Unschooling in the News
Unschooling Article: Click Here
Every time I read one of these articles, I smile with amusement at the experts' opinions. Without fail, none of them have studied unschooling, none of them have seen it in action for more than a day, and I'd wager that none of them truly get it.
This article seems most concerned with real or imagined 'gaps in knowledge,' as if children who attend traditional schools have no gaps. Their assumptions seem to be based on the fact that kids in school follow a prescribed, orderly, progressive curriculum, thereby covering all the bases, leaving no gaps in knowledge. I disagree with this premise. Many kids manage to graduate high school these days with huge gaps in their knowledge, too. The news is rife with stories about why Johnny can't read, etc. From the standpoint of someone who holds a doctorate, if their theory is true (prescribed curriculum produces no gaps), then why do I have huge gaps in my knowledge? Why can't I give you blow-by-blow detail of WWII? Why can't I calculate the load capacity of a circuit? I took history. Lots of it. I took physics, too. High school and college. Hmmm.
It boils down to the learner. You can present info to kids, but if they're not interested, they're not going to learn it. Sure, you can coerce them, tell them that it's in their best interests to 'learn' it, as it will be on a test, and you must get good grades to get into a good college so you can get a good job. But I can tell you that it's promptly forgotten once the test is over. Been there, done that.
What I see in my kids is a thirst for knowledge. They don't categorize the world into subjects. They don't see what they're doing as learning. They're just having fun. Asking questions. Reading. Playing Neopets. Video games. Skateboarding. I, their mom, see the learning happening. I've seen their pride when they master something difficult. (You didn't think unschooled kids would just do the easy stuff, did you?) And above all, they own their knowledge. They remember, because they're interested. And sometimes I have to ask them for information.
Knowing that they're responsible for their own learning and knowing they're entrusted with that task is a huge self-esteem booster. They're empowered. They learn. Lots.
Freedom.
Trust.
Respect.
Kids deserve far more credit than our society gives them. And kids who are taken seriously, soar.
Every time I read one of these articles, I smile with amusement at the experts' opinions. Without fail, none of them have studied unschooling, none of them have seen it in action for more than a day, and I'd wager that none of them truly get it.
This article seems most concerned with real or imagined 'gaps in knowledge,' as if children who attend traditional schools have no gaps. Their assumptions seem to be based on the fact that kids in school follow a prescribed, orderly, progressive curriculum, thereby covering all the bases, leaving no gaps in knowledge. I disagree with this premise. Many kids manage to graduate high school these days with huge gaps in their knowledge, too. The news is rife with stories about why Johnny can't read, etc. From the standpoint of someone who holds a doctorate, if their theory is true (prescribed curriculum produces no gaps), then why do I have huge gaps in my knowledge? Why can't I give you blow-by-blow detail of WWII? Why can't I calculate the load capacity of a circuit? I took history. Lots of it. I took physics, too. High school and college. Hmmm.
It boils down to the learner. You can present info to kids, but if they're not interested, they're not going to learn it. Sure, you can coerce them, tell them that it's in their best interests to 'learn' it, as it will be on a test, and you must get good grades to get into a good college so you can get a good job. But I can tell you that it's promptly forgotten once the test is over. Been there, done that.
What I see in my kids is a thirst for knowledge. They don't categorize the world into subjects. They don't see what they're doing as learning. They're just having fun. Asking questions. Reading. Playing Neopets. Video games. Skateboarding. I, their mom, see the learning happening. I've seen their pride when they master something difficult. (You didn't think unschooled kids would just do the easy stuff, did you?) And above all, they own their knowledge. They remember, because they're interested. And sometimes I have to ask them for information.
Knowing that they're responsible for their own learning and knowing they're entrusted with that task is a huge self-esteem booster. They're empowered. They learn. Lots.
Freedom.
Trust.
Respect.
Kids deserve far more credit than our society gives them. And kids who are taken seriously, soar.
posted by Zany Mom at 7:55 AM
4 Comments:
I get so annoyed when articles go off half cocked like this. In my studies (as a doctoral student in education) and as a public school teacher I see far more benefits to unschooling and home schooling than prescribed curricula.
Ah well...
Hi Zany Mom! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I homeschooled my twins for a few years when they outstripped the curriculum in pre-school and were too young for elementary. They're in public school now, accelerated, in a school filled with teachers and administration who respect each child's abilities and interests. Their time at home hasn't appeared to gap their knowledge in the least.
I brought them home because they'd exceeded the school they were in. My purpose was to keep learning exciting for them. If I hadn't found their present school, I'd still be homeschooling them.
I wish I had the optimism you have. On the one hand, I see that fitting Daniel especially into a school will always be difficult if not impossible. On the other, I seriously doubt my own ability to keep him occupied, happy and sane. As well as my ability to stay sane without alone time.
This whole issue has my panties in such a twist that I don't know my arse from my elbow anymore.
I admire you and your choices. I wish I knew what the right thing to do is.
I have great admiration for anyone who home schools their kids. Touch wood, so far we've been lucky with our boys' teachers and the school they're in. That said, though, if the wind were to shift and we weren't happy with the results, I'd be sourcing out an option, including hiring someone to come to my home. Hats off to you, Zany!
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