How does it work? I'm not knocking it, I'm trying to to understand how learning happens. I'm certain that given a choice my son would choose to watch tv all day and color. I read in another post that some one's unschooled child writes in cursive and knows the difference between their/they're/there I think it's great I just don't understand how it happened.
My daughter will go to a normal school in September, but we unschool a lot at home. We colour, draw, and during those times she learns shapes, numbers, writing, colours, animals, about the natural life cycles, how rain works, rivers work, how buildings are made....
Thats just drawing.
The key thing, is everything is a learning opportunity. Kids don't need to be sat at a desk, learning what they 'need' to learn. They learn at their own pace, in the way they learn best.
100% agree with this.
And to the OP, I am still unsure of how it works. I home-school but I would never unschool. I believe in curriculum and tests, measuring how a child is doing but also his/her peers.
But our (parents in general) kids weren't idiots when we sent them to public kindergarten as little guys, yes? As a matter of fact, there are now requirements for kindergarten that a child must have in order to be enrolled. At least at many schools across the country.
They were learning before they sat foot in a public school. That brick and mortar building along with the teachers that work there were/are wonderful but they're not the only teachers.
My point is though unschooling is not common or even considered a "good thing" by a few in the other thread, it's simply an alternative that some parents today are using or considering. And I think this is part of the problem-what we don't know or understand about it.
Quoting Piskie:
The key thing, is everything is a learning opportunity. Kids don't need to be sat at a desk, learning what they 'need' to learn. They learn at their own pace, in the way they learn best.
Quoting Piskie:
Kids, when encouraged, naturally want to learn.
My daughter will go to a normal school in September, but we unschool a lot at home. We colour, draw, and during those times she learns shapes, numbers, writing, colours, animals, about the natural life cycles, how rain works, rivers work, how buildings are made....
Thats just drawing.
The key thing, is everything is a learning opportunity. Kids don't need to be sat at a desk, learning what they 'need' to learn. They learn at their own pace, in the way they learn best.
My son went to a montessori school and had to leave because he never chose to work. I think I understand what you're saying and I can see how it would work to an extent. I guess that part where I'm stuck at, is the kids choosing/wanting to learn and being self motivated. That's the problem we had with montessori. Even though montessori is very different than unschooling that requirement for student initiative is the same. It seems like some kind of magic that I don't understand. I don't know how to foster it or tap into it. I want to understand because I wanted DS to be successful there. I dread the thought of him going to our local public school in a few weeks. I'm not saying that all public schools are bad.
I believe a child learns naturally from the parents and people around them. Both of my children could do basic math, knew colors, shapes and could carry on an adult conversation without me shoving books and problems down their throats before they stepped foot into Kindergarten. Both children could read, but at different levels. I believe my son recognized and repeated words, like he knew stop was on a stop sign and could recognize it in a sentence. Much of what a child knows before school begins comes from hands on learning and paying attention. I believe we should continue to encourage that kind of learning rather than putting books in front of them and setting a strict cirricullum as they do in most schools and expecting them to memorize the books and the answers (even though they are not always right or accurate answers) and test them on how well they memorize.
I have taught my children valuable lessons they need through life by interacting and communicating with them. When I cook I let them get on the counter and measure ingredients and we talk about the ingredients and what they might taste like, their texture and what the food actually does to make the cake a cake or make bread turn into bread and if we took out this one ingredient it would change the meal. Science, math and nutrition in 10 minutes! This lesson is far more valuable than setting them in front of a book and expecting them to memorize the answer.
My dds writing isn't bad, but its not something she's interested in at the moment. So I teach her reading, letter recognition to help her want to learn, and drawing to improve her pen control. She's very interested in bugs and plants, so I incorporate letters, numbers, and everything into her interests.
Quoting Moniker:
Quoting Piskie:
Kids, when encouraged, naturally want to learn.
My daughter will go to a normal school in September, but we unschool a lot at home. We colour, draw, and during those times she learns shapes, numbers, writing, colours, animals, about the natural life cycles, how rain works, rivers work, how buildings are made....
