Unschooling. in Et tu Brute? The ides of March must mean spring 2016!
- April 9, 2016, 9:20 a.m.
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- Public
I know several home schoolers, some stick to rigid plans while others go with the flow. I have heard of the concept of unschooling before without truly understanding how it works so I organised a meet up with an unschooling friend; I wanted the opportunity to understand better.
We had a wonderful time chatting while our kids dug down into the abyss…
Homeschooling isn’t an option for me, we just can’t afford it, but I think that there has to be a better way than our education system! Having worked in childcare (including working with kids up to top primary level) I can see the difference. As the childcarer - one who included large quantities of fun, educational experiences - I was respected, liked and the activities we did were treated with enthusiasm. As a teaching assistant I’m treated with distrust (until they get to know me) and a serious lack of enthusiasm is shown within the classroom.
Our children are institutionalised, just as we were before them and their children will be after them. Children aren’t supposed to sit still, their imagination is suppressed as their teachers, with ofsted as their conductors, try to cram so much ‘learning’ time in that they - the teachers - do all the research before spoonfeeding it to the kids.
Schools, as their current structure (both physical and educationally) stand do not allow for impromptu discovery.
My friend told me about her life as an unschooling mum. An unschooling mum who used to be a maths teacher. She has never taught her children to read but they can read, they have never sat down to learn maths but have done (eg) cooking and written down their working-out for amounts of ingredients. She said that, speaking as an ex teacher, she can see where all their learning goals are and that they’re just happening before her eyes, without anyone realising. And her kids don’t have that fear of failure because they’re just living life.
I really think that this is the way forward. I loved our chat, we’re so much on the same wavelength, and I truly think that this should be the future of education. More creativity, personal discovery and freedom, less conformity, spoonfeeding and allowing failure.
Now - how to get the Minister for Education job… 😜
Deleted user ⋅ April 09, 2016
Go for it ! We squeeze the love of learning out of our kids year by year until most hate it. It's sad, because a child's nature is to naturally question. We also discourage them from being children as soon as they go to school. Every focus seems to be on ; Growing Up . Why ? Because letting them be children is troublesome to most teachers and school schedules. So who is the educational system really benefitting ? Not our children .
colojojo ⋅ April 09, 2016
I don't know what education is like here, but I've only heard things are getting worse and worse in the US. Like how literature isn't even about literature anymore... They read certain non fiction stuff and whatnot. And a new way to do math is to do like 5 different steps rather than just.. One. I just don't get it. And like you said... The lack of imagination with learning. So many people are switching to home school back home.
thesunnyabyss ⋅ April 09, 2016
would you not say unschooling is really just how we learned before there were schools for every child? it certainly makes sense to me, the whole idea, I'm not sure it would have worked for Will, he needed the structure school brought, but maybe for Laryssa, it might have helped,
have a great weekend!!!
Deleted user ⋅ April 09, 2016
I always worry about the lack of social engagement with home schooling and that a parent will always have a degree of optimism bias towards their own child which is not going to help the child out in the future.
ermentrude Deleted user ⋅ April 10, 2016
Usually, each area has a homeschooling community, homeschool families are able to get together therefore allowing social interaction. And, as my friend was telling me, there its a greater understanding amongst the children that different people have different strengths and weaknesses. And understanding your strengths can only encourage self esteem which humanity is lacking.
Deleted user ermentrude ⋅ April 13, 2016
That is interesting and a great way of doing things.
ElvenAssassin ⋅ April 09, 2016
I wanted to homeschool and have a great deal of respect for those who do. I've heard of unschooling as well and have great respect for it. :) Just a bit beyond me!