"Unschooling" - Ever Heard of It?

I'm unschooling my kids. "Schooling" is about socialization and rule following, not education. In fact, the schools were never set up with education as their primary or first function. The first public elementary schools, the common schools, were in fact designed to make kids "common."

The funny thing about education in America is that people seem to think you have to have a curriculum and structure to learn. The thing is, learning takes place at every moment of every day, if you let it. Unschooling is about approaching life as a giant classroom of educational experiences. There is no need for a curriculum or a list of things you must know. There is just the child, the world, and their innate curiosity and interest (which the schools do a great job of destroying!).

I sometimes worry that my kids won't be able to compete as successfully as their peers, but my kids have always been ahead of their peers, with me doing almost nothing. We rarely do what others would consider educational activities. I rarely buy expensive "educational" toys. We have lots of books, blocks and kitchen stuff. My kids make a lot of cakes ;-)

I may add more structure when they are older, but I am a firm believer in "play" as the only requirement till they are 6 or 7.

Thus far, my results have been outstanding. My 3.5 year old would be a fluent reader if I worked with her, instead, I let her do what she just does. She knows lots of site words, and has been sounding out words since before her last bday. She is rarely interested in reading, however, and prefers for me to read to her, so I do. Her almost 2 year old brother knows most of his letters and some of their sounds, and is starting to count past 10.

We go to the Zoo a lot, and will start going to museums when my son drops his afternoon nap. But my plan is to just play hard for the next few years.

Look at Finland. They don't "school" till 7, and they are killing us on international rankings. Why? Because education isn't about workbook activities, it's about creating meaningful educational experiences.

Edited answer to Joanne: You obviously don't know what you are talking about. Kids are innately interested in EVERYTHING. In fact, my daughter is obsessed with that concept right now. If you don't expose your kids to things, they won't have many interests, but kids are innately inquisitive, and interested in enough things that any subject can be learned. Let me put it this way, say you have a kid that is only interested in baking cakes. Cooking requires lots of subjects, from chemistry to math. In fact, every single critical question you asked can be answered by "I can teach them all that, plus more, by teaching them how to bake a proper cake, you know, the good kind, from scratch, with leveling agents and measuring spoons and scales. Science, nutrition, history, reading/writing,etc. can all easily be taught by baking a cake, to say nothing of the necessary math.

On top of this innate interest that schools kills, learning by definition requires interest. If you aren't interested in something, you will not learn. You may be able to repeat a memorized answer, but that information (1) will be forgotten quickly, and (2) will never be applied to life.

Thirdly, kids run an innate program: there is a reason they all start singing around 2, start being interested in counting, etc. So much of it is biological. If you get out of their way and provide them with good experiences and good models, you will cover everything.

Research shows that true unschooled kids learn to read by 8 on average, and tend to be where their peers are or ahead of them by age 12.

Home school kids are usually 5 years ahead of their peers. I taught at a Big Ten school for a few years, and I can attest that my home school kids out wrote, thought and wrote their peers by at least 5 years, if not more, and their peers were all "AP students."

This isn't something to be scared of. Kids were unschooled until the last few centuries, and just think of all the great works of art, etc. that were created by supposed "uneducated" fools.

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I think that homeschooling and unschooling are going to be only be effective if the parents are bright, motivated, and creative. I haven't heard a ton about it, but from what I know, it's usually better than that, like taking a kid's current interests and building on that--i.e. if the kid is into planets, get a telescope, visit the planetarium, find star maps online. I might be wrong though. Just keep in mind that TV shows can pick the good ones or the morons depending on what they think is most marketable.

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Oh sweet mother of god!!! I am ADD my kids are ADD! They would be functionally illiterate as adults if they were allowed to learn when they felt like it.

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I have actually heard of unschooling defined in two different ways. One is what you mentioned above and can be good or bad depending on the parents. I know of one girl who was unschooled in that she defined what she learned but had to be actively studying something. She taught herself Japanese, learned all about the food, the culture, the art. She was brilliant at what she studied. I think to have absolutely no structure is a bad idea.

The other unschooling or "deschooling" is taking time off from school when transitioning from traditional school to homeschool. It's something like a month for each year of schooling. It's to get them out of the ideas of schooling they learned in public school and teach them alternative ways to learn. It is also to help give them the space from any traumatic experiences they had in school that would create a block in learning in the future. We actually did this with my son and it proved to be really helpful. We started homeschooling the week after he got out of public school and it was a nightmare. He was anxious and couldn't seem to absorb any of the curriculum. We waited a few months and began again and he was like a new kid.

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Huh. Sounds like a lazy approach to me. Don't kids who are enrolled in "traditional" education still learn these things (hand coordination, counting tomatoes with mom in the kitchen, etc.) anyway? Can you not go to school and still come home and keep learning? We're always learning, every day, in different ways.

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I think it could work great for a very motivated and dedicated kid who cares about their future and understands that a good well rounded education is important to it. but, I also think very few kids fall into this category.

