How we unschool science

[Desert Strawberry]

After reading the unschool/nonschool thread a while back, my feelings were a bit hurt. I have unschooled and have an unschooly bent even now. 

Nonschooling has not been my experience at all. It seems to be accepted- or at least commonly argued- that unschooling = unteaching. I'd like to offer a tiny taste of what unschooling looks like in my home. I was partially unschooled, and I teach the way I was taught. With lots of resources, an enriched environment, and tons of vibrant discussion. 

 

I just finished this post about our homegrown science. I'm sure many will find this inadequate. But to me, after having researched many curricula, I keep coming back to just doing it myself. 

 

It's not for everyone. Surely. But I'd like to offer the position that unschooling does not necessarily equate to educational neglect. Anyway, here's my post.

 

In case anyone is interested in how I ended up here, and what a Classical-Unschool hybrid might look like, here's my post about our journey up to this point. 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for considering that there is more than one road to a great education. 

[Alice]

I didn’t see the other thread so I can’t speak to that. Sorry you were hurt. 

 

I think part of the trouble is in defining what “unschooling†means. I read your posts and it sounds very similar to what we do here and I don’t think of myself as an unschooler at all. To me, unschooling doesn’t necessarily mean “non-schooling†but I think of it as much more child-led and unstructured than what we do. For example, I don’t buy a science curriculum but I decide that we are going to study biology for the year and think about what things we want to cover. I would plan out some activities, get books, research documentaries, etc. I would assign some of those things to be done rather than leaving it as optional. I would envision unschooling as being more along the “what are my kids interested in learning about’...oh it’s combustion engines, let’s explore that for awhile which leads us to a rabbit trail on hybrid engines which leads to alternate energy etc. 

 

I don’t at all look down on that kind of unschooling (or what I envision unschooling as being) as inferior when it is done well. Like any approach, I think it can be done poorly or well (like homeschooling in general). I don’t think I would do it well so I need our school to be more scheduled and planned. 

 

You science ideas sound great...I may go back and read and steal some. :) 

[8filltheheart]

I just skimmed through your blog about creating your science units.   Perhaps your definition of unschooling is different than most other people's definitions?   What you describe doing is  Un-textbook and Un-traditional school, but it does not seem like unschooling to me.   It many ways it is just a different bent than how I build all of my kids' studies and I would never classify myself as an unschooler.

 

Am I alone in being confused by the definition of unschooling??   I have always perceived unschooling as completely child directed w/o parental control or influence over what is done.  

[8filltheheart]

I didn’t see the other thread so I can’t speak to that. Sorry you were hurt. 

 

I think part of the trouble is in defining what “unschooling†means. I read your posts and it sounds very similar to what we do here and I don’t think of myself as an unschooler at all.

 

Well, I guess Alice and I see the same thing.  :)

[quark]

You wrote a good post OP! I can see its usefulness because like you I didn't like a single homeschool science curriculum and I know I would have benefited from that post if i was just starting out as a newbie. But what you describe is not unschooling the way I understand unschooling to be. My understanding is that it is directed by the child's interest...not the parent creating a unit but the child pushing forth with questions and obvious passion THEN the parent works to bring resources to suit that interest. Or if you already have a very rich learning environment in your home, you reach for those resources that fit that interest couples with field trips and such. It's usually the child driving the learning, not necessarily in a focused way. The parent can still provide a framework but not so much influence if you kwim.

 

I say this because I approached science the very same way...and I don't call it unschooling. Maybe I don't define it the way it should be. Or maybe we just need a different name! I see the word being used in all sorts of ways. I even see homeschooling being used by non-homeschoolers to describe what they do after school or to describe sending their kids to learning centers.

 

Maybe, in the long run, it really doesn't matter. Just be strong about your own goals...how you get there can be as varied as it needs to be for your family.

[Desert Strawberry]

While the planning and structure of my units this year and last are less unschooly than usual, I would definitely not say that this is NOT unschool. 

In the broadest definition of the terms, unschooling means meeting the child's educational needs without the use of traditional textbooks and formal curriculum. There is such a huge range that to me, unschooling encompasses far more than the very narrow definition that typically appears here. 

Of course, unschoolers don't have a lock on curriculum-free learning. Many methods include living books and experience in place of textbooks. 

I would disagree that unschooling puts all the emphasis on the kids. Certainly, that comes into play. My kids do help me choose topics, and direct the discussion. 
 

Unschooling, at it's base, is more about being flexible with the child's interests and desires and putting less emphasis on following a predetermined program. 

 

My point in posting this is show that unschool isn't some crazy, free-wheeling, do-whatever-want-and-call-it-school excuse for education. In reality, it tends to look a lot like...homeschooling. I would venture a guess that most homeschoolers incorporate a variety of influences and none of us is as far off from everyone else as we tend to think. 

[8filltheheart]

While the planning and structure of my units this year and last are less unschooly than usual, I would definitely not say that this is NOT unschool.

 

In the broadest definition of the terms, unschooling means meeting the child's educational needs without the use of traditional textbooks and formal curriculum. There is such a huge range that to me, unschooling encompasses far more than the very narrow definition that typically appears here.

 

Of course, unschoolers don't have a lock on curriculum-free learning. Many methods include living books and experience in place of textbooks.