Thats just drawing.
The key thing, is everything is a learning opportunity. Kids don't need to be sat at a desk, learning what they 'need' to learn. They learn at their own pace, in the way they learn best.
My son went to a montessori school and had to leave because he never chose to work. I think I understand what you're saying and I can see how it would work to an extent. I guess that part where I'm stuck at, is the kids choosing/wanting to learn and being self motivated. That's the problem we had with montessori. Even though montessori is very different than unschooling that requirement for student initiative is the same. It seems like some kind of magic that I don't understand. I don't know how to foster it or tap into it. I want to understand because I wanted DS to be successful there. I dread the thought of him going to our local public school in a few weeks. I'm not saying that all public schools are bad.
From how I do it (mixing it with regular homeschooling)... it basically requires no plan, no set lessons, etc... we don't do tests. We learn through hands on stuff (art for example... or a search for items that all go together for plants... that kinda thing).
But recently I've had to make a plan for myself (not for my son)... like I set a specific time where I am going to encourage him to participate in learning with me. He doesn't know there is a time, just that mommy and him are gonna be learning. And for me I decide a head of time what kind of thing we are going to be learning. We work at his pace and with stuff he is interested in.
It's worked great, we just finished up all the kindergarten type stuff and are starting on 1st and 2nd grade type stuff. He is learning both print and cursive at the same time, knows his solar system and how a solar system works. I plan on starting, with his fathers help, teaching him to cook and integrating math problems into it (last night he divided my recipe in half for me without me even asking him to). So, basically, unschooling would be taking every opportunity that presents itself and turning it into a learning opportunity. At least from my understanding of it and how we do it.
I also want to know how people get into 4 year universities/colleges without SATs, ACTs, etc.
Quoting -StarsChildren-:From how I do it (mixing it with regular homeschooling)... it basically requires no plan, no set lessons, etc... we don't do tests. We learn through hands on stuff (art for example... or a search for items that all go together for plants... that kinda thing).
But recently I've had to make a plan for myself (not for my son)... like I set a specific time where I am going to encourage him to participate in learning with me. He doesn't know there is a time, just that mommy and him are gonna be learning. And for me I decide a head of time what kind of thing we are going to be learning. We work at his pace and with stuff he is interested in.
It's worked great, we just finished up all the kindergarten type stuff and are starting on 1st and 2nd grade type stuff. He is learning both print and cursive at the same time, knows his solar system and how a solar system works. I plan on starting, with his fathers help, teaching him to cook and integrating math problems into it (last night he divided my recipe in half for me without me even asking him to). So, basically, unschooling would be taking every opportunity that presents itself and turning it into a learning opportunity. At least from my understanding of it and how we do it.
Thank-you.
How does the parent learn to unschool?
Also, we have a lot of structure in our daily life. Things are not a chaotic free for all. Unschooling has basically allowed my sons to be independent and responsible. They have a routine that Is self imposed. They know that there are requirements that need to be taken care of and they take care of it. I have never had to make my sons do chores. They take care of their personal space and they also help around the home without requiring a chore chart or an allowance.
They have splintered skills due to their autism. Which means in some areas they are behind their peers and in other areas they are beyond their peers. Homeschooling allows us to customize their education to suit each and every area. They are also able to work at a pace that ensures they don't move forward until that skill is mastered. Sometimes they have gotten frustrated but they are very determined and push through until they have gotten a hang of it.
Whatever area they are needing more help in I assist them. I am very hands on with their education and interests. I don't just sit on my rump watching tv while I assume my kids are upstairs learning algebra. No, we spend time together. We share ideas. They often like to give oral reports or teach their own class on what they've been working on.
I think there are a lot of misconceptions about unschooling. Some of us fit the expected stereotype while many more us do not.
Vocal anti gay marriage, award winning far right historian kills himself inside Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Moniker
on Aug. 7, 2012 at 9:45 AM