What's Your Definition of Unschooling?

[BabyMae09]

Share, share!

[kathymuggle]

USing supports and values that the learner is in charge of what they learn.

[Lisa85]

Not using a curriculum, no set time limit for the day or the subject or even the year. Life is learning and high value is placed on being happy and fulfilled, less on knowing state guidelines for the grade.

[kittie313]

I'm trying to figure out if we are venturing our way into unschooling or if we're just ultra relaxed just because I'm curious.

[moominmamma]

No uninvited teaching.

Freedom from external learning expectations/requirements.

My child has the ultimate say in the pace, direction, content, format and nature of his or her learning.

************

My unschoolers sometimes use formal curriculum materials if they want. They sometimes attend classes or take lessons. I don't want them to be restricted by my (or others') definition of the term.

Miranda

[Marimami]

I define it based on how I determined whether I was comfortable defining myself as an unschooler. Because I do have an agenda regarding my daughter's learning, I don't classify myself as an unschooler regardless how much child-directed learning is happening.

I have a baseline that I keep in mind regarding reading, math, and handwriting. We work as a team (me, DD, and DH) to explore together.

So, as relaxed and eclectic as we are, I don't classify us as unschoolers because I do have an agenda, albeit an extremely relaxed one compared to others, but it's there. So, I recognize it and acknowledge it.

But, I still lurk and read here because I learn so much from unschooling families!

Holli

[littlemizflava]

i say free ranged when asked in passing

this is my sig for emails:
Unschooling is a form of homeschooling in which education happens without the use of a schedule, curriculum, testing and grades. Unschooling is child-led education, interest-led or child-led learning. so if the child chooses to learn about a subject or interest, they are still unschooled, as they were not coerced or persuaded to learn it, but chose to do so of their own free will..


forgot to add my lable is relaxed/unschooling

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

Unschooling is a form of homeschooling in which education happens without the use of a schedule, curriculum, testing and grades. Unschooling is child-led education, interest-led or child-led learning.

I'm curious how the first part of your definition fits with the second part if the child says "I want a workbook to learn about proper punctuation." Or "I've decided to spend an hour after lunch every day on math so that I can pass the GED in March." Would you consider your child no longer an unschooler at that point?

Miranda

[littlemizflava]

Originally Posted by moominmamma

I'm curious how the first part of your definition fits with the second part if the child says "I want a workbook to learn about proper punctuation." Or "I've decided to spend an hour after lunch every day on math so that I can pass the GED in March." Would you consider your child no longer an unschooler at that point?

Miranda

the first part means that my kids are free to do what they want. i will add "to a limit". i dont structure their day. i may buy it and bring it in the house but they control what they learn. yes if my child is saying they want to learn something. they would still be unschooled because they are following their interests and their wants. when i see my dd take out the math flashcards and a abacus, a book or a workbook, i dont tell her to put them back and not to do them because they are "learning".

[Dar]

But how does that mesh with not using a curriculum?

I also don't see a problem with unschoolers using curriculum or taking classes, which generally means there's a schedule.

I would say it's an educational process in which the learner decides what, where, when, and how to learn, with as few constraints as reasonably possible (for example , "I want to go learn French in Paris next week" is not happening) *and* in which the parents actively support the learner by providing relevant information, modeling active learning, and being available to answer questions, help find resources, and engage in conversation.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

the first part means that my kids are free to do what they want.

Except, according to what you wrote, they're not free to schedule their lives or use a curriculum:

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

Unschooling is a form of homeschooling in which education happens without the use of a schedule, curriculum, testing and grades.

I get what you said in your response, but your definition of unschooling seems to contradict it. I realize it's just semantics, but definitions are semantics.

Miranda

[BabyMae09]

Well, I'll share mine, and add that I'm not sure if we are unschoolers or not

I do have expectations for my kids - that they know how to read well, can do enough math to, at the least, handle their own finances when they become adults, know how to act appropriately in various social situations (including respecting other people's rules and boundaries even when they don't like it) being responsible for various things, such as caring for our animals, personal body care, keeping track of one's own possessions, etc.

I've seen some people who define themselves either as 'unschoolers' or 'radical unschoolers' who don't hold their children responsible for much of anything, and that just rubs me the wrong way Isn't it our job as loving parents to prepare our kids to be successful in the world that we live in, no matter WHAT they choose to do? Do we limit their options when we don't provide them with as many tools for life as we can? I think the answer must be yes. For example, what if your 17 year old decides they want to use some money that a grandparent gave them to go on a trip abroad, but they have no idea how to handle money, how to handle themselves in a foreign country, etc, etc. Or, what if your child decides after turning 18 that what they'd really like to do is be an astronaut, but they cannot, because they didn't learn very much math and science while unschooling because they were not interested in it?

Anyway, I'm not trying to pick at anyone, just sharing my thoughts on what I've seen IRL lately, and questions that I myself have

[Dar]

Originally Posted by BabyMae09

I've seen some people who define themselves either as 'unschoolers' or 'radical unschoolers' who don't hold their children responsible for much of anything, and that just rubs me the wrong way Isn't it our job as loving parents to prepare our kids to be successful in the world that we live in, no matter WHAT they choose to do?

