And one more thing...

There's been a lot of press about unschooling lately.
Unschooling was the topic of a NY Times article today, as well as the featured topic on "Dr." Phil on Friday. It's hard for people who were raised by the public school system to envision any other way of learning than the regimented, life-divided-into-subjects way most of us were taught. The link in today's title explains unschooling from one person's viewpoint. It's quite eloquent if one can put aside his or her preconceived notions about homeschooling/unschooling. Not everyone is able to do that.

The first year we homeschooled, I met a radical unschooling family and I thought they were complete lunatics. Among the thoughts I had were things like, "But how does she know they're learning? How will they get into college? If you don't MAKE them (write, do math, take spelling tests, diagram sentences..) how will they ever be successful? If you don't make them get up in the morning and work, how will they ever hold down a job?"

It's been 13 years since we took our son out of school. He spent about 12 of those years doing what I'd call unschooling, but I'm going to stop short of calling it radical unschooling, because I did plant suggestions and sneak life-learning lessons in when I could. Things like comparison shopping, consumer psychology and merchandising are easy things to teach/learn while grocery shopping, for example.

Matt chose to study math, and we worked on it through all the basics, but I am not good at math. He visited my cousin's hubby twice a week in the evenings to do stuff beyond basic math, and when he started college (after working and earning the money to pay for his own classes!) in what would have been his senior year of high school, he got straight A's.

Both my kids love to write, although it took a long time for Matt to enjoy creating stories after we rescued him from public school. Lyssa types faster than I do, and writes wonderful things. She has an amazing vocabulary and an ability to write a fascinating story. I'm envious of her apparent ease in doing so.

I didn't teach either one of them to read... they just did it. Lyssa at 5, Matt at 6. I was chastised by Matt's first grade teacher for "allowing him to learn to read the wrong way." Evidently, his boredom with phonics lessons and his subsequent behavior in class (he acted like a bored six year old!) were quite annoying to his teacher, who confessed to a mom of my acquaintance that she really "didn't like" little boys.

Lyssa is a voracious reader. She really enjoyed The Da Vinci Code recently, and was disgusted with how they changed the story when they made a movie out of it.
Matt used to read more often, but between college, a job, a girlfriend and trying to sleep occasionally, he seems to be a bit short on time to just sit and read.

The point is... unschooling, or at least my version of it DOES work. My kids are eager to learn and the depth of their knowledge about their interests is incredible. I can't imagine confining their imaginations and desire to learn by putting them in a place where most of what goes on is designed to make them pass tests and sit quietly.

I fully support everyone's right to educate their children in the way they think is best, and for some, that means sending them to public school.
But don't make the mistake of thinking that public school is the only, or even the best way for every child to learn. Millions are proving that wrong. Don't make the mistake of criticizing a person's chosen methods, either. Back off and let them do what's right for their children! And if you know a homeschooling family, chances are they're not condemning you for your choices. Don't be so rude as to condemn them for theirs.

:::kicking soapbox back under desk:::