Are there any other whole-life unschoolers here?

[TubbyChicken]

Hi gckiddhouse!

Thank you for explaining unschooling.

My brain is still recovering from the flu (along with the rest of me)...and the idea to seek out others struck me while holding my sleeping son and typing with one hand. In saying there are no expectations I meant tests, time frames, etc... I should have worded my response better and offered more clarity. My attempt was to illustrate the difference regarding the rigidity of institutionalized learning. I should have emphasized that because of the benefit of individual focus, more or less structure, more or less focus on certain subjects of interest, etc...is all available to unschoolers. Because of it's possibilities I have a difficult time explaining it to someone who is entirely new to the concept. I appreciate you providing some clarity!

I also want to thank everyone who has continued the discussion with respect and interest.

 

[farrier!]

Boy, turned my back and this topic took off!..

My 12 year old decided last year to take over the feeding of he horses. At that time there were 18, we went down to 8 and now have 12 (2 ponies in training). She gets up an feeds in the mornings without me dragging her out of bed. She goes out in all weather.
She also manages to feed before church and before youth group and around riding and any other activity she wants to do.
She is often mistaken for a high schooler. She gets along well with adults and kids of all ages.
Today she had the fun of helping and watching her colt get gelded.

Like a lot of others I like to be around my daughter. I love homeschooling in any form.

 

[TubbyChicken]

I wanted to post a few links for anyone else interested in reading more...

http://anunschoolinglife.com/what-is-and-isnt-unschooling/
http://www.naturalchild.com/guest/earl_stevens.html
http://sandradodd.com/unschooling

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I find it very interesting to read about different methods of educating. I would love to be able to teach my children exclusively at home, but I do not feel that is a viable option. Personally, I am happy there are good public schools available. I love my children and love being around them. I also make every moment count by educating them when they are home...HOWEVER, I KNOW I am not competent to teach them all they need to know. While I may know the difference in to, two, and too, except and accept, no and know, give me simplest algebra and I am lost. One of my sons is a math freak....I could never teach him what he needs, what he craves.

For those of you who are capable, I applaud you!!!

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

If I might stick myself into this conversation, I'd like to add that I'm the product of home/"unschooling" and would like to point out that I'm very self-disciplined and structured.

I say this, because: now that my mom is focusing on my little brothers beginning education, I've been teaching myself since fourth grade. I'm college level in most of my subjects. In fact, next year, I'll be enrolled in a few college courses. I've gotten a jump start on the field I'm interested in pursuing as a career. I've got time to work on the subject I struggle with (math), and it's not a sink or swim, succeed or fail type deal as far as grading goes. I can spend as much, or as little time on a subject a day as needed.

It takes a lot for us older home/unschoolers...it's hard to say we're not self-disciplined. It takes a special person to make themselves sit down everyday and do things they may not necessarily enjoy. We know that it's our future on the line, and we're solely responsible for what happens to our lives as far as education.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

TheOldNewChick may have answered this, but do you allow the child to self guide into areas of interest or do you guide them into all arenas? What do you do about the subjects that they are not interested in? How do you balance their education?

Also, how do you prepare them for structured univeristy classes or for the (sometimes) extreme structure of a job? Not trying to be snarky. Just curious.

 

[PotterWatch]

Count us in as another unschooling family! We pulled my oldest from his private school during 1st grade and my youngest went to preschool, but started out at kinder age at home. We have tried various methods from having a "school" at home to eclectic and now unschooling. Unschooling definitely fits us the best. We are a very hands-on family. My kids could certainly do worksheets if I set them down in front of them, but when we have so many other avenues available to us; why bother?

As to the person who said that they know they aren't proficient enough in certain subjects to teach them to their kids, well, I don't think anyone can teach everything to every child. I definitely have my weak points and when my kids get beyond my level of being able to teach something, we will explore other ways for them to learn. That is the great thing about unschooling. There is no set way to do anything, there are always choices to be made.

Our state requires very little from us. We register every year as a private school; so legally, our kids aren't homeschooled, they go to a private school that we operate in our home. We do not have to do any standardized tests, same as any private school in our state. Anyway, I don't need a test to tell me that my kids learn and grow everyday with, or sometimes despite, my help.

