unschooling

[Me&MrMagoo]

does anyone in hubhubland unschool? or were you unschooled as a child?

i would be really interested in hearing your stories/opinions/experiences ...

thanks

[mamoru]

I wasn't... just a regular public system kid... but reading about unschooling reminds me a lot of the Montessori approach to education.

The Montessori approach seems a lot 'safer' to endorse too as there is a framework in place with qualified teachers - home schooling is utterly dependant on the individual(s) who parent the child.

[Buttoneska]

what is unschooling?????????

[Me&MrMagoo]

The Montessori approach seems a lot 'safer' to endorse too as there is a framework in place with qualified teachers - home schooling is utterly dependant on the individual(s) who parent the child.

yeah i had been thinking the same thing about montessori/steiner ... i'm leaning towards those for my ds but after the article i posted today that mentioned unschooling it just seemed really interesting ... i dont think dh would go for it but i just thought i'd do some more research into it ...

[Me&MrMagoo]

what is unschooling?????????

button - it's also called natural learning, child-led learning and life learning, natural learning is a learning philosophy that moves away from set curriculum and timetables into a more fluid and encompassing type of learning.

ie: being outdoors and asking questions
watching adults and mimicking
having household chores

basically learning from everyday life ...

[Mrs Awesome]

I remember watching an O.prah episode of this once...but that's the only reason I kind of even know what it is.

[Buttoneska]

wow sounds interesting!

[Me&MrMagoo]

wow sounds interesting!

i agree! i dont think dh would agree to it though he wants magoo to be a lawyer/surgeon/engineer etc and i dont htink he would see unschooling as part of the equation to getting him there!! lol

[Buttoneska]

i agree! i dont think dh would agree to it though he wants magoo to be a lawyer/surgeon/engineer etc and i dont htink he would see unschooling as part of the equation to getting him there!! lol

maybe comprimise on montersorri? my first boss sent his kids to a similar school (could have been mont or stiener) until highschool and then she moved to one of the best academic school in melbourne. She then went onto study law at mel uni. My boss swears it was BECAUSE of her early schooling that she was able to do so well at highschool and uni and life in general.

[zenifa]

We are unschoolers, although I prefer the term natural learners. We've been doing it well I guess since the girls were born, but in a conscious home ed kind of way for the last two years.
I think with unschooling, a huge process for the family is that of de-schooling and really reflecting on what education and learning really means to you, your spouse and your children. For us that is when we found that natural learning was what we were already doing, it was working wonderfully for our family, so why not continue?

I guess focussing on an end point can be useful for some, however we don't have specific job aspirations for our girls. Even at nearly 4 and 6 they are developing interests and talents so who knows whether they have the interest or aptitude to be a lawyer, doctor, etc. What natural learning does give a child is a love of learning and exploration, skills in being self directed in their learning and there is nothing to stop them doing well academically and getting into professions if that is what they want. For us we want them to be free to have fun, play, explore and learn and we love being a part of all of their discoveries.There is so much we want our girls to learn and most of that isn't taught well in schools eg practical life skills, values, managing emotions,etc.

Natural learners can enter educational systems at any point when they need it, and do better at tertiary education because they are so self motivated and self directed, plus they can start earlier. I know many unschoolers that start uni at 16 and have done very well post education in the workforce.

BTW, tell your partner that albert einstein was unschooled as were many other famous and accomplished people!!