Quote:
Originally Posted by reeseccup
To sum up what we do, we're very relaxed, eclectic Autodidacts.
We, as individuals, are our own teachers, with support from each other, any tool possible, and others when we deem it.
It's individual led learning with support and guidance from others or tools in our home and outside our home, when ever possible, to fulfill a desire to know something. We, as parents, don't hand feed our children the food; they go out and forge for it, prepare it and serve themselves, and more often than not, they share it with the whole family and others as well. There are times they ask for assistance in the process, and we are happy to oblige. Along the way, they find more things to forge for and fill their minds with when they are ready to explore new things.
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I appreciate this description. Much of it describes what I see happening in our family also, as far as learning goes.
As it applies to our family, I would add in that when mom or dad find something interesting, we also share it with the kids, just as they share with us when they find something interesting.
I think our version of unschooling could also be called "family centered learning", where we make use of our extended family relationships as a resource (grandparents and great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) and we include friends into our family circle, when appropriate.
Something else I would need to add into our unschooling philosophy is that we do what works for us when it works and are not afraid to make changes when something stops "working" or needs tweaking. I don't follow an unschooling "formula" (I avoid absolutes like "we never" or "we always"), just as I don't follow many absolutes in other areas of life.
Unschooling, for us, is living life and finding the tools we need when we need them. For instance, I no longer say "I will never use a curriculum with my kids", b/c I see it as a valid resource, it just depends on how it is used. I know there are probably other unschooling families who don't feel this way, but I know at least one--author David Albert's--that does. I have used bits and pieces of lots of ideas, whether called curriculum or books or people's ideas or what-not, and modified it to fit my needs and the kids needs.
For instance, I took what I liked from Oak Meadow's preschool/kindergarten curriculum and "left the rest". I began having more of a rhythm to the day and making a point to spend one-on-one time with each kid, and it really worked well for the kids and me. I also read some of the stories from Beatrix Potter, which led us to view a wonderful DVD made with ballet dancers in animal costumes, which my boys just adored. It made for an interesting foray into the arts (dancing and music), history, imaginative play, literature, etc., and we followed it as long as I or the boys were interested. It was cool to just dabble in, and I know that at some time, we may come back to the subject, or what we learned individually may contribute to some future learning adventures. Most of all, we had a great time together! My kids know more about Potter's works, some about ballet, and beautiful music, and it is a part of them now. Pretty cool!
It's funny, to me, unschooling is the way we learn normally, without someone telling us what we should be doing and when. I think it's what a person would be doing if they lived a thousand miles from "civilization" and was in tune with themselves and what they need intrinsically. It is learning that comes from inside, and makes wide use of the whole world. I think that it's also important with what one does with one's learning and growth. I see my purpose on earth not only to gain knowledge and experience, but also find ways to uplift and bless others' lives, starting with my family and moving outward.