OT Unschooling?

[laughAlittle]

I cannot believe that a parent would do this to the young mind of a child! I already have my negative opinions on homeschooling, but this is crazy is my opinion. Opinions?

 

[RS_Amie]

I can't understand the idea of not giving kids boundaries. If me and my sisters had been allowed to do whatever we liked when we were little then I don't think we'd have been able to adapt to the adult world properly. These kids won't know any kind of work ethic or even how to interact with other people who have been raised in a different way. IMO schools allow you to not only learn things like English, Maths etc but social skills and the 'proper' social norms, along with maybe some background on how others live their lives. It doesn't seem like this mum has taken into account the benefits of any other kind of life.

 

[SarahS]

Just to be clear, this is the very extreme of the public schooling/homeschooling/unschooling continuum. Many states require that you prove that your children are learning certain subjects, and while this can be done while "unschooling," you really have to be diligent in recording your experiences and, in reality, you have to steer your children's interests to ensure they are learning those core subjects. For instance, if your child is interested in cooking, you need to be right there with him, having him write out the instructions, treating it like a science experiment if it is a new recipe and recording observations and results in a kind of "lab notebook," talking about measurements, asking him to convert to metric measurements, pretending you're planning a huge dinner party so you need to figure out what measurements you'd need if you had to double, triple, multiply the recipe by 100, etc. There is definitely a way to "unschool" and let your kids pursue their interests while ensuring they are learning essentials. You have a plan about what your kids will learn and you figure out ways to incorporate that into everyday activities. This not-setting-any-boundaries-at-all business, well, let's just say that that approach wouldn't work for my family.

As far as the "socialization" aspect, please let me debunk that right now. Sure, there are homeschooling families that are completely isolated and their kids don't know how to behave around other people. But there are families that send their kids to public school that have similar issues. All of the homeschooling families that I know participate in co-ops (I'm part of a physical education co-op that gets together weekly so the kids can learn and play team sports) and the kids understand how to interact politely and properly with kids of all ages and adults. Many of the kids participate in community sports with their public-schooled peers. Homeschooling does not have to be an isolating experience.

 

[ErinS]

Those kids reminded me of Donnie from the Wild Thornberries.

Whats going to happen to them when its time for them to get a job...because clearly college will be out of the question.

 

[RS_Amie]

Just to be clear, this is the very extreme of the public schooling/homeschooling/unschooling continuum. Many states require that you prove that your children are learning certain subjects, and while this can be done while "unschooling," you really have to be diligent in recording your experiences and, in reality, you have to steer your children's interests to ensure they are learning those core subjects. For instance, if your child is interested in cooking, you need to be right there with him, having him write out the instructions, treating it like a science experiment if it is a new recipe and recording observations and results in a kind of "lab notebook," talking about measurements, asking him to convert to metric measurements, pretending you're planning a huge dinner party so you need to figure out what measurements you'd need if you had to double, triple, multiply the recipe by 100, etc. There is definitely a way to "unschool" and let your kids pursue their interests while ensuring they are learning essentials. You have a plan about what your kids will learn and you figure out ways to incorporate that into everyday activities. This not-setting-any-boundaries-at-all business, well, let's just say that that approach wouldn't work for my family.

As far as the "socialization" aspect, please let me debunk that right now. Sure, there are homeschooling families that are completely isolated and their kids don't know how to behave around other people. But there are families that send their kids to public school that have similar issues. All of the homeschooling families that I know participate in co-ops (I'm part of a physical education co-op that gets together weekly so the kids can learn and play team sports) and the kids understand how to interact politely and properly with kids of all ages and adults. Many of the kids participate in community sports with their public-schooled peers. Homeschooling does not have to be an isolating experience.

Personally I have no experience with homeschooling as it isn't really done over here. But I completely agree with what you've said. I don't think most home schooled kids/unschooled kids have social issues. I think this example is probably the most outrageous one ABC could find. I'd be interested to see where her children were in ten years, perhaps they'll be very happy adults doing exactly what they love. Or maybe one will realise they want to go to college and in that case, will they have the practical skills to get into college?

 

[ErinS]

Personally I have no experience with homeschooling as it isn't really done over here. But I completely agree with what you've said. I don't think most home schooled kids/unschooled kids have social issues. I think this example is probably the most outrageous one ABC could find. I'd be interested to see where her children were in ten years, perhaps they'll be very happy adults doing exactly what they love. Or maybe one will realise they want to go to college and in that case, will they have the practical skills to get into college?

