Unschooling: Education without a Building

This post has been motivated by the following article on Radical Unschooling:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/parenting/parents-defend-radical-unschooling-instilling-proper-values/story?id=10422823 ( I can't get the link to work)

These unschooling parents come across as nimrods when unschooling is actually a valid choice for some parents. Unlike the irresponsible attitude of these two who seem to equate neglect with choice, Unschooling is a highly workable way of educating one's children. However, it is hard, it is focused and it requires, at least, one, if not two, parents participating. Every moment in life is seen as an educational moment; children and parents constantly (!!!!) participate in a life-long, integrated learning experience driven primarily by the child's curiousity. It is not for everyone.

My husband and I got into a debate about this issue. My husband considers our family an Unschooling one primarily because the children are educated outside of an institutional school. He figures we, as parents, are in a dictatorship role that will be resolved when the children can think critically for themselves. After all, the girls have been mandated to go to piano lessons, ballet and swimming since before they were in school and throughout the period of their absence from school. They are required by us to read, write and do math.

My feelings are different. Our family has always been highly motivated intellectually. Both my husband and I have always read to the children--since, in fact, they were in utero. The point being the girls have been raised in an environment where education has been encouraged. It's that difference between encouragement and dictatorship with which I have a problem. My husband argues we choose the subjects; I counter with the fact the girls do the work as an act of responsibility. For example, after they have breakfast (which I believe is the most important meal of the day and there is no excuse for missing), the girls either do their work or don't do it but there is an expectation it will be done by day's end and it is. I certainly don't chase after them to do their school work and we have had evenings doing French together but, and to be fair to my husband, neither my husband nor I consider the work labour. Maybe that is the problem with how Unschoolers are viewed.

Unschooling is a labour of education and an intense form of parental love; it is a life style choice. Perhaps it is unfair to say not everyone wants to spend 24/7 with their children, but I do think that is the most uncomfortable issue with Unschooling. It is, in a way, non-stop parental involvement. This leads me to wonder why the family in the clip above would consider their lifestyle choice as acceptable or why ABC would consider it a form of education. Doing nothing is not a form of education, it is a form of neglect. A child being left to form their own thoughts without the benefit of guidance of any sort is not going to have an independent life; how are they prepared? Who is helping to prepare them to achieve independence? Are they even being introduced to the concept?

I think so many are critical of Unschoolers because they have this idea it is a do-nothing form of education when it is an intense form of parenting. The idea reminds me of people I know who attended a Waldorf school in the city; it was expensive and the building was beautiful and the family thought everything was peachy keen. Except, the Waldorf philosophy has a number of premises which include a family contract not to have a television, a single teacher for the 7 or 8 year program and the idea of consumerism as an anathema. Anyhow, the school in question was obviously not following the philosophy but my friends were the greater problem because they had not done their homework. I tend to think those who evaluate Unschoolers critically must do their homework, too. Otherwise they present a very biased interpretation of the method which is hardly fair nor reasonable.


p.s. My husband has read this post and thinks I obviously have issues with the word "dictator" and he thinks I am so idealizing the world in which we live, he wishes he did live there. He has no problem with a dictatorship which some can euphemize as guidance; there are always educational expectations and to not admit it is to fail one's child for their role in society. Kids have to read, write and do math.

More on Books

Found this article on the Toronto Star website:

ttp://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/article/797551--children-who-grow-up-with-books-fare-better

Children who grow up in a book filled world tend to do better. Miriam Wolf has written a brilliant book, "Proust and the Squid" and discusses how the actual act of reading changes the neurotransmitters in the brain. Reading is a learned trait. It is not an instinctive one; it must be taught and learned. Therefore, children who grow up being read to are going to do better; children who choose to read are actually improving their brain's development. Further, as The Star link indicates, children from lower income levels who read have a greater chance of improving their prospects. Reading educates.