Unschooling can sound like a scary word, especially if you are used to structure or the system of public school. But becoming comfortable with the idea of unschooling (even in one tiny part of your day) can open a door into natural learning that can transform your homeschool!
If you’ve never thought about unschooling, or maybe you thought that it was a ridiculous concept, I’m going to share a few resources with you that could open your eyes to a different side of homeschooling. A side that doesn’t need worksheets or schedules and that trusts your kids to be capable of learning.
This book had an incredible impact in how I educate my kids. We are not unschoolers, because I do think there’s value in structured learning. Our family works best with a balance of natural learning and structured lessons/bookwork. When we started our homeschooling journey, I had the idea that everything about our homeschool had to look like public school – including the way that we learned. But it turns out, school at home provides the perfect environment for kids to learn outside of the curriculum.
“The business of being a child in this country is rapidly disappearing into an abyss that consists not only of programs and tests but also of extracurricular activities.” — Ben Hewitt
“School deliberately removes the environmental conditions that foster self-directed learning and natural curiosity. It’s like locking a child in a closet.” — Peter Gray
In this book, Peter Gray talks about how important play is. Play is not just an extra – it’s a need for kids. They need exploration and play without supervision. This is what allows them to develop self-determination and confidence.
Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom
This book unpacks the idea of self-directed learning and how important it is to trust kids’ innate learning instincts. Kids are naturally curious – if we provide them with the opportunities to learn and discover, they WILL. They’re created to learn!
Full on unschooling doesn’t have to be your goal – or even part of your homeschool plan. But embracing your child’s natural curiosity and giving them the chance to explore outside of the curriculum – at their pace and on their timeline – puts the ball in their court. It sets them up to be in charge of their own learning – instead of you being in charge.
Does this challenges your way of thinking at all? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so leave them in the comments (and remember, the comments on this post are only read by members :)