Any families "unschooling"?

Wow. I am really inspired by thsi thread and the whole unschooling idea. It just makes sense.

Does anyone unschool and work full time? I am so desperate for an option where my kids can really learn, but my husband and I both work full time...
 
There are those who work full time, and home school. I even know of some single moms who work and home school. It does not sound easy though. Some families will start their own at home business (such as tutoring, medical billing is popular, web based businesses), and involve the children as part of their education. The thing about homeschooling is that it does not take all day like public school does.

KerriAnn said:
Wow. I am really inspired by thsi thread and the whole unschooling idea. It just makes sense.

Does anyone unschool and work full time? I am so desperate for an option where my kids can really learn, but my husband and I both work full time...
Click to expand...
 
What state do you live in that allows you to unschool? I was homeschooled in NY from 9th grade on and every quarter we were required to provide a specific outline of the curriculum, as well as grades. We also had to take standardized tests.
 
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As a teacher, I suggest a private school in which you are actively engaged in (they want your money, i.e. will listen to you) or homeschool.
 
I'm certainly pro-structure, my favorite experience was getting to choose which history to research instead of being locked into the endless cycle that most schools use. I think there's some excellent unit studies out there, but they should be child led in some regards.
 
They will slow her down to the class level. Might as well homeschool. Thats what I did with my 5 and 3 year old.
 
KerriAnn said:
Wow. I am really inspired by thsi thread and the whole unschooling idea. It just makes sense.

Does anyone unschool and work full time? I am so desperate for an option where my kids can really learn, but my husband and I both work full time...
Click to expand...

For a while we worked opposite shift, then she worked p/t for a bit. We've now structured ourselves into a single income familiy. You do what works for your circumstances and change and adapt as needed.

Here's a link on unschooling from over on PsychologyToday: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201202/the-benefits-unschooling-report-i-large-survey
There's also something like 80 comments.

This first-hand post over at DailyKos is also pretty interesting: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/26/1068595/-My-experience-as-an-unschooler

XNN
 
I'm practically unschooled, and I'm doing fine. In my experience, acquiring knowledge is more about wanting to learn than being forced into it.

I've met plenty of products of the school system who are willfully ignorant about nearly everything. It isn't necessarily right for everyone, but in your daughter's case it sounds like a good idea.
 
I learned Algebra and pre-calc simply to pass tests, not so that I could use it later in life. I've forgotten probably 90% of it, so I obviously didn't need to learn it in the first place.
 
When you home school, the whole world is your classroom. The Conventional method (workbooks, lectures....) only teaches to the left brain which works fine for about 45% of the population. But by physically involving children in the learning process (games and real life experiences) you are teaching to the whole brain. It is known as Total Physical Response > TPR has been around for over 30 years, and studies show children learn faster, retain more, and drop out rate decreases by 90%. Dr Aman's brain scan research shows that whole brain learning increases brain health. It is effective and beneficial to all children, but especially so for "hands on learners", active children and those with learning disabilities.

A trip to the grocery store can become a lesson in measuring weights, addition, ext. Building a fort with dad can teach drafting, measuring, purchasing, supplies, inventory, quality control ext.
 
Saw this article today. Figured I'd link it here.

Grand Forks area parents talk un-schooling their children

snip...Hayes and his sister, Jenna, 15, have never attended a traditional school. Their education is guided by their mother Amy Muiderman who calls herself an “un-schooler.”

“We give them the basic tools they’ll need,” Muiderman said. “The learning occurs on their timetable, not somebody else’s.”

The goal: “We want them to become independent learners and lifelong learners.”
Click to expand...

XNN
 
There is a fantastic discussion on Sandra Dodd's unschooling yahoo group - about teen sons.
 
AlexAmore said:
I was unschooled. I was left to my own devices. This is around late middle school and into high school years. I ended up turning into a total knowledge addict. I used to belong to a mmorpg forum (I loved video games) and often ended up debating politics in the off topic section. I needed to substantiate the various arguments occuring with research and that's how I learned about Libertarianism. Debating was what got me wanting to learn more about libertarianism philosophy and economics in order to debate further.

Moral of the story, support your child's video game addiction. j/k

I even ended up going to college, but I'm not bragging. I'm just saying all options are still available.

Edit: Oh I also had (and still have) a major knowledge addiction for business and real estate. Again, all decisions I made 100% on my own. I then read mountains of books on the topic from my preteen years on.