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Kids are motivated by design. It's a motivated parent that you need. The method works, but it is far from a lazy method for parents, it takes a great deal of dedication. Not my bag, but every unschooler I know has really cool, educated kids.

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yes, I have heard of it....but what I am accustom to is a little bit more structured & defined.

The child chooses the field/area of instruction....& then learns thru "hands-on" interaction. The cutting of the cucumber can be used for fractions.....& the counting of tomatoes can teach simple math. Visuals enhance the experience....& with the families I know, they do use worksheets/computer modules to reinforce the academics. The "unschooling" comes from the child being in charge of the curriculum choices.

There is another method of teaching called "Project Construct". It is based on the theory that children "construct" knowledge upon knowledge. It is a very hands-on approach, & I really enjoy it. The children within the group create a learning environment where they are essentially teaching each other as they move along. I know it sounds very chaotic, but it's not - when in the hands of a capable teacher. It is truly a helpful & beneficial method to teach.....& social skills play a huge part of it!

I think the whole video game is bogus, tho'!! :)

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I was curious about unschooling, so a few years ago I got onto the Yahoo unschooling list, just to track the conversations and to see what it's all about.

Just like public school families, there's a pretty broad spectrum of 'what unschooling looks like'. Some families are very dedicated to their children's educations and make themselves available for library trips and other exploratory outings to further their child's pursuit of their own education. Other families certainly had a more laid-back approach. I think this is true in public school families too--some families are more interested in supporting their child's education while others do not regard it as highly.

For myself, this isn't a method of education I would want to pursue for my son. Just my personal preference. That said, as a preschool teacher this is what I did, primarily supporting the children's educational experiences through what's called 'emergent curriculum': providing opportunities to build upon the genuine interests of the children, and in doing so, keeping their education as a cooperatively-led experience as opposed to only a 'teacher-led' experience. This is a challenging way to organize a curriculum, but certainly a fulfilling and satisfying experience, because as Sue H says, children build knowledge upon knowledge. The Reggio-Emilia model/based preschools also follow the inclinations and enquiry of children, with positive results as well.

And I'd encourage you to follow an Unschooling list if you are interested. It certainly expanded my understanding of the concept--in its varied forms.

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This has actually been done for decades. There are actually "unschooling schools" where children go but teachers are just there to facilitate, not teach in the traditional sense. One show I watched on this featured a school that had an over 95% college acceptance rate of their graduates. The concept is based on the fact that children love to learn, and not all do well in a traditional school setting. If we facilitate by making sure children have resources and guidance, they will learn.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44316853/ns/today-back_to_s...

It's a fascinating concept to me, but I send my child to regular public school. She loves the idea of unschooling, but I don't feel up to being an adequate facilitator, she's got great teachers in her school.

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I HAVE heard of it. I met some parents at a dinner party who unschool their child, and my first thought, as an educator in a public school system, is to recoil on horror. My second thought, as an educator in a public school system, is to see the possibilities and potential in creating really dynamic and great thinkers. I definitely think that structures in schools can limit children - their creativity and potential.

My three year old is obsessed with vehicles and his sand box. He observes any construction with a fantastic precision. If I knew enough about how vehicles work and how construction works, I could facilitate in my son a very high, technical knowledge that included all sorts of science, engineering and math skills - far beyond the normal 3 year old knowledge level. As he grew and his interests changed, I could build off of and around the existing knowledge and increase his skills at acquiring and processing information. Sure, there would be gaps here and there in his knowledge, but you get that anyway. I NEVER retained anything beyond 7th grade math, and I have a masters degree.

I think, if I knew enough, or had time to learn enough, and was highly energetic and motivated, my son could really become a highly educated, sophisticated thinking, student.

However, I dont know enough, or have time enough, to be a qualified facilitator to my child. The unschooling parent I met at the dinner table was such a laid back, chill, take it easy kind of person that it was hard to imagine her motivating to get out of the house for a 7:00 dinner party, let alone overseeing her childs education without a curriculum of any kind.

So, my big concern with it is not the theory, its with the implementation. I think, under many parents (myself included), it would be a disservice to the child.

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I don't think "unschooling" is the right word for this. It should really be called "unstructuring" or "curriculum-free homeschooling" or something. I also think the profile of a video-gaming family was biased and inaccurate. Most of the families who chose this path do so in order to be electronic-media-FREE. They might introduce the Internet (with filters) by jr. high or high-school age, but the whole idea is to break down the divide between "leaning" and "entertainment" and teach kids that learning is fantastically fun. All that said, I don't think it's for me. But for the right family, it can be the most educational option there is.

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I think it's inappropriate to call it "unschooling" b/c the children ARE learning. Perhaps "alternative schooling" may be more appropriate. Not sure I agree with the video game thing, but my 3.5 yr old helps me in the kitchen and is learning - so how is that worse than the kid who comes home from public school and sits in front of the tv all night? This episode of this show sounds pretty stupid and very one-sided. What's to say that the rest of the day they didn't do other learning?

