The "unschooling" trend

[pjlippert]

OH MY GOSH!!!! These parents must be completely insane!! There is apparently a new trend called "unschooling". These kids are raised without any sort of schooling or discipline at all and it's the parents fricken choice!!! Those kids don't stand a chance in the real world. Betcha the parents won't think it was such a good idea when their 50 year old kids are still living at home!!!!!

Watch the video and see if it doesn't make you want to scream and shake some sense into the parents!!

http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/extreme-parenting-radical-unschooling-19218933

Pam

 

[Govtgirl]

Somebody's going to have to help them fill out their welfare forms...

 

[pjlippert]

Amen sister!!

 

[carres1973]

I have NEVER heard of such a thing. I cannot imagine a child 1 - having no formal education and 2 - having no rules/responsibilities. I realize the parents expect that the kids will "police" themselves, but what if they don't? Doesn't this set them up for failure and rejection for jobs, loans, housing, etc. later in life? I also can't believe it is "legal." There was a trend a few years back to throw the parents of truent children in jail. What is the difference between those parents and these who let their children "rule the roost?"

Carrie

 

[janie1234]

How is this legal?

 

[pjlippert]

It's sooo crazy!! Apparently it's not legal in every state. Which political morons would allow it to be legal in the first place?? These people live in MA which is one of the states where it is considered okay.

I'm just astonished that any parent would think it's the right way to raise their children. How selfish and stupid on their part!!

Pam

 

[pink_fortitude]

I have NEVER heard of such a thing. I cannot imagine a child 1 - having no formal education and 2 - having no rules/responsibilities.

Carrie

I have been homeschooling for 4 years now and have never even heard of this until recently as well. A friend that I went to high school with plans to do this with her kids. She is part of the "Attached Parenting" movement started by a man named Sears. It is a philosophy that claims kids know what's best for them from birth so we should just let them do what they feel is right.

I am a homeschooler, and I have a set "core" for my kids but I pretty much do leave the rest up to them. I don't feel comfortable giving them free reign because I don't think that is good for ANYONE, but I do allow and encourage them to pursue their own interests - and I think that is very good for kids and mine have grown tremendously in comparison to their traditionally schooled friends. They actually have been exposed to more than than they would in public school despite the reporters claims because they have been allowed to try new things and their interests have been allowed to be watered and blossom. I also feel like they (kids) need to learn to take initiative and not wait for someone to tell what to do, and I have seen a real lack of initiative in older kids because they don't know how to do something without being told or they're bogged down by information overload.

I personally wouldn't do what the families in the clip were doing - that is very, very extreme - but I just wanted to offer a different perspective as to why it could be a good thing.

But seriously, that clip of the parents not encouraging their young kids to have good hygiene made me mad. I don't get that at all, that really is a form of abuse.

Melissa

 

[hula_girl]

This makes me think of Lord of the Flies

 

[pjlippert]

Hi Melissa,

You have a very good balanced approach with your kids and they are learning life skills in addition to getting a bona fide education. Great job!! Your kids will have a chance to succeed in the world quite unlike the loonies in the video who just let them run amuck with no boundaries at all.

I like your teaching style- it's very intriguing!

Pam

 

[Travisli]

Unschooling is not new. That being said, the family depicted in that news story is the extreme bad example of unschooling. Those parents aren't instilling anything in their children other than they can do what they want when they want. And you're right, they will be living at home for the rest of their lives and signing up for unemployment.

While I do not unschool my children, I have friends and know parents that do and their children are thriving in the environment created for them. They believe that you encounter math, science, reading, writing, art and history in the "real" world and real living leads to real learning.

One family I wrote an article on sold their home and most of their wordly possessions to travel the country and teach their children American History. They have been on the road for the last 2 years with great success. While unschoolers don't normally use school text books, unlike the parents in that video clip, they do use books and encourage reading. All of the people I know who unschool do not have video games in their houses and rarely have more than one television, IF they have one at all.

The motivation behind the learning is more important to these parents then the method used to learn. Unschooling is guided by the child and the parents facilitate the process as advisors and advocates. That does not mean (in my experience) that the child wakes up and says "I wanna sit in front of the t.v. all day and do nothing" and the parent says "o.k." It means the family gets up, has breakfast together and talks about what is sparking the child's interest.

With that information the parents are able to focus the child and facilitate learning about what that child is interested in, creating (they believe) an excitement in the child because it is what THEY are interested in, not what a teacher is telling them they need to know.

I also have to say that the parents that I know doing this are very educated parents (some with MBAs). They know the importance of school and are anything but lazy, they have just chosen a different path with their children. The parents in the video clip seemed lazy and unclear on their own concept.

Like I said, I DON'T unschool my children. They attend regular public school. But I have met enough unschoolers to change my original view (which was much like the ones expressed above) when I first heard of such a thing.

Everything doesn't always work for every body.

 

[carres1973]

I have been homeschooling for 4 years now and have never even heard of this until recently as well. A friend that I went to high school with plans to do this with her kids. She is part of the "Attached Parenting" movement started by a man named Sears. It is a philosophy that claims kids know what's best for them from birth so we should just let them do what they feel is right.

I am a homeschooler, and I have a set "core" for my kids but I pretty much do leave the rest up to them. I don't feel comfortable giving them free reign because I don't think that is good for ANYONE, but I do allow and encourage them to pursue their own interests - and I think that is very good for kids and mine have grown tremendously in comparison to their traditionally schooled friends. They actually have been exposed to more than than they would in public school despite the reporters claims because they have been allowed to try new things and their interests have been allowed to be watered and blossom. I also feel like they (kids) need to learn to take initiative and not wait for someone to tell what to do, and I have seen a real lack of initiative in older kids because they don't know how to do something without being told or they're bogged down by information overload.