 

I would disagree that unschooling puts all the emphasis on the kids. Certainly, that comes into play. My kids do help me choose topics, and direct the discussion.

 

Unschooling, at it's base, is more about being flexible with the child's interests and desires and putting less emphasis on following a predetermined program.

 

My point in posting this is show that unschool isn't some crazy, free-wheeling, do-whatever-want-and-call-it-school excuse for education. In reality, it tends to look a lot like...homeschooling. I would venture a guess that most homeschoolers incorporate a variety of influences and none of us is as far off from everyone else as we tend to think.

I don't mean to sound difficult, but what you are describing is not the way I have ever encountered unschooling. The directions of our studies are based upon discussion and my kids' interests a lot of the time. I wouldn't say the children "direct the discussion" b/c discussion is 2 way or often influenced by my questions.

 

The unschoolers I have encountered are pretty much adament about child initiated vs. child-interest. That is a huge difference. (FWIW, there is a thread on here somewhere about interest directed education. It is how I have homeschooled for almost 2 decades. Never in all that time would I have defined anything that we do as un-schooly.

[AimeeM]

I think I'm missing something. After reading your blog post, I would never call you an unschooler. I mean, that may be what you identify as, but it isn't what I see. Given, obviously it means different things to different people, but those who I know personally, who unschool, would never use curricula unless specifically requested by the child... they would never decide that "so-and-so's spelling is bad, so that needs worked on"... well, not without the child's okay.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Your studies sound lovely! But I agree, this wouldn't "count" as unschooling to most people I run into around here - crunchy Northern California.  They can be quite adamant about what "counts" as unschooling and what doesn't.  I think you ought to be able to define your school style however you want to, but unfortunately the majority definition, in a given context, tends to win out.  Around here, everyone pretty much self defines as "unschoolers" (the majority) and "not-unschoolers" which is how I'd define us, though our biology studies last year sound lots like your approach.

 

In any event, it doesn't sound like you should take personally any negative comments your heard here - it sounds like people here generally mean something different when they say unschooling.

 

And yeah, I have run into people IRL whose "educational" philosophy sounds to me a lot like unparenting - it includes never telling their children no, letting them eat whatever they want, putting no limits of any kind on anything - screen time, etc.  I do cringe for these children when they get outside of the cocoon-bubble their parents are temporarily creating around them.

[quark]

Does it really matter what it's called? :P

[Chrysalis Academy]

Does it really matter what it's called? :p

 

Well, only if your feelings are hurt when nobody meant to hurt them!  :ohmy:

[4peanuts]

As helpful as labels can be in succinctly identifying ourselves, (and I definitely think they can be!) I think this just shows how important it can be for all of us to sometimes dig a little deeper (when appropriate) and say "What do YOU mean by "XYZ", because when I hear that, this is what it means to me....

 

Because if what you are doing is unschooling, then I think the majority of homeschoolers would fall in that category.  I mean, even what some people call "school at home" is still, (in most cases, I think) WAY more flexible than what you would find in a public school/institutional setting.  

 

In our own ways, we are all adapting to meet not only our students' needs, but also our family's needs and our own needs as the teacher.  Just look at people's signatures listing the programs they use....I'd be hard pressed to find any two that are exactly the same, even among those who ascribe to the same general philosophy.   I haven't even taken the time to add one because I'm working such a mishmash of resources that I wouldn't know how to organize it into a neat list!  ;) Even those who choose a "box" and stick with it (and I am in no way disparaging that) are still injecting their own personal touch into it, and they chose that box for a specific set of reasons other than because some state or federal administrator told them that's what they should use. 

 

I LOVED both of your posts and found both of them very affirming and encouraging, and like others, I don't see any of what you do fitting my impression of unschooling.  I would call you an eclectic tweaker :)  You set goals within a framework that makes sense for children and your family's resources of time and money....and then you figure out which tools are going to help you accomplish those goals.  Then you use those tools on your own terms.  Nothing is set in stone just because it's what you did last year or because it worked last year.  You adapt as necessary.  And that is TOTALLY unschooly, because that is what can never happen in an institutional beauracracy.  But unschooling?  To me, no.  Right or wrong, perhaps ruled by the majority who use the label, the term "unschooling" carries a completely distinct connotation for me.

 

I hope you have an awesome school year!

 

 

[Alte Veste Academy]

I truly mean no disrespect. But I have never ever met or even heard of an unschooler who would write (or even think) the words, "I have since developed a scope and sequence which I find logical." I think what you are doing is truly wonderful! But I agree with the others here that it is not unschooling as the term has come to be known. And by that I do not even mean radical unschooling; I mean unschooling at all. My understanding of the term radical unschooling falls in line with the non-parenting comments in this thread. My understanding of the regular term unschooling is that the student sets the course and learns going about the everyday business of life, with no scope and sequence in sight (unless the student develops it him/herself).

[happymomofboys]

As others have said, I read your post and it was wonderful, but it isn't want I imagine when I hear "unschooler."  It sounds like a unit-study approach.  I love your scope and sequence btw. :)

[Calendula]

I like how you laid out, step-by-step. your process of developing your plan for science - thanks!

[Calendula]

Also, unschooling conversations seem to always end with people's feelings hurt - I think a good plan is to not take personally other people's definitions, issues, psychoses - which are generally more about them than you, anyway.