Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Mainstream Media's Attempt to Understand Unschooling

If you are a "homeschooler", you have no problems. In fact most people will look very kindly on you and think you are a saint or something. They will ask what curriculum you use and how many hours a day you all put in, and how many support groups you belong to. All this makes you very acceptable to them and to the educational world as a whole.

But whoa, tell them you are an unschooler and you will be slammed. Try this one on for size. This incredibly brave family did something I could never do.

They put themselves on the chopping block. And in a big way. I was so impressed with the parents as well as the teens in their answers and very confident responses. My children have always been a little more like me, a closet unschooler.

In fact I have always told people that we homeschool. When I was asked all the above questions I would tell them about all the curriculum that we had sitting home on the shelf collecting dust, and all the groups that we hadn't seen in years due to the fact we were busy living!

As for the hours put in? Why of course every waking hour is spent learning in our family!

2 comments:

  1. I usually start out saying we're homeschoolers, but when they press us with questions they get the full deal. Mostly I just don't care what people think. And partially, I love a friendly debate. And usually, I can convince them it is at least working very well for us, even if they won't believe it would work for many others.

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  2. Yeah I guess I was braver when I was younger, not as patient as I used to be either. I just have to thank you all for talking and bringing this to people. Guess I will have to step up to the plate and take the offensive for a change.

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