I personally wouldn't do what the families in the clip were doing - that is very, very extreme - but I just wanted to offer a different perspective as to why it could be a good thing.

But seriously, that clip of the parents not encouraging their young kids to have good hygiene made me mad. I don't get that at all, that really is a form of abuse.

Melissa

Melissa - I really like the idea of homeschooling and your ideas are the reason why. I like the idea of having a "core" curriculum that you teach in the home but then using outside the box ideas to also teach. For example, why not go on nature hikes to learn about botany, biology, and geology? Why not use real objects to figure out math problems, i.e. go around the house and find the area of different rooms. I am not sure I would have the patience, or importantly the know-how, especially as the kids move into areas of higher learning. Just a BIG way-to-go for you for taking the time and effort required to make homeschooling a success.

Carrie

 

[fitdeb]

Sigh. Wouldn't be lovely as an adult to do only those things that sparked your interest! But alas, Uncle Sam, my mortgage holder, my medical insurance carrier, the grocery store and a horde of others care only of those things that spark my income.

Debbie Russo

 

[carres1973]

Travis - your description of unschooling sounds much more logical. It also sounds like it would work very well for children with learning disabilities who may not do well in a structured learning environment.

Maybe the news report decided to show more extreme examples for a ratings push or the shock value? NOOO! I can't imagine that!!

Carrie

 

[mspina]

I have been homeschooling for 4 years now and have never even heard of this until recently as well. A friend that I went to high school with plans to do this with her kids. She is part of the "Attached Parenting" movement started by a man named Sears. It is a philosophy that claims kids know what's best for them from birth so we should just let them do what they feel is right.

Unless Sears has lost his marbles over the last few years, I think these people are taking his ideas to a crazy extreme that he never intended in the least! I used his philosophies when my kids were babies (exclusive breastfeeding, self-wean, use of slings, etc.,) so did read quite a bit about Attachment Parenting. I don't remember reading anything about not teaching the kids anything, ever!

This is lunacy.

 

[mspina]

Melissa - I really like the idea of homeschooling and your ideas are the reason why. I like the idea of having a "core" curriculum that you teach in the home but then using outside the box ideas to also teach. For example, why not go on nature hikes to learn about botany, biology, and geology? Why not use real objects to figure out math problems, i.e. go around the house and find the area of different rooms. I am not sure I would have the patience, or importantly the know-how, especially as the kids move into areas of higher learning. Just a BIG way-to-go for you for taking the time and effort required to make homeschooling a success.

Carrie

Good schools will do all that you mention! You don't have to homeschool to get this type of learning. And even if your school doesn't do things like this, you certainly can supplement their education! You should know what they are currently learning about in school, so when you know they are learning about area calculation, have them figure out the area of the rooms in your house as part of their homework or on the weekend and make it a fun activity for the family. It doesn't have to be (and shouldn't be!) an all or nothing proposition.

 

[DEEDEE2]

There is apparently a new trend called "unschooling". These kids are raised without any sort of schooling or discipline at all and it's the parents fricken choice!!! Pam

Isn't that pretty much what gang bangers do? That is sad, teaching kids to be irresponsible and that the world revolves around what they want is just tragic.

 

[SheWolf]

So according to this when my DD (5) said she wished she could drive I should have handed her the keys?


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[jacmar]

So according to this when my DD (5) said she wished she could drive I should have handed her the keys?


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The comment in one of the segments about having no rules and letting the kids do what "they" felt was right was what got me. Can you see these kids when they become adults - how are they going to function?

 

[pink_fortitude]

Unless Sears has lost his marbles over the last few years, I think these people are taking his ideas to a crazy extreme that he never intended in the least! I used his philosophies when my kids were babies (exclusive breastfeeding, self-wean, use of slings, etc.,) so did read quite a bit about Attachment Parenting. I don't remember reading anything about not teaching the kids anything, ever!

I have to admit that I have never read the book myself, only spoken to her about it and this is how she translated it to me. She and a group of her friends must have taken his advice to the extreme or applied what they wanted to it, but everything that their families do are all child-led and the have a variety of ages. She/they only consider the type of schooling that was presented by the OP. I did not mean to take anything out of context myself, just relaying what information was given to me by a follower of his philosophy.

Travisli, that is what I would think "unschooling" would be like - when I read about it that is how I interpreted it, at least. I agree with Carrie - much more logical and real life oriented... And fun!

Melissa

 

[pink_fortitude]

Good schools will do all that you mention! You don't have to homeschool to get this type of learning. And even if your school doesn't do things like this, you certainly can supplement their education! You should know what they are currently learning about in school, so when you know they are learning about area calculation, have them figure out the area of the rooms in your house as part of their homework or on the weekend and make it a fun activity for the family.

This is actually a great idea and very easy to implement, especially when they are younger. The problem comes when they get older and have more and more homework so there's less time for everything else, including family time. I am not sure what your schools are like, but our entire state (not our district) tests lower than average on national standards tests and the state and administrations think the answer is more homework and more testing. That is all textbook stuff, absolutely no room for individual growth, field trips or personal interests. It eats up a lot of time. Kids - and parents - can only take so much before burning out and homeschooling is certainly a good alternative to traditional schooling if the school is squashing a child's growth instead. We made the decision that is best for our family.

I am still having a hard time getting over the families that I saw. I wonder if anyone has ever told the younger kids portrayed what to do - and how they react to it... it is just so crazy to me. I wonder if there is anyone on this forum that unschools like this and they can chime in and give us their perspective on it. It really is hard for me to wrap my mind around... I hope I am not coming off as judgmental, I just don't understand it.

Melissa