What are your thoughts on "un-schooling"? Does anyoneknow of good examples? Bad?

I am intrigued by this subject and I'm looking for some balanced opinions. Most of the pro-unschooling websites are very gushy, but not well organized with pros and cons, etc. Asked by BryroseA 52 months ago Similar questions: thoughts un schooling anyoneknow examples Education & Reference.

Similar questions: thoughts un schooling anyoneknow examples.

I'm a homeschooler but not an un-schooler. Here's what I know, what I think and what I think I know... I know that in our previous home there were several families who were big into unschooling. Out of those only one of them was positively a healthy and well balanced family.

What to say of the others...well, their take on things was that their girls would not need to know a lot since they would grow up and marry a man who would provide for them financially while they raised the children. I'm not against stay-at-home mom's by any stretch of the imagination but if the husband up and leaves or dies, it would be good to know...um...basic math and things.... Now like I said, I am big on not judging an entire issue by the fringes and I think that some of those people were way out there. I subscribed more to an un-schooling approach (although not entirely) for kindergarten and first grade where reading, counting, etc., was a product of natural curiosity and a drive to learn.

When understanding a child's desires changing as they age and the state standards (and personal standards) I think it becomes next to impossible to cover all of the bases based entirely off of natural curiosity. My daughter did not want to necessarily learn about simple machines or Bhutan but needed to know some of that and it is healthy for her to know it anyhow. I do think that is is a very altruistic idea but like many grand ideas, when implimented, it sort of falls apart.

I am very big on learning when natural learning opportunities arise. We school for 12 months instead of 9 or 10 or whatever so we have some wiggle room for when we get very interested in another topic and start learning about that interest instead. Recently we started studying Antarctica and daughter became very interested in a polar explorer so we studied him instead.

When we were learning about simple machines we stopped when we got to pulleys because daughter found a great use for a pully so we went to get the stuff and made one. So I guess in a way, we incorporate unschooling into our curriculum. The pros are: You keep the natural inquisitive nature of the child you postpone or rid the natural inclination to avoid school work and opt for play You foster a love of learning You empower your kids with the choices of what they learn and therefore you achieve buy-in and better commitment.

The cons: There are some very important materials that you will never get to if left entirely up to the whims of fancy. There is something to be said for learning that it isn't all about you and that sometimes you have to do what you don't particularly love to do There are a great many times that you learn that you really like something that you previously would never have thought that you would like (In my case, tuna, but I digress) until you try it and realize that you actually love it. Sticking with learning objectives give you something to strive for and a sense of completion once reached Seeing progress and striving for something helps a person to thrive in our culture where competition and accomplishment are generally valued in the workforce I hope you love whatever decision you make and are as happy with HSing as we are.

SOTWord's Recommendations The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom Amazon List Price: $16.95 Used from: $6.65 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 27 reviews) Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves Amazon List Price: $18.00 Used from: $12.40 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 11 reviews) Unschooling for life. (At the well: teach your children well).(Column): An article from: The Other Side Amazon List Price: $5.95 .

Unschooling has alot of very intriguing ideas in teaching your children. I am a homeschooling mom of 2 my oldest is just going into the second grade. I too am attracted to some of the ideas that unschooling presents.In a sense I incorporate some of those ideas into our homeschool but I am not comfortable allowing the whole show to be driven by my second graders likes and dislikes of the day/month/year.

For example we would never do math or write much of anything if she ran the show. The ideas that I use are allowing her to choose what science we do this year not whether we do it. I also allow for open communications on things she loves and hates and I try to make things more palatable to her.

We have switched spelling programs this year because she was frustrated with the busywork that the other one had her doing. I am OK with that. However I am not OK with her saying that she does not feel like doing any spelling this year:).

I think unschooling seems much more suited to older children who have already covered the basics an have an idea of their natural talents and gifts. I would have loved being able to pursue things I was really interested in in high school instead of having to fulfill requirements on a transcript. The balance that works for our family is to allow input into what and how we study something not whethter we study something.

Hope that helps a little. :) .

Fish swim, birds fly, people learn" Unschooling is raising children without school-- no forced curricula, no age-based expectations of learning. The general idea is that children resist learning only when they are forced to learn on other’s schedule, following other’s priorities. Instead, children should be surrounded with rich variety of materials, and should be allowed and encouraged to pursue the subjects that appeal to them, whether they are traditional academic topics or not.My kids are young, but my experience suggests that unschooling works well, at least for the early years.

My kids have eagerly chosen to learn to read and write, and they think math and science are fun. Story is an amazing story. Because they aren’t forced to learn anything specific (though I do make suggestions and offer a range of activities and classes), they don’t have a "worst subject", or one they dislike because it’s boring.

