Is there an increasing interest in a method of home schooling, called "unschooling"?

For us we started with school at home, and while it was working okay, I did not like the implications. All the things I didn't like about pubic school were still there, teaching without regard to interest or applicability, less regard for present level or progression, and still feeding someone information. You can provide more, but still it is adult led with little input from the kids. Even if they say they like dinosaurs, and you prepare a unit lesson, the subject may be preferred, but the way it's presented, even the minute things you are learning, aren't self-chosen.

We started unschooling by accident. The kids had already finished a years worth of curricula by August, the same time I was put on bedrest for premature labor. Lo and behold, without me teaching, they were still learning! It wasn't you know, memorizing the preamble (although my oldest did do that for the fourth of July), it wasn't finessing the fine formulas of the space-time continuum (athough my seven year old has figured out some basic physics formulae through observation), but they were learning things that were meaningful AS WELL as building blocks for more information later on.

After two years of unschooling, I can assure you that young children can unschool as well as older. Unschooling does not mean unparenting, in fact, it is much more intense because you must know your child well, you must be prepared to support them instantly in whatever means necessary to support learning. My six year old has learned to read without phonics programs or lessons, my eight year old has learned multiplication, division, and even order simply by learning through life. My oldest child has decided that college is important to him, so he has an ACT prep book he's working through. It provides the basic information and it is up to him (and me) to go back and find holes in the basic education. But you'd be surprised, there aren't many there!

Unschooling.com has a lot of info, also read John Holt's book "The Unschooled Mind".

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Yes, I believe there has been a resurgence of interest in interest-led learning, or "unschooling," recently, not only among homeschoolers but education people in general. The method has been practiced for many years than I've been around, though, and I would argue that pure homeschooling that allows the child to learn at his/her own pace and interest level has been around since people have wanted to learn. It really isn't a new concept, it has only developed a new awareness among the general population.

Many communities in the US have begun to question their education systems and they look to what might be considered "alternative" education methods for answers. Unschooling/interest-led learning has proven time and time again that success can be earned by those who actively seek it. Thus, the increased interest in the method among parents and educators alike.

The only problem I've found is that some in the education field who consider what unschooling means to their livlihood might wonder how to diminish unschooling's effectiveness because by letting kids learn, and learn well, on their own makes the whole basis for public education look pretty darn bad.

As for looking from the start at unschooling as a learning method (notice I did not say "teaching" method), I'm not so sure that is happening. If a family comes from public school, like the vast majority of new homeschoolers nowadays, we are already pre-programmed for public school-style teaching and learning and it takes some experience and knowledge to come around to the unschooled way of life and accept it with happiness.

I think people know unschooling as a method of learning exists, we just don't trust it. Once I started reading my copies of Home Education Magazine and read John Holt's book, it became a no-brainer for us. It is just hard to explain to the relatives how our kids learn when they don't focus on a daily schedule of subjects!

:o)

Lisa S.

http://giftedandhomeschooling.blogspot.com/

Yes. But we were and still are members of HSLDA, HomeSchool Legal Defense Association. It's a very nominal fee and provides courtroom representation if needed, and consistent retained legal counsel over the phone any time it's needed when Qs arise as they sometimes do, and in the case presented in this Q, all that needs be done is present the card with the phone number and then the local enforcement officers follow up at a higher level so that accurate information is given from one legal department to another. These peopleHSLDA are who the gov't works with in Wash DC, and who are helping issues in public schools with teachers parents students school boards - they also send a monthly newsletter which is loaded with valuable resource info. It's not for offensive or defensive behavior, it's something that is where the legal authorities can turn when they are confused by all this. You did beautifully, and it would have helped had this card been available for them so that one person doesn't have to stand in the gap, it's then handled in a broader fashion which helps all legit homeschoolers in yr community. I had one incident early on, and luckily I had the card (it went nicely too) and they copied the info and later called and thanked us because it took things up a notch to the 'legal' level where the whole station was very clear about what is and is not ok when homeschooling. Also took me out of that 'loop' and I was never bothered again by anyone all the way through graduation and scholarships. What one experiences others are too, and we need to help everyone we can to get clear on the laws and boundaries, not just for our immediate circumstance but to pave the way so others have it smoother. The HSLDA relieved me of having to explain over and over, people could just call and get the info straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak, rather than decide if I was correct in my information or not. I had lots of people Q me about it, but only one police visit. And they really don't want to be involved as it's more of a political issue than a criminal or civil one. You are a great paver and road smoother. Thanks for keeping on keeping on. Peace be with you. Thanks for the pertinent Q :)

