…so let us start the failure revolution! We need to step off this insane model, which punishes failure or not getting it right, instead of using it to learn what works and what doesn’t. A friend of mine, who is a businessperson, told me he does not take failing too seriously. He does not go deeply into it, analyzes … Continue reading
Author Archives: Rachel Mendelson
Encourage them to fail (part one)
(from an email I sent to homeschooling friends) “Didn’t get to share this with some of you who had to leave early, but here is the transcript of the last part of the interview I told you about and something I would love for all of us to think and talk about: how can we encourage our … Continue reading
Too easy
The other day, my daughter (11.5 years old) came to me and said: “Mom, I think you are too easy on me”. (I did not ask what she meant. It was much more valuable to leave it as an all-encompassing statement, not area specific). I only said: “I sometimes think that, too, but then you … Continue reading
Where do you want to get to in life?
While we were making cookies tonight, my daughter shared with me that a friend told her she will get nowhere in life if she continues to watch Anime (Japanese animation) all the time. I told my daughter to ask her friend where does she (the friend) wants to get to in life. My daughter thought it was a funny … Continue reading
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)
From the Book: Kaizen (改善?), Japanese for “improvement”, or “change for the better” refers to philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, and business management… Kaizen was first implemented in several Japanese businesses after the Second World War, influenced in part by American business and quality management teachers who visited the country. (Wikipedia) ”The Kaizen approach to … Continue reading
Doing Nothing
(Translated from an article I wrote many, many years ago which was inspired by reading to my boys A. A. Milne’s Pooh books and by watching them in their own world…) Doing nothing (October 1995) “I like that too,” said Christopher Robin, “but what I like doing best is Nothing.” “How do you do Nothing?” asked Pooh, after … Continue reading
The big “S” (“but what about socialization?”)
From the book: “I was telling a friend about the book I’m writing about unschooling. She knew I home-schooled my children but we met in a business seminar, and clearly the idea was new to her. I mentioned that my daughter was somewhat of “a social animal”, especially in comparison to me, and the challenges it presented to me. “Oh, yes” she said “did you write … Continue reading
At their own pace
I recently took my daughter to her friend’s birthday party at a skating rink. I had some errands to run so we agreed that I’ll help her put her skates on and then stay only until she feels comfortable skating again. While she went into the rink, I stood there watching her and another friend … Continue reading
Strengths (part two)
As I see it, when it comes to allowing your child to live from his or her strength, the most important non-step is to “First, do no harm!”. Meaning, interfere as little as possible with how your child goes about learning and figuring things out. Since every person’s learning style is as unique as his or … Continue reading
Strengths (part one)
More than a decade ago the strength movement was born ((http://www.strengthsfinder.com/home.aspx, for newer developments: http://tmbc.com/). Around the same time positive psychology also emerged. Both claimed that we need to focus on what is right with us rather than analyze and fix what is wrong with us. Let’s find and develop our strengths and not struggle to fix … Continue reading
Unschooling to College 