The older unschooled kids I know are delightful, interesting people. However, we have not committed to unschooling our kids to adulthood. We may add more parent-directed study as they grow, if we feel it would benefit our kids.

So, the upside of unschooling? It’s fun! Acting as a guide for my children as they learn about the world is amazing.

Watching their pride when they master something and really "own" the accomplishment is wonderful. And it works-- my kids are doing very well, by any measure. The cons: Not every child will choose to remain on "grade-level" on all subjects while unschooling, and that can make his parents panicky.

If you have specific academic goals for your kids (like learning Latin, or being able to discuss Civil War battles), unschooling is not for you. It can be a challenging way to homeschool, because you need to respond to your kids’ needs and interests, instead of picking a curriculum and chugging through it. Oh and there’s the constant debate about what constitutes "real unschooling".

The imagined "con" of unschooling is that kids will avoid anything difficult unless someone makes them do it, and so they'll grow up failing to learn important things. However, the reason we think certain topics are vitally important for children to learn is that they're useful and interesting. Of course children will want to learn useful interesting things like reading and math and science and history.

Why wouldn't they? They probably won't become an expert in all of them, but who is? I take my view of unschooling from John Holt.

I also like Mary Griffith’s Unschooling Handbook. Sources: personal experience ln's Recommendations Learning All the Time Amazon List Price: $15.00 Used from: $3.60 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 12 reviews) Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling Amazon List Price: $18.95 Used from: $3.54 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 4 reviews) The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom Amazon List Price: $16.95 Used from: $6.65 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 27 reviews) .

Unschooling helps children realize their natural learning instincts. It can be problematic for kids who need structure. It's ironic that you're looking for structure and organization on unschooling websites ;-).

Their approach is indeed one that is child-led and goes off in different directions with less structure than you would expect from a conventional learning model. Here's what I found to answer your question:Unschooling is a form of education in which learning is based on the student's interests, needs, and goals. It may be alternatively referred to as natural learning, child-led learning, discovery learning, delight-led learning, or child-directed learning.

Unschooling is generally considered to be a form of home education, which is simply the education of children at home rather than in a school. Home education is often considered to be synonymous with homeschooling, but some have argued that the latter term implies the recreation of school in the context of the home, which they believe is philosophically at odds with unschooling. Unschooling contrasts with other forms of home education in that the student's education is not directed by a teacher and curriculum.

Although unschooling students may choose to make use of teachers or curricula, they are ultimately in control of their own education. Students choose how, when, why, and what they pursue. Parents who unschool their children act as "facilitators," providing a wide range of resources, helping their children access, navigate, and make sense of the world, and aiding them in making and implementing goals and plans for both the distant and immediate future.

Unschooling expands from children's natural curiosity as an extension of their interests, concerns, needs, goals, and plans. The term unschooling was coined by John Holt. An author of ten books on education, John Holt founded the unschooling magazine Growing Without Schooling.

The following are common opinions and concerns of people who are critical of unschooling. -Some children lack the foresight to learn the things they will need to know in their adult lives. -There may be gaps in a child's education unless an educational professional controls what material is covered.

-Because schools provide a ready-made source of peers, it may be more difficult for children who are not in school to make friends and develop social skills than it is for their schooled peers. -Because schools may provide a diverse group of both adults and students, it might be more difficult for children who are not in school to be directly exposed to different cultures, socio-economic groups and worldviews. -Some children are not motivated to learn anything, and will spend all of their time in un-educational endeavors if not coerced into doing otherwise.

-Not all parents may be able to provide the stimulating environment or have the skills and patience required to encourage the student's curiosity. -Because they often lack a diploma from an accredited school, it may be more difficult for unschooled students to get into college or get a job. -Children who direct their own educations may not develop the ability to take direction from others.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling .

1 I'm not an expert on this, but I'd recommend looking at the Sudbury model as a possible alternative to homeschooling: sudval.org/ is the original school, and there are links to other similar schools. "Sudbury Valley School is a place where people decide for themselves how to spend their days. Here, students of all ages determine what they will do, as well as when, how, and where they will do it.

This freedom is at the heart of the school; it belongs to the students as their right, not to be violated. "Also see the FAQ at sudval.org/01_abou_09. Html .

I'm not an expert on this, but I'd recommend looking at the Sudbury model as a possible alternative to homeschooling: sudval.org/ is the original school, and there are links to other similar schools. "Sudbury Valley School is a place where people decide for themselves how to spend their days. Here, students of all ages determine what they will do, as well as when, how, and where they will do it.

This freedom is at the heart of the school; it belongs to the students as their right, not to be violated. "Also see the FAQ at sudval.org/01_abou_09.html.

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HOME SCHOOLING IN JEOPARDY.... in California a court ruling has upheld a provision in the State Education Code that...

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I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.