Unschooling or Relaxed Homeschooling?

Unschooling is a term that seems to be gaining popularity in homeschool circles. In some cases, it's announced with great flourish if the topic of curriculum is ever brought up. "We're unschoolers. We don't use curriculum, just books from the library." I have heard it so much lately, I was beginning to think something was wrong with me because we don't unschool. (Well, not really, but I have felt out of the majority I've heard it so much.) To be fair to unschoolers, I think some clarity should be made between unschooling and relaxed, eclectic homeschooling.

If you dig deep, you will find there is more to being an unschooler than just using the library or not using a purchased curriculum or workbook. Unschooling.com states that "imposing external structure onto the learner, by specifying materials and methods, is not unschooling."

This is a whole different ball game from anything remotely resembling teaching and learning as most Americans know it. It's a philosophy that, for many, is hard to completely understand. I think this is why unschooling gets confused with relaxed, eclectic homeschooling. In an "unschool" the learner (the child) is completely in control of what he or she learns. The parent is there just to provide the resources that the child asks for.

I totally admire people who are disciplined enough to educate this way. Many of the homeschool pioneers used this method with much success, but it isn't just the non-use of standard textbooks or absence of testing that makes it unique. It's about who creates the structure for learning. Is it the parent or the child?

Many families use real books rather than textbooks, let their children help choose topics of study, and don't give tests or grades, but that doesn't make them unschoolers.

For example, let's say a parent knows her child is interested in dolphins. She decides to go to the library and check out some books and videos on dolphins to have available during quiet times. She makes up questions like "What is the difference in length between a baby and adult dolphin?" to incoporate some math. She checks the internet and finds some fun activities about dolphins ~ and was even going to let her child choose which ones he wanted to do. She plans a field trip to the local aquarium to see a dolphin and talk to the naturalist. As good as this plan sounds, and as much choice as the parent has incorporated into the plan, and as much fun as the child might have learning about dolphins, the parent has "imposed external structure" ~ a no-no for unschoolers.

On the other hand, the child of an unschooler says, "Hey mom! I saw this program on TV about dolphins and they are really cool. I'd like to find some other videos about them." Mom would help search the library or internet for videos and wait to see what happens next. No books, projects or field trips would happen unless the learner (the child) suggests it.

Eclectic homeschoolers pick and choose what they think will be effective with their children. Relaxed homeschoolers aren't upset about abandoning/changing something that doesn't turn out as expected. Blend these together and you have a relaxed, eclectic homeschooler who in many cases will use some elements of unschooling. Since the parent still maintains control of most of the learning structure, it isn't actually an unschool. As children get older, this relaxed eclectic method may even morph into something that looks more and more like unschooling. Especially in the high school years as kids begin to create a vision of what they want from life and realize the steps they need to take to reach their goals, unschooling may become a natural progression for that child's education.

So when someone tells me they are an unschooler, I like to hear more details. Not to "correct" them in their use of the term, but just to get a better understanding of how they educate their children. Genuine unschoolers (using the strict definition) are out there and they are successful, but I think they are hard to find. If you do find one, get them to tell you their story, you'll be fascinated!

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