionamos, es muy factible que creamos que es una debilidad el colocar límites de nuevo, ya que es falta de autoridad. ¿Cuántas veces no escuchaste o te oíste decir? “¿Cuántas veces te lo tengo que repetir?”, la verdad, la respuesta es: Las veces que sea necesario y además se hará de la misma manera como se hizo la primera vez, con calma, de forma conciliadora y firme. Hacer clic aquí si desean leer sobre un ejercicio que evita repetir conductas sin cuestionarlas. 

Un ejemplo de esto se puede observar en el ámbito de la cocina. Cuando comenzamos a enseñar a nuestros hijos a cocinar, una regla clara y típica es que no utilicen utensilios de cocina afilados, estos están reservados solo para adultos. Con el tiempo, esta regla se flexibiliza, permitiéndoles usarlos bajo la supervisión de un adulto, hasta llegar al punto en que pueden manejar los utensilios de cocina sin supervisión.

Sin embargo, si en algún momento invitan a sus amigos y, emocionados por la visita, comienzan a tomar los utensilios de cocina como juguetes, es necesario retomar la responsabilidad de establecer límites y explicarles que su comportamiento no fue responsable ni seguro para ellos mismos ni para quienes les rodean. Por esta razón, no podrán volver a utilizar los utensilios cuando haya visitas, ya que han demostrado no poder manejar la situación con una variable adicional.

Con el tiempo, es posible que puedan utilizar los utensilios con total autonomía, pero es importante establecer límites SIEMPRE. Esta es la forma de acompañar y cuidar a nuestros hijos.

madre colocando limites verbales a su hija en la cocina

Establecer límites aplica tanto a niños como a adolescentes y adultos, ya sean nuestros hijos o no, siempre y cuando estemos en un grupo con un objetivo común. Esto se aplica tanto en el contexto de un mochilero y su anfitrión, en el trabajo, con amigos o en un equipo deportivo en el que te desempeñes, en definitiva, en cada grupo de tu vida.

Establecer límites y respetar los límites que otros establecen son clave para la convivencia, siempre y cuando sirvan como salvaguarda para tu seguridad y la de todos. Teniendo esto en claro, podrás preparar a tus hijos para saber cómo actuar ante reglas injustas o que solo benefician a un grupo o persona en particular.

La clave está en ser coherentes y vivir de la manera en la que deseamos que sea el mundo.

Espero les haya servido este paseo por los límites y saber qué hacer de una manera amorosa y natural.

Estudiantes que no encajan en el sistema educativo tradicional

Posted on by Monica Oliveros

Estudiantes que no encajan en el sistema educativo tradicional

Posted on May 2, 2023

Existen alumnos que no encajan en el sistema tradicional y tienen un rasgo característico que los distingue en la escuela: se aburren y no entran en el molde. Este molde está diseñado para llevar una armonía perfecta dentro del sistema educativo. En West River Academy (WRA) nos complacemos en recibir este tipo de estudiantes por su espíritu indomable.

En nuestro día a día, como institución educativa, recibimos correos, peticiones y consultas de padres que están preocupados por sus hijos. Les preocupa que no estén pudiendo realizarse como seres humanos, ya que son etiquetados de diversas maneras dentro del sistema educativo tradicional.

Estos padres sienten el dolor de sus hijos y su propia frustración por no poder ayudarles y piden con mucha tristeza que los ayudemos a terminar de forma expedita con esta situación; nos piden adelantar años, certificar grados juntos y así sus hijos podrían graduarse del sistema educativo lo antes posible.

En WRA, entendemos muy de cerca estas situaciones y malestares familiares. Es por esto que somos una solución para este tipo de demandas, solo que no nos es posible hacerlo de la manera que dichos padres desean. La buena noticia es que les tenemos una mucho mejor contraoferta: Convertir Experiencias de Vida en Créditos Académicos.

Banner dividido en dos explicando como se puede vivir sin prisas, dando tiempo a bucear intereses

Tomar un respiro y detenerse a oler las rosas

El autoconocerse, hacerlo a nuestro propio ritmo y disfrutar de la vida son los pilares fundamentales de nuestra escuela. Es el poder aprender y educarse con un currículo de estudios propio y además hacerlo en el orden y el ritmo que se desee: como cada familia lo sienta y decida.