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That is how the Montasorri way of learning is structured and I have did some research on it when my oldest was starting pre-school. It depends on the child, is what I believe, but I do tend to favor more scructure.

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Yes I have heard of it, it is similar in idea to Montessori which is very successful. when I homeschooled my son, I looked seriously into unschooling, because my son is an unstructured type of person, and for him it would have fit.
It doesn't mean letting your kids run around doing whatever they want, it is more about guiding them into things they are interested in, and incorporating the three R's into it. Such as if your child is really into dinosaurs, you could do math with dinosaur toys, and read about dinosaurs, write stories about them.
It has been around a LOOONNG time in homeschooling circles, it is not new or experimental.

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Yes have heard of it...totally and completely against it.

If a child is not interested in Math, how will they ever learn how to pay rent or give a dose of medicine? How will they ever learn to balance a checking account? If they're not interested in English, how will they ever be able to create a resume? How will they ever be able to fill out an application since they don't have the reading or writing skills to complete one? If they're not interested in P.E. how will they maintain good exercise? If they are not interested in nutrition, how will they know which foods are healthy and which are not? If the child is not interested in Science, how will they ever learn about cause & effect?

The cause: Zero Learning...The effect: Zero knowledge, Zero life skills, Zero intelligence, Zero Potential!

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I'm sure there is actual research out there of the results of families who have done this. There are also families that don't truly follow a concept/theory but just "cop out". I would be skeptical of tv shows since they are just trying to attract viewers.
I personally don't truly know enough about this subject to formulate an opinion. But I do know that traditional schools were not created in the best interest of my kids.

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I have heard of this and for some it works well. It does depend on the parents and the kids. Most that I have known don't push certain subjects at any certain times. I think if kids are interested in something when they are young why not gear them toward it. Once kids get out of HS most of what they learned goes out the window depending on what they want to go to college for (if they go at all).
They push so much in regular schools now and I don’t think they really teach life skills that many kids need to know.
I also wanted to add that most people frown upon it since it is not mainstream.

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I watched it last night and those kids were extremely overweight as well as uneducated. I'd be surprised if they all even knew how to read. In my opinion, those parents were negligent in more areas than just education.

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I've heard of it and frankly, I don't understand it. I have aquaintances who unschool but I haven't talked to them about their "curriculum." I can't even imagine how that would work. I homeschool and I have my high schoolers choose their electives but that's about it. I don't want to put them down or judge them because I don't understand. My aquaintances who unschool are very smart and have bright children so without looking into it more, I can't really say. I'm thinking that most of them taylor their school to the likes of their children rather than letting their children play and trying to figure out how that can count for school. I'm sure the small minority will do that though. I read a blog from a woman who unschooled and was featured on Dr. Phil. It was twisted around to make her and her family look foolish and she defended herself on her blog and it sounded like she made her own curriculum to fit the needs and desires of her children. That sounds more like it. But I've been curious myself.

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I question how child led, unstructured education affects the child's ability to cope in an otherwise very structured world. What about extra curricular activities, where it's not all about you, with commitments, set times, compromise, etc.? Not to mention, when you are an adult, working, going to college, etc., you cannot do only just the things that interest you or that you feel like doing, you have to do it all, sometimes. This is where I see this method not working in favor of the child.

How do you make up for the lack of interest in certain areas? What if they are only interested in one thing? How do you handle that?

I can definitely see a method like this being used as a cop out for lazy parents, especially nowadays when more parents than ever want to take th easy way out. I question how many parents are implementing this in the correct fashion. My guess is, it's not very many.

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The first time I ever heard of it was here on MP. I think it was last year that someone wrote about it as a form of homeschooling.

I remember looking it up and thinking that it was such a cop out. I haven't looked at it since - so not interested.

D.

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In the early years of home pc's, all kinds of companies jumped on the educational software band wagon. There were encycolopedias for history, science, plants, geography, birds, and many others. We could get tons of software on almost any subject. We used our 150+ titles in a form of unschooling. The kids understood what their basic subjects were. They understood that reading was slightly different than English and that history, psychology, sociology, etc.. all fell in the social studies department. All I required of them was that they make me a small summary of whatever they did that day.

We did have ways of keeping track of their over all work. Every other year we would buy a boxed curriculum. We bought study books that were designed to get them ready for SAT's and ACT's. We had speed reading programs, spelling programs, and we required quite a bit of writing. BUT, they could do these things with little oversight.

Now my 11 year old is learning in much the same way. But the great software is not quite out there. We have to get the same things online. The internet is wonderful for this!

I know we don't do a 100% unschooling approach. I would never just stand back and say, go for it girl. I have to reign it in sometimes and make sure she's putting in dedicated days where I choose the topics.

All my girls are great and in good shape. 3 are in college plus the one still being homeschooled.

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