CLD>As a dyed-in-the-wool unschooler, I disagree.  For us, much of 
nschooling
   >means it is learner-directed, not teacher-directed.  Thus a child who
   >wishes  to use a textbook is unschooling because it is the student's 
choice
   >involved.   And the resources in the world involved with math facts or
   >grammar are  astonishing - which is why they are basics.  I have had my
   >eldest upset  because I was not reading aloud from a grammar book, we 
ave
   >discussed word  origins and word order (just learned it and its are 
derived
   >from hit and his  and him, the h dropped off), read the books by Ruth
   >Heller about words  (Merry-Go-Round, Abook about Nouns, Many Luscious
   >Lollipops, A Book about  Adjectives, etc.) for fun  - so spelling and
   >arithmetic and etc. are just as  natural as walking and talking.
I have a question for you, you old dyed in the wool woman!
I recently went to the local curriculum fair.  One of the presenters was
the author/developer of Writing Strands.  (One writing program I am very
interested in.)  As an English teacher, he found the public school
writing program sorely lacking.  He taught his son writing but   didn't
teach him ANY grammar.   This son has developed into quite a talented
writer.  (He figured if a child could learn to talk effectively without
knowing what a verb or noun is, then he could also write without knowing
the names the parts of speech.)
Have you come across anyone who uses this approach?  Writing Strands has
received high recommendations, but is grammar *really* necessary?  (I
certainly can see the need when studying a foreign language.)
Thanks,
Sharon
 * OLX 2.1 TD * For people who like peace and quiet: a phoneless cord.
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