Unschooling

Unschooling is a unique educational philosophy that has gained popularity in recent years. While traditional schooling involves a rigid curriculum and a defined structure, unschooling offers a more flexible and individualized approach to learning. On this page, we will explore everything you need to know about unschooling.

Core Principles of Unschooling

At its core, unschooling is based on the idea that children are natural learners and that they should be trusted to guide their own education. Instead of following a strict curriculum, unschooling allows children to freely pursue their interests and passions. This means there are no lesson plans or formal schedules, and learning occurs organically through everyday experiences.

Unschooling benefits

One of the greatest advantages of unschooling is that it allows children to learn at their own pace and in their own way. This approach increases the likelihood of information retention and fosters a love of learning. Unschooling also promotes creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, as children are encouraged to explore and discover on their own.

Unschooling challenges

Although unschooling can be an effective educational approach for many families, it does come with its challenges. One of the main challenges is ensuring that children receive a well-rounded education that covers all the necessary learning for their unique and holistic development. This can be especially difficult for parents who are not experts in certain areas. Additionally, non-traditional education requires a high level of trust in the children's ability to learn and may necessitate a significant shift in mindset for parents who are accustomed to a more traditional approach to education.

How to guide learning in unschooling?

Here are some ways parents can support their children if they want to go unschooling:

Encourage and facilitate interests and passions

Allowing children to follow their interests and passions makes them more engaged and motivated learners. Parents can help by providing resources, experiences, and opportunities that align with their child's interests and passions. For example, if a child is interested in animals, parents can take them to a local zoo or wildlife sanctuary or provide them with books and documentaries on the subject.

Cultivate a love of learning

Unschooling involves promoting natural and organic learning and parents can promote a love of learning by demonstrating curiosity, being open to learning from their children, asking questions, seeking new information and being willing to explore new ideas and concepts.

Develop essential life skills

Embora o unschooling permita que as crianças aprendam ao seu próprio ritmo e à sua maneira, existem ainda competências essenciais para a vida que precisam de desenvolver para terem sucesso no mundo. Os pais podem ajudar as crianças a desenvolver competências como a gestão do tempo, o pensamento crítico, a resolução de problemas e a comunicação, proporcionando-lhes oportunidades de praticar e desenvolver essas competências em contextos do mundo real.

Provide emotional support and guidance

The unschooling journey can be challenging and overwhelming at times, and parents need to be emotionally present to support and guide their children. This means being available to listen, encourage, reassure and help children navigate the ups and downs of their educational journey.

By taking an active role in their children's out-of-school journey, parents can create a supportive and nurturing environment that allows their children to thrive. While unschooling may not be the right choice for every family, those who take this approach to education can help their children develop a love of learning, essential life skills, and the confidence to pursue their passions and interests.

Unschooling VS Homeschooling: What are the differences?

Although unschooling and homeschooling may seem similar at first glance, there are fundamental differences between the two approaches to education. Here are some of the main differences:

Curriculum

One of the significant differences between unschooling and homeschooling is their approach to curriculum. Homeschooling typically involves following a set curriculum that covers multiple subjects and topics, while unschooling allows children to pursue their interests and passions without a set curriculum.

Structure

Homeschooling often employs a structured approach to learning, with set schedules, routines, and expectations. Unschooling, on the other hand, is much more flexible, allowing children to learn at their own pace and in their own way.

Parent's role

In homeschooling, parents often take on the role of teacher, giving instructions and guidance to their children. In unschooling, parents act more as facilitators, offering resources and opportunities for children to explore and learn for themselves.

Evaluation

Homeschooling often involves regular assessments and testing to track progress and ensure that children meet specific educational standards. In unschooling, assessment is much more informal and may involve conversations, observations, and self-reflection.

While both approaches to education have their pros and cons, unschooling is a unique, individualized approach that allows children to pursue their own interests and passions, learn at their own pace, and develop essential life skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

“In unschooling, what matters is the process and not the content. The learning process, the process of knowing ourselves, openness, trust, self-determination, independent thinking, critical thinking… none of these are achieved when you follow someone else's agenda. It's about creating your own agenda. This is done not in isolation, but in the context of the family and community.” –Joel Hawthorne

How do children actually learn?

Parents should start by defining their clear goals for unschooling. For example, what core concepts do you insist your child understand no matter what? Reading, budgeting, understanding legal paperwork, and recognizing cues are just a few examples.

Other key ideas include the ability to distinguish between facts and opinions, think critically, conduct thorough research, and perform basic calculations, percentages, and statistics.

In unschooling, students can learn in an infinite variety of ways, on their own or with the help of their parents, unlike in a traditional classroom, where children are taught through a sequence of interconnected lessons.

For example:

• Kids can learn about animals of all shapes and sizes by volunteering at a zoo.
• Taking apart and reassembling a fan is a great way to introduce students to electronics.
• Watching science fiction films like “The Martian” can spark an interest in agriculture or outer space.
• Playing with a child's microscope or building with LEGOs can help students learn the principles of arithmetic and spark their interest in microbiology.

If you know where to look, subject-centered learning can be found in all areas of non-school activities. Each opportunity gives you access to a broad set of knowledge. One type of tool that can stimulate natural research is a STEM toy.

Review your homeschooling laws, find someone who is already unschooling, talk to your children about unschooling and your educational goals, and if necessary, adjust your approach by incorporating some structure or curriculum that aligns with your goals for starting unschooling.

Conclusion

Unschooling or self-teaching is a unique and individualized approach to education, and although parents may stray in terms of curriculum and formal lesson plans, they continue to have a crucial role to play in supporting their children's learning. In fact, by taking an active role in their children's non-school path, parents can create a supportive and nurturing environment that allows their children to thrive.