and I am up reading on this idea of "unschooling". Why is it that everything I seem to have an interest in goes against the traditional grain of the people I am closely associated with? (And how do you NOT end a sentence with a preposition?) Unschooling does NOT mean un-educating. It simply means, in my way of wording things: The public school system was flawed from the word "go". Homeschooling is a much better alternative as the parent is in control of their child's education. But homeschooling families can make the mistake of bringing the school system into their home. Or worse, following what Lilly White from down the road does with her children. Unschooling is making resources available for your children to learn at his or her own pace. It is NOT lazy parenting or homeschooling.
Dayna Martin Founder of Unschooling America explains:
We are in a day and age of change. The pendulum is swinging in the other direction as to the necessity of compulsory schooling for all children. This is not about homeschooling for religious reasons or having "gifted" children. This is about whether or not school should be the center of a child's life. With information all around us, there is nothing that a child can learn at school, that they can not learn at home and out in the real world pursuing their interests. In the days when schools were first established, they were the only place that a child could go to obtain more knowledge because schools had the books and educational opportunities that were not available elsewhere. Now, with the Internet, television, magazines and millions of other resources, learning opportunities are everywhere!
For the involved parent facilitating their child's learning with an environment rich with resources, attending school is completely unnecessary. Unschooled children do not have to deal with typical peer pressure. They are not graded or measured. They are not segregated by age. They are not bullied, or moved around by bells. Also Unschooled kids do not have to be away from their families. They do not have to ask permission to go to the bathroom or move from their seats. They also do not have a mundane life living someone else's agenda. In short, our Unschooled children are truly free. Radical Unschooling is an evolution of our understanding about learning and the rights and respect of children. We are on the cusp of change and many people are looking for alternatives to the traditional schooling model. With Unschooling, we are reprioritizing. We are taking back our freedom and putting happiness, connection and family first!
http://www.unschoolingamerica.com/
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