 

[mamaKate]

Quote:
so, they dont test the children yearly to make sure that they are actually learning? i think homeschooling is great and may even be better than public schools, BUT, i also do think the state REALLY needs to be sure that any homeschooled children are actually being taught....no?? or am i wrong in my thinking here??

Keep in mind what the purpose of testing really is. Testing is to see if the school/teacher/state has done its job, not to see if the student has learned. This is neccessary (and I use the term losely) only when the state has been put in charge of a student's learning. That happens when you send your kid to school.
If you don't send your kid to school, then YOU are responisible for your kid's learning, NOT the state, so, to answer your question - NO! They should not be testing kids.
There are mountains of evidence that homeschooled children (in any method/philosophy) do better on tests, in life, in college and on the job than their schooled peers. Universities are seeking these kids out because of their tendency to be self motivated, self disciplined, and well rounded. Of course there are kids that don't do well, both coming from schools and from homes. The ratio of doing well vs not doing well would easily fall in favor of the homeschooled, however.

"Unschooling" is a term, coined by a former New York City schools teacher of the year (3 times), which does NOT mean that the student doesn't have structure or expectations. Quite the opposite.
Unschooling means doing the opposite of what schools have to do by design. Kids are packed 30 to a classroom with limited resources. They are confined to a set of curriculum that the district has purchased and must stay on campus for their education.
Unschooling refers to the breaking down of the barriers of what we perceive "school" to be. The unschooling really happens to the parent who then allows the child to learn in a very natural way. You don't have the confines of a classroom and a text book. You have the whole city/country/world as your classroom. The backyard, the museums, every book you can get your hands on, which may include a text book if it is helpful. But instead of reading a text about ecosystems, you go experience one - outside, in the "real world". Instead of doing 3 pages of meaningless equations on a page (that one would never be handed in the real world), children can learn to use them with purpose while they plan the building of a raised garden or figure the gas cost of an upcoming family trip.
Unschooling isn't not-learning, it just isn't learning the way that the institution style school has to do it. The possibilities are endless, not limited.

And to participate in the proposed discussion, we homeschool.
We ebb and flow between classical and unschooling. DS (he's 10) has so many interests, that I have to give him time away from our curriculum for his own pursuits. He loves history and will devour a book in a couple of hours and crave more. A classical education is right up his alley anyway. He loves to study the history of the bible, too. He loves Latin, so we have to make time for that, and it isn't my thing, so I have to find someone to help him with that. He is also into gaming a little. And as much as I hate it, I know that he is learning some valuable computer/programing skills that are important for his generation.

DD (8) is into writing. She will just write and write ande write. So I have to pull DS out of a book and DD out of her writing notebook to get them to do curriculum and I just don't do it sometimes. I am just not going to improve on what they are doing on their own.
DD is also into the chickens! She spends a great deal of time out there with them and she studies them. We just had chicks hatch and she is the one out there taking notes and observing life as it happens! Our chickens have been a big part of their education in many ways.

I would say that we more resemble "whole-life" outside of the curriculum. Our childrens' interests have always been important to us. So we try to accomodate their interests and follow their lead. I must admit that it is a term I haven't heard before.

My homeschool is nearing its close becuse my youngest will be in college next year. I started in 1988 ( 4 kids ago). I like the term "whole life school." My ex was branded ADD by his school and 3 of our kids got the gene. I used a flexible curriculum that permitted them each to keep their own pace and I couldn't be prouder of them. Just to brag a little, one of the guys took the Navy entrance exam and out scored a boy from our local school who was the class valedictorian. This from a kid whose 4th grade (public school )principal told him that if he didn't "straighten up" the best he could hope for was a fast food job.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Yes it does.

 

[sugarbush]

Okay.....I have an admission.
I was unschooled. It was great while I was kid. When I entered college I had to waste a couple of semesters and lots of money taking all the not for credit math and english courses to get caught up on the stuff I should have already known. I am 30 years old and often wonder where I would be today if I had a proper education from the start. I hate (that is a strong word...how about despise) my mother for depriving me of a proper education. And every time I tell people this a bunch of unschoolers jump on and say stuff like "your parents just didn't do it right". How can you screw up unschooling? The term is pretty self explanitory.