Can we do that, really? What if my kid decides at 17 that she wants to be a gymnast? Am I not a loving parent because I didn't take her to gymnastics classes, even though she never asked for them?

I think it's the opposite, really - unschoolers or radical unschoolers hold their children *more* responsible than most, not the other way around. It's my kids responsibility to choose the tools that she wants to be successful in the world, not mine. I offer them all to her, and I tell her which ones I think are important and why, but the responsibility is hers.

My sister - conventionally schooled and now 30 - is scared to death to leave the USA. She's not great with money, either - she has a fairly substantial credit card debt and doesn't understand how she has it but is sure it's not her fault (she also has a miata... and she sees no irony here). Honestly, I think she's more "normal" in the US today than my 17 year old kid, who is comfortable traveling in a number of different countries and has money in the bank and no debt (money that she's earned).

So did my parents limit my sister's options by not teaching her good budgeting skills and not traveling internationally with her? Maybe. Maybe that's how life works - as we move forward, some options are closed off to us and others appear. I don't think that's because of unschooling...

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by Dar

Can we do that, really? What if my kid decides at 17 that she wants to be a gymnast? Am I not a loving parent because I didn't take her to gymnastics classes, even though she never asked for them?

I think it's the opposite, really - unschoolers or radical unschoolers hold their children *more* responsible than most, not the other way around. It's my kids responsibility to choose the tools that she wants to be successful in the world, not mine. I offer them all to her, and I tell her which ones I think are important and why, but the responsibility is hers.

I LOVE this. Thank you for posting it. Not only did you help me clarify my thoughts, but you also assuaged some of my 'mother guilt'

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

this is my sig for emails:
Unschooling is a form of homeschooling in which education happens without the use of a schedule, curriculum, testing and grades. Unschooling is child-led education, interest-led or child-led learning. so if the child chooses to learn about a subject or interest, they are still unschooled, as they were not coerced or persuaded to learn it, but chose to do so of their own free will..

This sounds about how I'd describe it, except that I'd probably say "education happens without the use of externally imposed schedules, curriculum, testing or grades".

[Piglet68]

Originally Posted by BabyMae09

I've seen some people who define themselves either as 'unschoolers' or 'radical unschoolers' who don't hold their children responsible for much of anything, and that just rubs me the wrong way

I'm not one known for thinking before I speak (or type, for that matter!) but I'm learning that it behooves us to be careful about passing harsh judgements on things we don't really understand, based on a few sound bites. RU is not as you describe it. Unschoolers get harshly slammed by people who read one or two mainstream media articles and think they "get it" enough to pass judgement, therefore I think we especially should be careful not to pass judgement on others when we aren't intimately familiar with the lifestyle.

As for the definition of unschooling, I refer to it sometimes as "natural learning". Because to me, unschooling is giving my children the freedom to learn the way Nature intended. I think they have an innate ability to learn without coercion or interference, and I think unschooling is simply allowing that process to unfold the way Nature designed it to be.

[2xy]

Also, merely choosing to homeschool/unschool does not automatically make one a good or effective parent. You will find mediocre and sub-par parenting in all walks of life.

I have been friendly with an RU family for a few years. Their family is dysfunctional and I've learned things about them over the past couple of years that bother me. We obviously have a difference in values, but I don't consider them to be issues associated with unschooling.

As a hypothethical....if an unschooling couple drinks too much and beats their kids, that's not a problem with unschooling.

[Piglet68]

That's a good point, 2xy. I think sometimes we hold unschoolers up to higher standards because what we do is in the minority. How many of us feel judged by friends and family to a higher extent than others who choose the path more well-travelled?

[AutumnW]

I'm new here as I just recently discovered that the way in which I parent my son is life-learning or unschooling (although he is too young for "school", he's only 3.5 yrs.)

Basically I respect his decisions and opinions as a person and don't make him feel like he's less important than me based on his age. I make sure that I expose him to different things so that he has the opportunity to learn them. Like I have lots of books in the house and workbooks for learning his letters right now that he can look at or play with if he wants. I have also let him try different classes like gymnastics and karate that he can choose to continue if he likes and as he gets older I will let him try other things like soccer and dancing. I think that if unschooled kids aren't exposed to an array of activities and knowledge they cannot choose to learn them. Also I try to listen to him when he asks for knowledge in a new area like an interest in spanish led me to start talking to him in spanish and trying to remember more of it so that I can teach it to him.

Although I try to respect all of ds' decisions we all have to compromise because no one person's needs are more important than anyone else. We talk about what he wants compared to what his younger brother wants compared to what mama and papa want and any needs involved as well as how our decisions effect others and then re-evaluate what we think we should do.

Anyway, I think I may have gone off on a tangent.

[no5no5]

We are also new to this, but what's most important to me, personally, about unschooling is not differentiating between academics and non-academics. In our family, they're all the same. We are not a consensual living family (though we are pretty close), but we try hard to let everyone in our family make their own choices when possible. So far, I've had neither inclination nor motive to intervene wrt DD's academic choices, and I don't really expect that I ever will. But perhaps someday she'll decide she wants to study pyrotechnics in the basement, and I'll definitely intervene then.