Unschooling is pretty amazing. Kids will self school themselves especially if they're in a supportive environment.
Click to expand...

Great for you Alex!


KMX said:
They will slow her down to the class level. Might as well homeschool. Thats what I did with my 5 and 3 year old.
Click to expand...

100% Agree here. If you have a smart child and want the child to grow into a smart adult you must homescool.

LoneStarLocke said:
I know in Texas that a homeschool family can issue a high school degree. But you usually have to have transcripts to back it up and they require certain courses to be completed. I too wonder how unschooling addresses the state's requirements.
Click to expand...

I was homeschooled and got my GED when I turned 18. It was incredibly easy.
In Iowa we had to take the Iowa Test of Basic Skills once a year.

My younger sister never got anything but a 99 (the best score). The government standards are so low, a homeschooler should be able to meet them with one hand tied behind his back. There is nothing to worry about there.

My parents gave me hands-on homeschooling until I finished middle school. When I learned to read, my dad (the reading teacher) was working graveyard. He taught me to read from the Bible and it worked great--although it might have been a miracle that I learned to read. I had to keep waking my dad up because he was always falling asleep! But the good Lord payed off on his efforts there and I got a perfect 36 on my ACT reading test!

My dad taught me all the basics of math and grammer, and we finished beginning algebra. I believe he used Key Curriculum for the math. Other than that, he taught from a wide variety of books.
Science was awesome! My dad and mom would set up various scientific experiments in the basement and we'd have quite the time!

Then for high school I was on my own. Math captivated me. A professor friend had given us a textbook called "College Algebra and Trigonometry" by Dugopolski. My dad told me that when I finished the book I could graduate from high school. I had the time of my life exercising my brain and figuring everything out. My dad is a high-school drop-out, and he couldn't help me with this math--so I was completely on my own except for what info I could find on the internet and from folks in chat rooms. I finished the book in my junior year if I remember right.

Next, I decided I wanted to ace the ACT. So I spent months studying piles of ACT prep books. It payed off with a 34.

I spent my senior year studying Hayek, Von Mises, Bastiat, a little bit of Rothbard and the Underground during World War II--all books of my own choice.

I am so thankful to my parents for the wonderful education they gave me.

If you're thinking of homeschooling/unschooling, you're headed for success. God bless!
 
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BethanyGrace said:
Great for you Alex!




100% Agree here. If you have a smart child and want the child to grow into a smart adult you must homescool.



I was homeschooled and got my GED when I turned 18. It was incredibly easy.
In Iowa we had to take the Iowa Test of Basic Skills once a year.

My younger sister never got anything but a 99 (the best score). The government standards are so low, a homeschooler should be able to meet them with one hand tied behind his back. There is nothing to worry about there.

My parents gave me hands-on homeschooling until I finished middle school. When I learned to read, my dad (the reading teacher) was working graveyard. He taught me to read from the Bible and it worked great--although it might have been a miracle that I learned to read. I had to keep waking my dad up because he was always falling asleep! But the good Lord payed off on his efforts there and I got a perfect 36 on my ACT reading test!

My dad taught me all the basics of math and grammer, and we finished beginning algebra. I believe he used Key Curriculum for the math. Other than that, he taught from a wide variety of books.
Science was awesome! My dad and mom would set up various scientific experiments in the basement and we'd have quite the time!

Then for high school I was on my own. Math captivated me. A professor friend had given us a textbook called "College Algebra and Trigonometry" by Dugopolski. My dad told me that when I finished the book I could graduate from high school. I had the time of my life exercising my brain and figuring everything out. My dad is a high-school drop-out, and he couldn't help me with this math--so I was completely on my own except for what info I could find on the internet and from folks in chat rooms. I finished the book in my junior year if I remember right.

Next, I decided I wanted to ace the ACT. So I spent months studying piles of ACT prep books. It payed off with a 34.

I spent my senior year studying Hayek, Von Mises, Bastiat, a little bit of Rothbard and the Underground during World War II--all books of my own choice.

I am so thankful to my parents for the wonderful education they gave me.

If you're thinking of homeschooling/unschooling, you're headed for success. God bless!
Click to expand...
+rep

Put your blog address up, will you? You have done alot of hard work and research. You have insight and depth.
 
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