An Unschooling Journey

the home spot 

An Unschooling Journey

According to Wikipedia (Sept. 12, 2024), 

Unschooling is a belief of self-driven informal learning characterized by a lesson-free and curriculum-free implementation of homeschooling.

According to West River Academy (Jun. 28, 2023), 

The fundamental difference between homeschooling and unschooling is that in homeschooling, the school is transferred to the home, with all its elements. In contrast, unschooling is based on natural learning, and there are no subjects or evaluations but life.

I absolutely love this!  Unschooling is exactly where I want to be.  What I want to be doing.  How I want to be living.  Humans are natural learners, and children have a very sponge-like brain.  The combo is beautiful!

This is the space where resources, facts, quotes, opinions, and such will lay and rest.  It may change shape and form as I walk this journey....as life usually does change, alter, and shift.  My oldest three children have attended public school since preK.  One has graduated from a Fine Arts centered High School and is currently attending a community college in car mechanics.  I have seen them learn from various teaching styles and personalities.  I have seen them school through COVID, two were in elementary and one in middle school, when schooling "at-home" became the norm.  I have watched them struggle and flourish with academic standards.  I have listened to the complaints and celebrations of friend groups and individual classmates.  I have seen them grow and fail- I feel every parent and teacher can say the same for the kids in their life. 

One way is not better than the other.  I am finding this "discovery" of unschooling during a season of my life when it makes sense.  I have taught and mentored in public, private, and charter school settings.  I have been directed and expected to implement curriculums.  I have been given full autonomy within state guidelines for educating our young people.  I have had classrooms of 25, classrooms of 8, caseloads of 32, and have been the entire Special Education department that included the assessment team.  I have experienced "school" since 5 years of age when I told my mom, "I have to quit dance class because I cannot got to school and dance at the same time."  I have shown my love for "school" in many different ways ever since that young age.  But it was and is a love of LEARNING. That is what I want to watch develop, be encouraged, and flourish within everyone.  

This is their life!  Let them learn it!  Let them live it!

RESOURCES

*I found John Holt.  Not in person.  His books.  His ideas, thoughts, perspectives, influences, insights, words, 

*I found like-minded people when I googled "homeschooling mentor."  I was so excited I could not read fast enough!  Here it is: Luker, Kim. "5 Homeschooling Mentors You Need to Follow." Lake House Mom. www.lakehousemom.com. Accessed 20 August 2024

*Here is an awesome podcast!  Grab a coffee, put your AirPods in, and enjoy!  Awesome Podcast