[BedHead]

Of course they have experience. They have a lot more experience than most schooled kids IMO, because they've been living their learning.

What do they do? They go to university or college, they start their own businesses, they go to work for someone else, they travel the world, they have families, they do whatever they want. The path getting where they want is different, but certainly not any harder than it is for a schooled kid.

 

[umami_mommy]

unschooling = natural learning.

after unschooling, probably a funeral. KWIM?

 

[Adasmommy]

The Teenage Liberation Handbook was the book that introduced me to the concept of unschooling, even though my dd is just 4 (and was an infant when I read it)!

Since then I have realized that unschooling is the opposite of putting your life on hold until after you are educated. Instead, people (such as kids) explore life and follow their passions and I would think an unschooled teenager would be much more likely to turn around and find himself with a career before he's even moved out and accrued any bills of his own.

As opposed to a traditionally schooled kid who might get out of high school or college with an 'education' and a burning desire to make some money to rent a place and get a car . . . but without any experience or expertise, necessarily. And, in my opinion, the ones who do have valuable experience or expertise were probably unschooling themselves on the side.

Anyway, when I read that book, I knew right away I didn't want an 'education' for my kids!

:

 

[Susana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybeedreams unschooling = natural learning. after unschooling, probably a funeral. KWIM?

LOL..true dat.

 

[SagMom]

BEJJ, Most of the unschooled teens we know are going to college. All of them have job experience. There aren't any opportunities that are closed simply because one is unschooling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybeedreams after unschooling, probably a funeral. KWIM?

(Great, there goes another keyboard.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adasmommy Since then I have realized that unschooling is the opposite of putting your life on hold until after you are educated.

YES. This is something that's come up a lot lately for us, since ds1 is about to be 18 and would be a senior in high school if he was in school. People keep asking us, "What's next?" and when it becomes known that he does not have any big grand plan for June, there is confusion, if not frowns.

But the reality is that he's had lots of experiences, and different employment and he's been involved in all kinds of projects and all of those things will continue. There isn't a big plan for "graduation" because he's not ending anything. He'll continue to take opportunities as they arise and to make changes as he sees fit.

Dd has a slightly more traditional view--she plans to go to college at 16, and to travel. Having been schooled myself, I see my own life as a series of steps. Each grade, each graduation, each degree led to the next step. My kids don't have that linear trajectory--it's more like they're unfolding their lives.

 

[umami_mommy]

seriously, we are hoping in the next few years to start several businesses. we hope that our DC will start their own or continue with one of ours. we want our DC to not be tied down to a 9-5 working for the man. if that means getting a degree and then working for themselves, or just working for themselves, so be it. DH and i aren't really all that enamored of higher education as it is. we both have graduate level educations and don't see it as that advantagous for much of anything other than amassing huge debt.

we want to focus on businesses that allow the person who owns them as much freedom as possible (see the 4 hour work week), since we believe that freedom is one of the cornerstones of a happy and fulfilling life.

 

[Susana]

honeybee, that's really cool. I wish you good luck in your business ventures!

Dh and I own our own business...started completely from scratch. Our kids have seen first-hand what 2 people who don't hold college degrees are capable of achieving through hard work and determination. and you're right on about the freedom aspect of owning your own business...it's great not having a "boss" other than yourself!!

 

[queenjane]

My son plans on attending college, and would like to live in Japan. Maybe go to college IN Japan (as my nephew did recently)...he's weighing his options. He just recently said he might want to join the military (this, after years of me saying this was the one thing i'd never be ok with him doing. Oh well!) We talked about that a bit. He's only 12, so plenty of time to decide!

I think unschooled kids probably do what other non-unschooled kids do: go to college, or travel, or get a job. Some probably live in their parents basements and play alot of videogames, like some non-unschooled kids. I'd say most probably are pretty motivated to live the life they want for themselves. I've met a few unschooled teens ready to launch into the greater world on their own, and was pretty impressed.

Katherine

 

[momtokea]

Around here where I live I often hear of a lot of public school graduates "taking the year off", or "going back to upgrade".
I don't have unschooled teens, but I'm sure an unschooled teen wouldn't need to do either of those.