There are several different styles and approaches to homeschooling. I will be covering a five part series on some of the main styles and approaches over the next few weeks. So if you are thinking of homeschooling now is the time to dig in and educate yourself. Lets get started!
Part One: The Unschooling Approach
There is no doubt many families today are taking their child’s education into their own hands. Some are even choosing to unschool. On my quest to find out what exactly is involved with unschooling I ran across this YouTube video by Dayna Martin, but first-in a nut shell here is a brief description of unschooling:
Unschooling – This philosophy is based on research by John Taylor Gatto and John Holt. This type of learning is child-led, and self-directed. The advantage to this type of learning is that it doesn’t require the parent to be someone else such as a teacher teaching on a planned organized basis. Parent and child live and learn together. Delight driven learning – as Dayna would say.
Do you Unschool your child? If so share with me why you chose the Unschooling approach. I don’t bite, I promise. I look forward to reading your comments.
2 Responses to “Discovering Homeschool Styles and Approaches”
MyFeminineMind
1 year ago
Some reasons I chose unschooling: 1) I want my children to be able to listen to and trust themselves. Being outside of the school environment, they have more protection from a lot of the peer pressure in regards to dress, likes, and behavior. I want them to have the freedom to be who they are. I want to extend this freedom to allowing them to choose what to learn and how to go about it. I do not want to substitute peer pressure with adult pressure in regards to studying what someone else thinks is important and when it is important to learn it. Or substitute culteral attitudes of what constitutes “success.” I feel all these things erode a person's trust in herself. My children are unique and amazing creations of God. Only they can best discern what gifts and talents God has given them and how God might be asking them to use those gifts. This seems to be the greatest freedom: freedom to be oneself. 2. I believe people learn better without grades and coercion. It just makes sense to me that a person will learn more quickly and more thoroughly when they are interiorly motivated to learn. The world is exciting! I don't want to inhibit their natural and innate curiosity by trying to control how and when learning takes place or by inserting issues regarding power and control. When people feel valued and respected they don't have a need to assert their power. Also, why waste time trying to tailor lesson plans to my child's learning style when she will naturally explore things in the way that makes the most sense to her, even if that process is a mystery to me?
Bethany LeBedz
1 year ago
Interesting. Not my approach at all, but I do realize other people have different personalities and situations. Thanks for stopping by my blog and admitting that you need more real-people community.