| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp |
| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp. All rights reserved. |
| about the book |
| The Homeschool Diner's Guide to Unschooling / Self-Directed learning by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006 Unschooling, sometimes called "natural learning" is the ultimate in self-directed learning -- where learning is child-initiated and child-directed. The philosophy maintains that most basic skills will be required by and learned thru life experiences, and that children learn better when they truly want to learn and are self-motivated to learn about a particular topic. Ideally this means that parents should act only as a facilitator -- providing opportunities for learning, but never trying to coerce a child into learning something they have not chosen to learn. It is basic Unschooling philosophy that parents do not require children to do anything that most parents think of as "school work". Unschoolers believe in natural ways of learning and do not use traditional curriculum products. All learning stems from a child's expressed interests, often discovered by pursuing typical daily activities, and only if the child so desires, with Life as their curriculum and the World as their classroom. When their children show an interest in a new topic unschooling parents may make available a variety of resources to help their child explore the subject, such as "real" books (rather than textbooks), hands-on experiences (learning by "doing" and helping), games and fun activities, TV, movies, computer resources, art projects, etc. They may also seek out opportunities to learn within the community or from experts. But, even though they may offer such resources to the child, they do not insist that the child explore the topic further, the choice is the child's to make. Many unschooling parents follow the philosophies and recommendations found in essays written by several homeschooling "pioneers". These include: John Holt, author of "Teach Your Own" (1981); Mary Griffith, author of "The Unschooling Handbook: How to Use the Whole World as Your Child's Classroom" (1998); Grace Llewellyn, author of "The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education"; and Sandra Dodd, author of "Moving a Puddle" (a collection of essays and articles). These books are available from libraries, major book sellers, and many online merchants. Unschooling is a popular choice for homeschooling children in pre-school and K - 3rd grade. Some families ultimately decide that more structure and deliberate learning is desirable beginning in the upper elementary grades and increasing thru high school. Other families continue to unschool thru high school, only providing formal, structured learning when the child requests it (if, for example, the child's interests lead him or her to pursue college or technical school). Unschooling is also a good temporary option for "reluctant learners" and for children who are recovering from a difficult school experience. The chance to learn and explore on their own, following pursuits that truly interest them, may re-ignite a joy of learning. The following resources may be helpful to those considering Unschooling or those looking for support, events, and networking opportunities. Unschoolers who enjoy independent research of their favorite topics may find good ideas in the "Independent Research section and the "Computer-Based Instruction" section of the Homeschool Diner. The Homeschooling by Subject section includes many non-traditional resources and links to websites that may inspire your children in their areas of interest. Why Unschooling? HoltGWS.com - John Holt and Growing Without Schooling website, articles by and about John Holt and his views on schooling Radical Unschooling - the website of Sandra Dodd, author of many unschooling essays, lots of article and advice MaryGriffith.com - the website of Mary Griffith, author of "The Unschooling handbook", advice and essays Practical Advice Five Steps to Unschooling by Joyce Kurtak Fetteroll On Unschooling by Mary Griffith "Unschooling: You'll See it When You Believe It" by Sandra Dodd "Waiting for Unschooling to Work" by Shay Seaborne Homeschooling and the Type A Dad by Brad Beckerman A New Chapter in Education: Unschooling by Victoria Clayton for MSNBC.com, unschooling in the news, 10-02-06 Joyfully Rejoycing -- a website with a wonderful question and answer series for those considering unschooling African-American Unschooling - Africentric resources, support, networking Unschooling.com - articles, e-groups and support for unschooling families For Teens: "The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Reallife and Education" by Grace Llewellyn - aimed at preteens and teens interested in homeschooling and how it works "Real Lives" by Grace Llewellyn - eleven Teenagers who don't go to school tell their own stories "Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School" by Grace Llewellyn - shows parents and kids how to work within the school system, great for students who choose "part-time" homeschooling Chancey.info -- website of a grown unschooler |
| Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught." -- Winston Churchill "The most instructive experiences are those of everyday life." -- Friedrich Nietzsche "Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living." ~~ John Dewey (1859 - 1952 "Learning can only happen when a child is interested. If he's not interested it's like throwing marshmallows at his head and calling it eating." -- Anonymous |
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