By
Pam Sorooshian
May 7, 2005
unschoolingbasics@yahoogroups.com
Unschooling means learning on a completely different
time frame, different things, and CAN mean there are things a 12 yo doesn't know that other 12 year olds would have been
taught in school, by that age. Be open about that - we expect it and it is okay
and normal for unschooled kids. We have a MUCH higher goal than schools have -
and in the interest of pursuing that far more lofty
objective, there are things that we don't do.
Our "more lofty goal" is to preserve the
child's natural inner urge to learn, to not snuff it out - to not create apathy
or resistance - which is what "schooling" nearly universally does
create.
In order to preserve the child's natural love of learning, to support a sense
of ownership of her own learning, we do not impose our idea of when, what,
where, or how the child should learn - we KNOW the child won't necessarily
learn what schooled kids are being taught. We allow that ON PURPOSE - it is
part of the expected outcome of unschooling and NOT
something to worry about. It is okay. Insisting on her
learning specific things at specific times, whether she's interested or not, would
undermine the far more important ultimate goal.
Hope that kind of approach helps - focus on the ultimate goal, the reasons why
you're okay with her not knowing things that would be "taught"
(remember, taught doesn't mean every kid "learns" either) in school.