Part 3: Unschooling – A Philosophy For Change
A great philosophy is not one that passes final judgments and establishes ultimate truth. It is one that causes uneasiness and starts commotion.
Charles Peguy
Unschooling – Deeper Than Rejection?
If homeschooling can be viewed as an alternative to the state system does unschooling represent a complete rejection?
My understanding is that it goes even deeper than rejection. Unschooling represents an alternative child-centered philosophy where the child is the focus not an externally imposed curricula. In this context the natural curiosity of the child and his particular interests become the driving force for learning. Processes are more important than content and, secure within this environment, the child reveals his true nature as a born scientist where there exist no such things as first truths, but only the glorious adventure of exploration and discovery.
’Curiosity in children is but an appetite for knowledge‘, declared John Locke.
Most ‘unschooling parents’, I suspect, would agree.
Unschooling – The Precious Grain Of Sand
Unease already exists within the education system worldwide. For unschooling parents the truth is out there somewhere - they are not alone. Tragically the voices of many teachers who share the philosophy of child-centred or self-directed learning are, like the good seed, stifled by the tares of government legislation, large class sizes, and increasing workloads. They have little time to stand and stare let alone raise a voice in protest.
But unease is growing apace and unschooling parents could find themselves unwittingly become the irritant grain of sand that by its very presence stimulates the birth of something very precious. A fundamental transformation in our attitude to the education of our children would indeed be a pearl of great price.
Unschooling - A Voice In The Wilderness?
Prophetic voices are found in unlikely places but the truth they speak is undeniable and draws other to them. Einstein’s mother never asked, ‘What did you learn today?’, only, ‘What questions did you ask?’ It is this spirit of inquiry, this quest for understanding, springing from some deep wellspring of our being that appears to be central to the unschooling philosophy. Madame Curie touched upon this quality when she declared, ‘A scientist in his laboratory is not only a technician: he is also a child placed before natural phenomena which impress him like a fairy tale.’
Unschooling families may feel like theirs is a voice in the wilderness but there are many ready to listen to their message if they have the courage or inclination to share it.
A Little Child Will Lead Them
Standing on the outside, my impression of unschooling is of an attempt to free the child to be what essentially he is: ‘Children are born true scientists. They spontaneously experiment and experience and re-experience again. They select, combine, and test, seeking to find order in their experiences – “which is the mostest? which is the leastest? They smell, taste, bite, and touch-test for hardness, softness, springness, roughness, smoothness, coldness, warmness: they heft, shake, punch, squeeze, push, crush, rub, and try to pull things apart.” (R. Buckminster Fuller).
It takes courage to stand back and let children take the initiative. Not many have the courage to let a little child lead them. Is this the essential difference between homeschooling and unschooling: – homeschooling families more or less replicate the school experience in the home; unschooling families provide an altogether different experience for their children?
I would be interested in your comments.
Courage is contagious and often the first seeds of its growth are questions we hear from the heart.
Next: Questions From the Heart
#1 by sara at October 21st, 2009
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I know that some people embrace the “un” in unschooling for that revolutionary, liberating feeling, while others prefer “life learning” or some other more positive sounding label. I don’t think that unschooling is against school. It simply isn’t school. It’s something else entirely.
#2 by Sandra Dodd at October 23rd, 2009
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My friend Suzanne wrote something beautiful about the “un” in “unschooling”:
“Lots of people make this point, but I never see the negation as negative in a value-judgment sense when I use the word–to me unschooling is as positive as unchaining, unbinding, unleashing, unfolding, unfurling, unlimiting….
“All mean freedom and growth and vast possibilities to me.”
Suzanne Carter
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And the origin of the term was intended as light humor, not heavy directive. It was from a 7-Up commercial from the 70’s.
http://sandradodd.com/unschool/theterm
School was better than home for me when I was a kid. If school’s a better, safer, happier place, then kids should go to school. I’m not anti-school so much as I’m in favor of safe, happy places where there’s learning.
#3 by William Stirrup at July 13th, 2010
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As a former lecturer, parent and somewhat self-confessed old-fashioned fuddy-duddy, I can’t help but think that “un-schooling” is just the ultimate expression of the Flower-power/hippy era.
The child does not know anything when they are born. What is more, they do not know what they NEED to know, nor what is IMPORTANT that they know. Unfortunately childhood is too short to leave it to a child’s curiosity to learn all this. Many of today’s kids use technology relentlesly, but most have no understanding of how it operates nor any wish to.
Unschooling is parenting without responsibility. It also puts too much responsibility on the shoulders of kids who shouldn’t have that responsibility. (like asking a 4year old what they want to wear)
If we have no prior knowledge, then curiosity is a useful tool to learn with. However, where we have lots of prior knowledge, then it is incumbent upon us to teach that as first principles, before we unleash that curiosity.
We live/work in an increasingly complex world, and for people to be able to function as an adult, individual, and full member of society they HAVE TO have certain knowledge – ignorance of the law is no defence.
Parents should try to balance the responsibilities they have with the freedoms they want their kids to have. Parenting is not a science, but there are generalities that ALL parents must adopt. As parents we must strive to give our kids the skills, knowledge and experience to make them independent of us – i.e. stand on their own 2 feet. But it is a gradual process.
As the world of work, life and knowledge is changing, so does our need to educate our kids, but going back to this, is in my humble opinion – STUPID!
Kids learning needs to be more in line with their mental capacities and interests, but still meet the objectives of the above aims.
Boys and Girls are biologically different, hormonally different, and their brains are organised and function differently. Our education system should reflect that diversity, and yet meet broader aims to have stable democracy, active members in society, and that means imposing some knowledge and responsibilities on our future citizens in line with their maturity, capability, and our societal aims – How can we derogate/abrogate our responsibilities as parents and citizens.