No aconsejamos el adelantar años, certificar grados juntos y graduarse antes de tiempo, porque al ser una institución radicada y legalizada en los Estados Unidos, esta opción solo puede ser posible en el caso de una admisión temprana a la Universidad o Escuela Técnica. De lo contrario, no es posible adelantar grados. Y con nuestra propuesta tampoco hace falta adelantar años.

Nosotros te ofrecemos entrar a nuestra institución con contenido abierto, nosotros no tenemos un plan de estudios, así que tu hijo o hija no tendrá que aburrirse con contenido preestablecido, en cambio, puede estudiar lo que desee en el nivel que lo disfrute y no conformarse con el diseño curricular impuesto por el modelo tradicional.

¿Ama las matemáticas y las ciencias?, en Khan Academy estará a su disposición el pénsum de estudios hasta cálculo dos. Incluso, es una gran idea el alentarle a empezar por eso que quiere aprender y darse cuenta en el proceso que podría repasar y estudiar contenido anterior para llegar a su meta: ¡a su ritmo, en el orden que lo desea y tantas veces en la semana como desee!

¿Ama las artes y el lenguaje?, en Kubrio encontrará un sinfín de expresiones artísticas, clubes, cursos intensivos y grupos de estudios con este tinte. En Kubrio también hay espacio para las ciencias, solo que sus integrantes lo han llevado más hacia lo artístico; el aprender ciencia por medio de debates y expresiones artísticas como proyectos. ¡Con personas de todas partes del mundo!

¿Ama los deportes? En tu localidad existen miles de opciones, en distintos niveles. El cuerpo es una máquina que se va forjando y los deportes necesitan memoria muscular y esto lleva tiempo. Tenemos un gran número de alumnos que entrenan de 12 a 18 horas semanales. ¡Se enfocan de manera integral en alcanzar sus metas!

¿Aman profundizar en todo? Tienen las 24 horas del día para elegir lo que desean aprender con libros, con video juegos, películas, viviendo. ¿Para qué apresurar este maravilloso tiempo?

En WRA nos enfocamos más en ayudarte a hacer lo que amas y no en llenar una lista de conocimientos para pasar de un grado al otro para luego olvidarlo. Cada persona tiene un don que va acompañado con uno o varios intereses. Y eso es a lo que apuntamos.

Mano levantando un birrete de graduación

¿Cómo certificar sin el diseño curricular oficial?

Uno de nuestros beneficios como institución educativa es el poder certificar en cada año un grado escolar, respetando las materias oficiales y agregando, en el caso de bachillerato, algunas materias electivas. 

Como padres, pueden pedir cada año una transcripción de notas y así certificar cada año desde preescolar. Si la meta educativa de casa es el graduarse de bachillerato, pueden esperar a los 4 últimos años de secundaria y certificar solo esos cuatro años. 

Los cuatro años que necesita acreditar el alumno para poder graduarse de bachiller deben ser el equivalente en su país de 9no, 10mo, 11avo y 12avo grado. Y estos 4 años deben ser cursados en 4 años distintos.

Dicha transcripción de notas será el equivalente a lo vivido por el alumno. Al hacer un resumen o reporte anual de lo aprendido, podrán darse cuenta de que ha cubierto cada aspecto del mismo: matemáticas, lengua, ciencia, biología, etc., Solo que con su propio currículo, tiempo, profundidad y nivel.

 

Nuestra propuesta para estudiantes que no encajan en el sistema educativo.

Vivimos un año a la vez, no tenemos un control remoto que nos adelanta años a placer, los vivimos todos y aprendemos en consecuencia. En West River Academy aupamos a las familias a vivir su educación a través del aprendizaje natural. No hace falta adelantar años cuando encuentras una propuesta tan humana y tan amoldada a tu día a día. No hace falta apresurarnos a vivir.

Esperamos este artículo haya traído la tranquilidad y certeza que buscaban a la hora de contactarnos. Si aún tienen dudas, pueden agendar una consulta gratuita de 15 minutos en español o leer más en nuestro blog.