hey, i was "unschooled" until 5th grade. my mom taught me the basics and i devoured every book i could get my hands on. since i didn't have all the pressure and busy work and vacuum packed info. to hold me back i loved to learn. by the time i started traditional homeschooling (with a curriculum) i was at the perfect grade level. now that i'm in 10th grade i'm an A student and LOVE to learn. i am almost completely independent too (with my mom doing some grading).

mine is one example of the success of unschooling.

*sorry this doesn't really answer your question :D

Great question!

So many of us (e.g. me) have been programmed to believe that only a traditional type instructor led school approach will work.

Our first year of homeschooling we followed that model and both my son and I ended up very burned out! We got a lot done but it was not as much fun as it could have and should have been!

We have evolved into more of an eclectic approach that blends instructor led (coop) and experiential with much more interest driven learning. I think my son learns more when he is not "in school."

I feel the pressure of prepping him for his college aspirations and still cling a little bit to the traditional for certain core courses such as mathematics.

I think interest in unschooling is expanding because interest in homeschooling is expanding. As more homeschool, more will look into all different methods, and end up picking the one that they are most comfortable with, and which suits their child and their situation best.

I'm interested because, the methods I am using now are not working to my standards. I like the idea that children are meant to learn and will learn without too much prodding. I'm hoping to eventually loosen up enough to unschool when my child is a bit older. What we do for ourselves is so much more valuable to us than what is done for us.

Have you seen Dayna Martin's video blog on YouTube? She is very convincing.

I am trying to 'let go' of my 15 year old. He does not like school, even with homeschooling in a relaxed manner. I don't feel that I am lazy to relax even more. It gives me time to learn more for myself. I think that watching me learn has helped him understand what he has not understood when I use only words.

To answer your question: Yes, I think more people are going with unschooling. With today's technology, kids learn more by accident than we did, at their age, on purpose.

Unschooling only works for someone with a long attention span. It's not for someone who gets bored of a new toy in one day.

I unschooled in chemistry with a chemistry set at age 8, meteorology at age 10, planetary astronomy at age 11, filmmkaing starting at age 11.

Creative writing was also a backbone since age 6 and my first publication in Sky and Telescope at age 16.

My mother homeschooled me in touch typing between 6 and 7 and I was going at 45 WPM by age 8 with all fingers.

I undschooled in music starting at 5 with a little recorder and my mother taught me to read the basic notes and we had those bells you ring by color and note.

At 17 I took up guitar and my mother homeschooled me in harmony and theory (she had been a pro musician for 20 years before getting into the computer business).

To this day I still have my Aneroid Barameter from my meterology kit and I remember how to do wet and dry bulb and can read basic weather charts.

I still know what's out in the night sky. I can point out Venus, Jupiter, Mars without much trouble and make a guess on Saturn, it's not as easy.

I can point out the dippers, Orion, the Peladieds, I can find the Great Nebula in a telescope.

I remember when most of the major meteor showers hit.

My unschooling in film went into 16mm and audio went into 2" 24 track and digital Pro Tools work.

My musice went into 30 years on stage as a bassist and occasinal keyboardist and arranger for the band.

I was the only one who could figure out the chords from the record and change the key for the singer and write the charts.

All of this was unschooling or homeschooling.

I unschooled in computer programming later in life for about 14 years and produced a few commercial progarms.

I worked on CP/m Atari ST, Amiga, Mac, PC Dos and PC Windows platforms

I did programs in Basic, VB, C, Modula 2 and Perl.