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Unschooling with Vision and Purpose

By Patti @ Canadian Unschooler · Comments (0)

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

There are so many ways to define what an Unschooling lifestyle looks like, but most unschooling families would agree that it means that the children set their own agendas for learning at their own pace. That is true in our family, but it does not happen in a vacuum. In other words, my children do set their own agendas but they do it within the context of our values and vision. There are 3 main areas that I focus on and do my best to create an environment and family culture where it will be easy for my children to assimilate certain skills and attitudes.

1. Life Skills

I’ve heard parents say that various activities are life skills, everything from laundry to skating to karate. My definition of life skills are skills that will enable my children to take care of themselves no matter where in the world they are living. So to me, being able to cook Kraft Dinner is not a life skill. Neither is skating. (Although I might be convinced that swimming is a life skill.)

I want my children to be able to prepare and enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. I want them to know how to put seeds in the Earth and tend them until they are ready for harvest. I want them to be able to assemble common ingredients into things like bread or biscuits, soup or stew. I want them to know what different herbs and spices are used for.

I also want them to feel at ease with many different holistic health practices. I want them to be utterly comfortable with and knowledgeable about their own bodies, inside and out. I want them to know that they can have clean hair and teeth and underarms without smelly products that come in packages and contain lots of chemicals.

And I want them to have the skills to knit a blanket or to sew on a patch or to shorten a pair of pants. There are many places in the world where taking care of your own clothing is a normal part of culture and I want my children to be able to fit in no matter where they happen to be. And I want them to be able to swing a hammer, care for a flock of chickens, paddle a canoe and oil a bicycle chain.

For me, life skills that are only relevant in suburban North America are not enough. I really hope to empower my children to feel confident and comfortable meeting their personal needs anywhere.

2. The Pursuit of Passion

If our Unschooling Adventure doesn’t lead to my children discovering their passions and exploring every topic of interest, then I will have completely failed as their mother and facilitator. I consider it to be my top job to provide my children–collectively and individually–with many diverse opportunities to explore and learn. And I also need to make sure that they have ample TIME to practice and perform and enjoy their skills, strengths and interests.

And their passions don’t have to be limited to one specific skill. Maybe one of my children will love outdoor adventure. Or raw-foodism. Or foreign travel. Or dog grooming. (Ha ha ha. That was a joke. If you know me, you know that I hate dogs. I’m not sure what I would do if one of my children had a passion for dogs!)

I always think that the real gift of Unschooling is just the TIME that my children and I have to pursue what we love to do. Our activities and pursuits do change, but always we have enough time to engage for as long as we want to until we are satisfied and satiated. It’s what Freedom and Joy are all about.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come

alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people

who have come alive.”

– Howard Thurman

3. A Sense of Self with a Global Perspective

I hardly know how to describe this vision that I hope to instil in my children as they grow. It’s about spirituality and self-awareness and power and wisdom. But it’s also about knowing that we are important to the Earth and that we each have a role to play in the improvement of humanity. It’s about creating what we want from life, not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally, energetically and spiritually. I want them to know that each person of Earth values their own lives as much as we value ours, and that we must make our choices to reflect the value of each life.

I want them to know that it is not their job to please other people but that it IS their responsibility to be kind, patient and generous. I want them to value each person’s time, energy and money as they value their own. I want them to know that their power comes from within them and that it can never be diminished and also that they can extend power to others through their thoughts, words and deeds.

What is your Vision and Purpose in Unschooling?

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Categories : The Education Revolution, UNschool Today!

Homeschooling: What You Might NOT Have Considered

By Patti @ Canadian Unschooler · Comments (0)

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

Though I often use the words interchangeably, there is a specific difference between homeschool and unschool.

Unschoolers are all about self-directed learning. Parents act in partnership with the children to provide opportunities, resources and a safe environment in which learning can happen spontaneously and authentically.

Homeschoolers, on the other hand, take more control over their children’s learning. They usually structure time when specific lessons in specific subject areas occur. They assess when a child has sufficiently completed one level of learning before moving on to the next. They have expectations of skills that will be mastered and knowledge that will be acquired within a certain timeline.

Homeschoolers certainly have time on their side: though they may follow a schedule or timeline, they are free to make adjustments as per the needs of each individual child. A child’s interest in a particular area can spark new activities and experiences that are not necessarily planned as part of the requisite learning skills. Scheduling can be more fluid than in a school environment because there are fewer children to accomodate and evening and weekends do not have to be exempt of learning.

How can you know if Homeschooling is the right choice for your family?

What is your relationship?

If you are currently in a relationship with your children where you are comfortable holding authority over them and where they are for the most part compliant, then homeschooling may work for you. If you are going to wield control over their time and activities without a lot of fighting, then you will need to be the kind of parent who is both comfortable and successful in that role.

Consider how your family handles sleep, food, social skills and housework/chores? Is it a good working model of rules and compliance? If so, then Homeschooling may work in your home without creating enormous stress, anxiety or burnout.

What is your expectation?

Do you believe that children should have to learn a specific set of skills and information by a certain age and in a certain time frame? Do you believe that there are certain skills that are more important than others? Are you comfortable with creating a parent-imposed timeline for skill development? What will you do if your child cannot or will not complete the lessons and assignments according to your expectations?

Parents who plan to homeschool, especially if you have more than one child, must be aware of the different learning needs and styles of each child. What was successful for one child, may not work with another and your expectations will have to be flexible.

Do you see yourself as a teacher?

I think one of the most telling experiences of the relationship between parent and child is when a parent tries to teach a child how to ride a bike. Some children want to hear instructions and they will follow them closely. Other children don’t want to be told anything and they would rather fall off than accept any help. Still other children will simply hop on the bike and ride, requiring no instruction at all.

As the parent, you have to be aware of when to teach and when to back off. Your ego must not come into play. You must know which information the child needs to be successful, and which information is just extra fluff. And you must know when to be the trusted mentor and source of unconditional love, and not seize a ‘teachable moment’ as a teacher when it actually requires a parent.

My choice

I have never tried to homeschool my children because it would necessitate an enormous shift in my relationship with them. It would require me to be their boss and it would require them to be compliant. It would take me too far out of my role as their source of unconditional love with no expectations whatsoever. It would necessitate that we not be equals–because I would have to sometimes ignore their needs in order to follow my own agenda.

I urge you to consider the requirements of homeschooling–not the curricular requirements–but the emotional and relational requirements.

I urge you to consider the requirements of your role as parent and which direction your journey into home-based learning will take you.

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Categories : The Education Revolution