Si no necesitas más nada para iniciar tu libertad educativa, inscríbete con nosotros.

Top 5 Online Homeschooling Resources

Posted on by Peggy Webb

Top 5 Online Homeschooling Resources

Posted on August 14, 2020

We know there are many doors that open once you step into the world of homeschooling and the variety of options can seem overwhelming at first. Now that we are living in a time of “crisis schooling”, families are scrambling to quickly make a plan for the school year and are doing their best to absorb as much information from the internet as possible right now. As advocates for the natural learning approach to homeschooling, the first thing we encourage parents to do is to have an open dialogue with their children to find out how they would enjoy spending their time in a fun and productive way.

 

West River Academy is very unique because we encourage each family to create a routine and learning flow that feels good to them. We ask them, “if you didn’t have to think about standardized testing, what do you think is important for your children to learn? How can you incorporate life lessons into your conversations, and ignite their love for learning again?”.  These questions prompt a new way of thinking and re-introduce the child to a world where learning is fun and exciting again!

 

Once you have figured out where you land on the spectrum of learning styles, it will be easier to narrow down the resources that will fit your family best. We have compiled the top 5 of our most popular online homeschooling resources directly from the recommendations of our families enrolled in West River Academy.

 

Enjoy!

 

Galileo is the new, innovative, self-directed online school for students aged 8-18 who are world schoolers, homeschoolers, and/or unschoolers from all over the world. They provide opportunities to collaborate with other students on projects, with groups that do projects together on STEM subjects and electives like Coding and Robotics, Foreign Languages and International Cultures. Choose your own adventure by mixing and matching a variety of topics!
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Cost: $240/month or $2000/year
Age Range: 8-18

 

They offer a huge variety of classes and options. From phonics to AP Physics to Minecraft to Piano. Outschool feeds your kid’s curiosity and elevates their learning with a variety of 50,000+ classes.
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Cost: $10-$600/ class
Age Range: 4-18
 
They offer tuition-free online classes with high school and college credit for grades 6-12. Includes Financial Education by Dave Ramsey for teens, and college courses from Grand Canyon University. 300+ Credit-based courses.
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Cost: Many classes are tuition-free
Age Range: 10-18
 
The main things homeschoolers want are high-quality resources and flexibility, and they offer both. Lesson plans consist of in-depth powerpoints with images and videos to enhance the material. Plus, they offer a wide range of optional supplemental activities so you can customize your child’s educational experience based on their individual learning style.
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Cost: $60-$175/class
Age Range: 10-18
 
They offer personalized learning of all core subjects. There are modules that the student can do at their own pace, they offer scholarship contests and they are popular worldwide.
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Cost: Free
Age Range: PreK-12th grade

~

If you would like to talk more about finding a learning style for your family, feel free to schedule a phone consultation with Peggy Webb, the Founder and Director of West River Academy, here.

~Photo Contest 2019~

Posted on by adminscott

~Photo Contest 2019~

Posted on November 14, 2019

Screen Shot 2020 04 13 at 3.20.45 PM

Dear families of West River Academy,

We could not be more thrilled, honored, and downright AMAZED by the photos submitted for our Photo Contest! Families all over the world have submitted their photos, and we have received more than we could possibly display.

Please take a look at these images as a whole; representing the collective childhoods that are being savored by courageous and resilient parents world-wide.

Finding educational freedom is a journey that is unique to each person and there is no ONE correct way to do it. By allowing your children to learn naturally, you are helping them grow into confident, happy and thriving young adults!

 

A Graduate’s Journal

Posted on by Rachel Nishikawa

A Graduate’s Journal

Posted on May 2, 2018

In our Graduation Program we not only want to hear about the curriculum you might be doing, but we want to know who you are, what influences your thought process and the person you are aspiring to be. Because in a society that has forgotten to value wisdom, curiosity and introspection, young adults who are nurtured in this way during the most developmental period of their life are an incredible asset to our world as whole.

Prospective graduate, Michael Heaton, delivers a reflective report of his personal growth and shares his thoughts as he navigates a trivial time in his life.

