# Any un-schoolers?



## SarahBear

Hello,

I'm a mom of a toddler who's been thinking ahead. Are there any un-schoolers out there? Can you share about your experience as an un-schooling family?


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## BethK

What's an un-schooler?


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## Noo

I'm assuming Home Schooling?


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## SarahBear

It's a VERY child led style of homeschooling.


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## Abigailly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11u3vtcpaY

This is a very good speech on it. 

I have considered it. I was home schooled for a few years and I suppose in some ways I was 'un schooled' before it got a label. And I would love to do it for Niamh but I'm unsure if I have the drive to.


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## Abigailly

I know hack schooling and unschooling are slightly different but I think it's a speech that can be learned from.


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## Tacey

We do. It's more commonly known as autonomous education in the UK. Alice is only 4 at the moment, so would be in Reception year, which makes it a very easy choice. It's working out so well though, that I can't see why we'd suddenly start implementing a curriculum or whatever. We don't do radical unschooling, although I'm interested in the ideas behind it, and it has definitely made me question lots of my parenting assumptions. I am trying to follow Sandra Dodd's advice of "Read a little, try a little, wait a while, watch."


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## SarahBear

What exactly is the difference between un-schooling and radical un-schooling? Is it the parenting philosophy? Time to google


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## SarahBear

From what I just read, radical unschooling seems to be a phrase used to clarify that you're actually doing unschooling, whereas people saying they're doing "unschooling," might not really mean it ...


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## Tacey

As I understand it, unschooling and autonomous education are synonymous. It's following your child's interests in their education, and being a facilitator rather than a teacher. It's avoiding testing and comparing and letting them learn naturally. John Holt is a great starting point for finding out more about how that works.

Radical unschooling encompasses every aspect of family life. No arbitrary rules like bedtimes, or how long they can watch TV etc. Sandra Dodd's website is a good place to learn about it. 

Good luck with what you decide!


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## SarahBear

Owen has read John Holt and has really been the one to steer me more in the un-schooling versus homeschooling direction. I've seen a video clip of a lady who did radical unschooling and the definition used by her was the same one you're using. Some aspects of it make sense, but some seem too much like anarchist parenting.


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## 2ndprincess

I have a lot of respect for homeschool parents. I see the benefits but I'm just not cut out for it. I don't have the patience, motivation or discipline.


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## Tacey

Both of these books are worth a look to get your head around Radical Unschooling and decide if it's for you. There's also the Radical Unschooling Info FB group, although it can seem quite scary the first time you look through it!


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## freckleonear

I don't label myself as an unschooler for various reasons, but we are certainly very autonomous and child-led in our approach to home education. In my opinion, John Holt's concept of unschooling was much more flexible and inclusive than the stricter definitions of Sandra Dodd and other more modern unschoolers.


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## kerrie24

In early years education (here at least),learning is very much play based and child oriented,not sitting around reading from books.The children make their own choices of what to do,outside is always open and they are not steered towards any one activity but allowed to move around freely depending on interests.
I learn them in the same way so I dont think it would be any different to do it at home,other than the pressure would be on me to make sure at any point they did join the education system,that they were up to the same level as their peers.
For those that are homeschooling,do you have any plans for when they are older,like 10,11 and onwards?Do you think they might start asking to go to school and will you let them?

(Sorry for bombarding your thread with questions op)


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## Dollybird

I have to admit I don't like the idea of radical unschooling in the way it's been defined (no set bedtimes, set routines etc). I feel children need structure and boundaries to prepare them for adult life and work, however each to their own and I believe that different things work for different people. The basic idea of unschooling though- children directing their learning, and learning in ways they enjoy, I do like. In fact our nursery follows this Idea. They wait and see where a child's interest lie, then find ways to teach them the things they need to learn in that way. A child is never forced to do an activity they do not enjoy, and instead is encouraged in the things they do enjoy.. Even if that means letting them do the same activity all day. This I like as I feel lessons do not need to be rigid and set. Learning comes in many forms. As for homeschooling, if I had time, money, and patience, yes maybe, but I doubt it. For most children the social aspect of going to nursery/school is very important to their developement. Again however, each to their own, and I know a few children who did not do well in a school environment and were better suited to homeschooling. So I guess it's what's best for the child. Interesting topic though! I found it interesting to read about. Xxx


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## SarahBear

kerrie24 said:


> For those that are homeschooling,do you have any plans for when they are older,like 10,11 and onwards?Do you think they might start asking to go to school and will you let them?
> 
> (Sorry for bombarding your thread with questions op)

I'm giving you more info than you asked for, but here's my reply:

So I'm obviously not homeschooling as I only have a 15 month old, but We do plan to home-school when she's school aged. We are also considering a Montessori pre-school. The school actually now goes up to 1st grade. It used to just be pre-k and kindergarten. If we decide to try it, we will let her attend as long as we can scrape together the money AND as long as she wants to go. After that, the plan would be to homeschool. All through this, I would want to follow the un-schooling philosophy which would mean following the child's lead. If Violet doesn't want to go anymore, she doesn't have to. Un-schooling can include school as long as it's what the child wants to do. If she wants to go to school when she gets older, I'll have a serious conversation with her about why she wants to go, what her expectations are of school, and what her commitment to it is. I would want her to understand that you can't be wishy-washy about it. She would have to commit to going for a certain period of time (like a semester, for example). Also, since learning is often delayed in the early years of unschooling, I'd explain to her what is expected of her particular grade level so she'd have the opportunity to decide if she wanted to catch up before enrolling.


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## Tacey

kerrie24 said:


> For those that are homeschooling,do you have any plans for when they are older,like 10,11 and onwards?Do you think they might start asking to go to school and will you let them?
> 
> (Sorry for bombarding your thread with questions op)

I'm taking it a year at a time. Having said that, I am very unlikely to send either of them to school before they're 7, as I think they wouldn't really understand the commitment needed and what school really involves. I'd look at the reasons why they wanted to go - perhaps the idea of seeing more of a particular friend, having more independent time or even just the idea of a packed lunch. I'd look at different ways of fulfilling those needs without school.

In our local home ed group, out of the children who didn't start school, a few asked to go, then changed their minds after a couple of terms. I know of one family whose daughter flexi schools at secondary, although I think she's considering returning to 100% home ed. Mainly, it's an issue that doesn't seem to have come up for most families. If it does for us, we'll judge it at the time.


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## Dragonfly

Follow Dayna Martin on facebook, I dont home ed but hoping to still some day. My son wanted to try school. Great advocate of it here.


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## Bex84

Can i just ask a question out of interest. How does home schooling work if a child decides wants to go to university or needs certain qualiforcations for dream job. I know you can take exams if not in school. The children i have taught who have been home schooled before starting school in yr2-3 have been really well rounded and can defenetly see how it works. The one family i know who did homeschool that i knew as a child each of them got one gcse in music and struggled with jobs. Im sure it does work. My husband tutors several people doing gcse and a levels later on but just wondered how you plan for it. I find unschooling and home schooling facinating. When i was teaching reception we did alot of learning through play and child led and i think it benefits children if they were able to do this longer.


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## Dragonfly

People I know that went to school with me done their qualifications again as the school failed them all in the local tecq collage.


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## Tacey

Bex84 said:


> Can i just ask a question out of interest. How does home schooling work if a child decides wants to go to university or needs certain qualiforcations for dream job. I know you can take exams if not in school. The children i have taught who have been home schooled before starting school in yr2-3 have been really well rounded and can defenetly see how it works. The one family i know who did homeschool that i knew as a child each of them got one gcse in music and struggled with jobs. Im sure it does work. My husband tutors several people doing gcse and a levels later on but just wondered how you plan for it. I find unschooling and home schooling facinating. When i was teaching reception we did alot of learning through play and child led and i think it benefits children if they were able to do this longer.

Obviously, we've not been doing this long, but as you might expect, it was a big question for me to research before going ahead!

Our school system has set ages where children take exams, often without knowing what they'll use them for. Heck, I did my degree without knowing why! Coming from a home ed perspective, they can set their mind on what they want to do, and choose to take exams that help them reach that whether they are 14, 24 or 64! It's important to be realistic with the child, and make sure they are aware of how job applications work, and how to reach their goals. There are more routes to those goals than you might expect though. I knew of a girl at uni who had no A levels, but was accepted on her degree course through an interview and submitted work. Other children might not go down the academic route at all, and work their way up or start their own businesses. That's the joy of home ed, it's tailored exactly to the personality and interests of the child.


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## Bex84

Thankyou, its really interesting. Im a trained teacher so know the set usual route and i think its horrible how schools are now more about training to take tests rather than skills for life. As long as my daughter does her best i wont care about grades and my husband who is a teacher is the same. When you said about tests it reminded me i know someone who just sat an enterence exam to prove ability and that was for teacher training. With teaching you have to take gcse exam certificates, a level, degree and teaching qualiforcation to interviews and thats what made me wonder. Like you said when i did my degree i had no idea what i wanted to do and i can see how home schooling may allow you to help a child be able to focus more as having that individual teaching. Schools are having to worry more about offstead and pleasing the government line so home schooling is an interesting concept.


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