Unschooling - Do you think it can work?

[abacucat]

Unschooling is the idea that children naturally want to learn and that what children need is the opportunity to pursue their interests.

PMSL at institutional education. That’s something made up by someone with far too much time on their hands. Bet you did baby wearing too

Autonomous education is an on going process of entirely child led education.

Unschooling is what happens when you take a child out of school and let them “lie fallow” so to speak to get rid of (in some cases) the trauma school can give some children, or just to dilute the school mindset.

Definetely, ds2 was turned off completely by education in schools and was actually going backwards academically e.g apparently from level 5 to level 2 in science (sabotaged the test I think) has regained his love of learning since being taken out of school. Having said that the learning is not in any way conventional and certainly not the type to get him any GCSE's but then he wasn't going to get any if he had stayed in school if he continued to go backwards.

Maybe if I unschooled myself I could learn how to spell definetely. Somehow I doubt it.

It seems to me that this is something only those lucky enough to be able to afford for one parent to SAH could even contemplate doing.

Yes I thought that was deschooling too.

Goodbyee I have a couple of friends who are single parents who do it, and don't have outside sources of income. Obviously you have to weigh up your own situation but it's not just MC "yummy mummies" who are doing it and making it work.

Plenty of parents who let the child choose their own interests, describe it as unschooling. This is what I meant in my OP.
I have been reading a reddit thread this morning where adults who were unschooled talk about its impact. Those with parents who spent lots and lots of time helping them follow their interests and learn say it was great. Those who were left to get on with it largely say it was not good. Incidentally some of the latter got qualifications, so they may be described as a success by their parents, but they do not see it the same way.
Interesting that people are talking about toddlers learning. Because of course not all parents are successful in this. Some young kids do arrive at school without the basic age appropriate skills and knowledge. The best parents are pro active by reading to toddlers, taking them places, singing songs, pointing out colours, etc. Of course they are not sat down with lessons at a desk, but neither should they be left by themselves just to get on with it.

My brother and I were taken out of school for a year to un-school (in what would now be KS3). My parents were both freelance and working from home, so this was possible. School was not working for us, we were both doing badly (I think in retrospect my brother had mild SEN, which were not being picked up at the time and he was getting into trouble at school).

After a year at home, I was given a test (Maths and English) to enter school again, at which I did so well they put me up a year (I also had offers from the local Grammars, which my parents turned down). My brother had also become a lot less stressed and re-entered education knowing that school wasn't the be-all and end-all.

He never went on to be academic, but he is a successful small business owner. I went on to a post-graduate education. Just our experience, but for us it was a success as it showed us we were in charge of our education and our lives, and put the onus on us to make it work.

Socially, it was a disaster (not much of an HE network in those days) but that's another story.

Children aren't one dimensional and therefore can generally learn in many different ways. School can be boring, too structured on occasion but also fantastic. Surely what you want is a child who learns, enjoys learning, can put up with boring bits and is motivated to follow own interests in their own time ie self learn.

I think the best for most children is school plus involved parents who encourage childs interests. School is more than structured learning, its about being part of a group too or community, helping others developing resilience etc... Just as life is. I don't think excluding school totally from children's experience is generally a good idea.

In short: no.

Some HE parents seem to undervalue socialisation with peers. Socialising with adults or older kids as a kid is totally different. They will make allowances and be nice to a kid who is being a bit of a pain. Peers will not and this is partly how kids learn that they can't always put themselves first, that other people matter, that they need to give and take, and that being annoying has consequences.

zzzz Yes, maybe. But social skills involve learning to get on with equals as well. Equals will not be so "kind". They might not be nasty say as adults, but they will simply avoid that person.

I home school, and for my Ds i don't think it would work, he is so lazy that he needs direction and input otherwise he'll do nothing all day every day! I really like the idea on unschooling though and for some kids it can work

I can imagine it would have worked with me. But then when I was at primary school I used to ask the teachers for extra homework!

I guess it does beg the question of what is the purpose of education? I think the purpose is to give kids choices about what they do with their adult life. Which is why I think exposure to lots of things as a kid is great.

If the point is to offer children opportunities to discover what interests them and to further those interests, isn't that what school is?

My dd (mostly) loves school - the whole day is spent on activities that stimulate her. Unless you have tons of money (to pay for travel to exciting, interesting places) and loads of time, I think it would be very hard to compete with a system specifically designed by experts to provide a balanced and well rounded education.

Children can't realistically go through life only learning about things which interest them. At some point they have to learn boring but useful information!

And what do you do with those kids whose natural interests are limited to playstation and match of the day?

And what do you do with those kids whose natural interests are limited to playstation and match of the day?

My child doesn’t know what either of those are!