If I’m honest, I could call February my realization month. I read many books from prophets to philanthropists, philosophers to fables; everything. Many of them had different messages and sometimes they were conflicting. But the things I have learned have helped me to see where I truly am, where I will go if I continue doing what I am doing, and where I truly want to end up.

In the beginning of February I had a huge personal expense come up. The good news is that I finally paid it all off. But that whole month I felt totally broke. Which is not a bad thing to feel at my age because I don’t have a family or spouse depending on me. It just makes me realize how much growing I still have left before I am really ready for the real adult world. In a nut shell I’d say the beginning was humbling.

That works out perfectly for this type of education because it proves the old story of Socrates. Most people know about the young man who goes to Socrates and says something to the fact that he wants to learn from Socrates and be wise like him. Socrates then walks down to the beach and shoves his head in the water. The young man fights to come up to breathe. And finally when he almost drowns Socrates lets him up. Of course the young man is furious. Socrates responds calmly saying that once he wants truth and knowledge as bad as he wanted air, then he would teach him. That very desire that Socrates points out, is what I had in February. I got tired of settling for the life I had. My income seemed capped. My friendships, limited and self absorbed. My spiritual life, mundane and routine. My physical health, mediocre at best.

After I realized where I was at, I wrote some things that I wanted to change. I put up a white board where I can track my progress in different areas in my life to see what I needed to work on. Although I’m not perfect at updating it, it is in my room and I constantly look at it as I do my schooling. I’ve learned that if you want something to improve, you need to track it. The moment you do that, it becomes a priority. That has really helped me appreciate the gift of a day. There will never be a day like today ever again. And each day we are given, we trade for the things we think are important. Whether we are just killing time, or investing it, we can never get that day back. So we must use it wisely.

Previous to February, I often found myself bored, unfulfilled, and not where I wanted to be. If that continued, I’d follow the saying, “Some people die at 25, and aren’t buried until 75”. I don’t want that by any means. When I was bored and unfulfilled I also found that it effected my relationships. Not because people were all a sudden being jerks. But because I was focusing on myself so much more because I had nothing else to do. And lets be honest, none of us like a friend who is self centered.

Once I realized that my laziness was effecting who I was becoming, I decided to change. I started passing out flyers to expand my landscaping business in South Phoenix. I’m reading deeper into the words of God. I’ve tried to be less task oriented and play with those around me when they ask for my attention. When I think of old friends, I send them a text to let them know that I appreciate their role in my life. If I have down time, I invest it into my future. Just those simple things have revolutionized my life; not to mention my self confidence.

Now I know a lot of this could not be classified under math, science, or history. But I still believe that it is education. I believe that education is supposed to make life easier. Without knowing the things that I’ve just shared, life would be much harder. And if I could narrow down everything I’ve learn last month, I’d say this, success is never an achievement or trophy that we can attain and lock away for the rest of our lives. That is what you call a goal. Most people, including myself, think that success can eventually be achieved once we do this, or accomplish that, or face a certain obstacle. But the truth is success is only realized in the pursuit of your goals. The moment we stop stretching for what we want, and becoming a better person each day, we are no longer successful.

So thanks again for this program of credibility, and accountability. It’s helped me a lot already. Talk to you next month.

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours!

Posted on by Rachel Nishikawa

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours!

Posted on December 15, 2017

As the end of the year rings near, we want to express our gratitude for your trust in West River Academy which has allowed us to support families all over the world.

West River Academy is expanding more and more every day, and we are so happy to share our experiences as an unschooled family with you all! Now that WRA is a family business, each of the sisters brings different strengths, yet we have in common the same goal, which is to provide a safety net built on freedom and individuality for the upcoming generations.

We invite you to read Our Story, which describes each of our very unique unschooling journeys. We are pleased to be able to offer you the perspectives of Karen, Stacey and Rachel as unschooled children as well as Peggy’s perspective as an unschooling parent.

The main topic of discussion at our Thanksgiving table was how we can now, as a family, serve you. So, please know that the West River Team has your back and truly wants the best for you and yours!

Warmest holiday greetings from all of us,

Peggy, Stacey, Rachel & Karen

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