Unschooling and Curriculum

[xander7ful]

The concept of unschooling is well-meaning. But there needs to be a certain amount of structure in children's lives first. I think it can be done at home, but there need to be a minimum of standards & milestones met by parents, such as the minimum age a child should start learning to read is 7. These parents don't need to homeschool, but they need to be accountable & do more than they're doing now. It's ruining the kids.

[toweronepower]

Ironic they use a doctor for this

[simonealisa]

@toweronepower how so? If an unschooler wanted to become a doctor, they'd do what it takes to get there. That's the whole point.

[toweronepower]

@simonealisa Dr. Is a title won by the mainstream education system requiring mainstraem qualifications

[CertainAsTheSun]

@Myksmynd, wow, do you seriously think the people who serve you fries have been unschooled? They all went to traditional public school! People who work at Mcdonald's are trying to get themselves through college, jerk! If you think they're beneath you, don't get your fast food fix and stay home.

[Melokirk]

THANK YOU! I have just recently decided to take the step and unschool my kids. Unfortunately they have been in public school for a while and my oldest is one of the doomed special ed kids. Doomed is the perfect word for it. He sits in one room all day and does nothing. This is what has finally pushed me to make the move. Public school is breaking his spirit!

[IndigoMisfit]

Sorry, I still don't understand what is wrong with public schools. The most important thing I learned in school, after school activities and sports was teamwork. Sure not everything was great. I was a "special-ed kid". But I got to meet new people, try new things, take interesting classes. I got to go all over the country with my swim team. Now I'm getting a MS in Biomedical Science. (thanks to my awesome "typical" education) I love school and when I have kids I'll send them to school.

[srexob715]

@IndigoMisfit The problem, IMO, lies within religion. Just look at what is happening in Texas right now with the textbooks. Religious people see a public education that is only willing to teach Evolution theory and none of the other 'how we got here' theories..........that it is biased and limited.

They want their creationism theory taught right along with the theory of evolution, but its just sad they don't realized 1 has evidence to back it up!

[Nellsing]

@IndigoMisfit Teamwork or collectivism?

[shmee1961]

@IndigoMisfit My unschooled kid also gets to meet new people (way more than if he were in school), try new things and take interesting classes. We travel, visit museums and art galleries, go to the symphony and other musical events of all types (he loves music). We also have a community of unschooling friends, and the kids have decided to start a drama club, a book club and a cooking club together. The major wasting of time and breaking of his spirit is something I chose to avoid!

[MrQB10]

this might be the single most stupid idea that the over protected parents of America have had.

[bradyfe]

@MrQB10 Explain.. It has worked very well for me.

[kingtanto]

Its much easier to learn at 3 or 4 as the brain absorbs and craves information much more rapidly. Myth busted.

[WhatCanIsay100]

If people cant read the government can pass any bills..

[polykow]

Unschoolers can read. My son was reading chapter books at 6 way ahead of kids his age. At 7 he scores 2 grades ahead in reading, compreehsion and 3 grades ahead in spelling. The reason I know its that its state madated to test yearly where we live. But if he learned at 15 I would have not problem with that. Some of the most amazing kids I know learned to read at 11-13 years old.

[coolnyg]

I really do believe that this is a step in the right direction. But, what does this look like for a young, black teenager or even a young black child growing up in the inner city?

While I have so many issues with public education today, I cannot discount the reality that for many kids school is a safe haven. It certainly was for me. At school, I could be sure that I would eat twice a day; I wouldn't hear gunshots outside of the classroom. I did hear them at home. Doesn't this matter?

[bigajosep]

the problem is parents dont know how to learn, so they can't show their kids. they need to read a book and starting from the beginning. dont buy a book on calculus for your kid if your kid hasnt learned algebra for example.

[meghandsheamas]

huh??? biajosep the parents don't teach their unschooled kids. they facilitate. the children seek what they wish to know. it just flows...we need to trust our children...in everything.

who isthis?looks like alfie kohn but...hmmm.

this is great.

[bigajosep]

if a kid needs help learning about something, they will generally ask their parents, whether the kid is unschooled or not. unschooled kids still learn, and my point was most parents don't know how to show a kid how to learn.

[quitejaded]

I trust that youngsters can learn, easily. As shown by the Hole in the Wall Project, poor children from India and learn and operate a computer without even knowing what it is. My problem is that how can you make sure that you have the necessary resources for the child to explore? And at some point, the child needs to be forced to learn something needed to get what she/he needs (diploma, applications, etc.). Everyone procrastinates and can be self-destructive.

[hilarycg]

The majorproblem i had with unschooling my son all the way through 12th grade was that his math skills were severely behind. he had to take several courses to "catch up" at the community college level and is now at a decent level of capability....My 6-1/2 yr old is not yet reading. Competitive society and bragging parents are the reason for the big push on childhood smarts and activities.

[Nellsing]

@hilarycg That's the problem. The comeptition is because of the school system itself, which is an institution founded upon the belief in imposing and monopolizing what is to be considered knowledge for the next generation, imposing one's own idea of what is important and valuable knowledge, and delaying specialization, as well as an attack on signs of (what we as a culture decide to be) ignorance in contrast with an emphasis and admiration for the uniqueness of the individual.

[Nellsing]

@hilarycg The school system itself thus also socially engineers socio-economic class according to this conformism and, as a quasi-monopoly allied with the business sector, automatically disqualifies unschooled children by its own standards that it has artificially propped up as the dominant criteria for success. With public schools making private schools more expensive (since you still have to pay for public school even if not attending), the poor are sent to bad schools while the rich are

[Nellsing]

@Nellsing given exclusive prestige.

[glowingdarkmatter25]

Yeah, I had that problem where I attended LRC (Learning Resource Center) for a while, and they all had me labled. My parents even labled me. Then I discovered to learn by self-interest and currently am learning Geology to help me with my love of Astronomy. I sat in college for 5 years (left labled, and this last year taught myself a lot of English, spelling, and math. I feel better than I have in years.

[ThePinkBookworm]

So true, so true. As a teenager who has been unschooled all her life, I say THIS VIDEO ROCKS! I learned to read in the beginning at like 3 or 4 because I wanted to and because my parents at the time were following a homeschool method. But I have never looked back. I hope that this video will help others to see Unschooling the way I do. great job!

Li Li

[quantummom]

Thanks for posting this invaluable information!Unschooling mom here.