I wont share my thoughts on homeschooling because from my personal experience they are not positive.

But I will say that the two home schooled girls that I went to college with Freshman year were very smart...but socially awkward. They became recluses. Could not function in group settings. Weren't social. Wouldn't even come to dorm meetings...they were just odd girls in general and eventually dropped out of college. I can't say if their behavior was a product of homeschooling or if they had some kind of disability..

 

[Num1Stunta]

I think the most shocking thing is how this other lady is listening to her like she has any sort of qualifications or credentials whatsoever. Like, really? You don't do your research on someone before you let them into your house to give you advice on child rearing? This is the problem with America. People don't do their research on anything... :banghead:

 

[cupieqt]

Fewer people for my kids to compete against for college placement and actual jobs.

It's a rather hippie method. I predict they'll make wooden toys and be midwives or starving artists. To each his own.....

 

[INeverStopCheering]

Whats going to happen to them when its time for them to get a job...because clearly college will be out of the question.

I hadn't even thought of that... How will these kids go to college? I mean really I guess they won't. It goes against their parents "beliefs..."

My thoughts on those "beliefs"... That's not an educational philosophy, it's laziness. Disciplining your children is hard. They cry, throw temper tantrums, tell you they hate you. It's also not easy to cook for them, clean up after them, entertain them, make them go to bed, make them get up and go to school...Essentially, raising kids is not a walk in the park. So just don't. Let them raise themselves. That's really what they're doing. Unfortunately, they've found an educational style that goes along with it to make it sound new age and legitimate. But I firmly believe that this woman is just simply too lazy to put the work into parenting.

As for homeschoolers integrating...
One of my Minis is home schooled because she's dyslexic. Until her mom told me, I had NO IDEA this child was home schooled. She interacts seamlessly with the other kids and I have less behavioral problems with her than with many other kids.

A friend of mine in my theatre class was home schooled until high school. He is now an active theatre student, class historian, and enrolled in multiple AP classes.

There's a way to home school. This is not it

 

[notreallyhere]

I just want to know how the kids would be when they're teens. Sure, it's easier to 'educate' them now (if that's what you want to call it), but once they get to a certain point they'll definately feel like they've seen it all. Between the ages of 13-17 you're gonna wanna experience more than going to a rock store.

And what happens if by fate when they're between those ages they suddenly meet a whole bunch of kids their ages that are in school, and they start sharing their personal stories with each other (ex: not liking their teachers, bad days, etc.)? What if they become curious and want to start REAL school with their other friends? What will they do when they finally find out the reason why it's too late to start school is because they're mom thought it was a good idea to start unschooling them at an early age, and they suddenly dont know how to solve a simple algebra equation such as 3x=9? I mean if you look at the mom's POV when her kid states they suddenly wanna go to school, will she just stick him/her in their (ignorantly) thinking they can suddenly fit in education wise?

Just too many questions that will remain unsolved...

 

[ssccxnce]

gross i cant get past the childrens hair and the fact that they are standing on chairs with their feet on the table some people need a lesson in parenting 101

and with the home schooling i really do not think it is all bad i mean there are a way to do things ive seen it result in social awkward kids as well as kids who excel in everything they do and honestly i think it is a mixture of boundaries, planning, mutal respect between parents and kids, also streamlining the kids into schools if they choose to go into high school or whatever instead of being continuously home schooled

(hope that made sense)

 

[xomckenzieee]

I have nothing against home schooling. My old babysitter home schools her kids and they love it. They get a more flexible schedule but still are learning at and above their age level. I loved public school and I'm personally glad I was not home schooled but at the same time some people need the more one on one interaction with a teacher (parent). These kids are out of control and this mother needs to get her priorities straight because she is about to screw up her children for the rest of their lives and in my opinion, that's neglect.

 

[xo sarah]

Not even about the unschooling thing, but I just can't imagine raising my own kids someday without boundaries of any type. I mean, having boundaries hasn't hurt anyone yet, so why change that and have wild children? I can only imagine taking them out in public and they just get a hold of everything and what not because "they let them do what they want."

 

[NJ Coach]

I have no issues with home schooling. That unschooling is a bit redic. Children need boundaries. They need rules, and need to know that there are consequences to not following them. They are not doing their children any favors. They are being put at a disadvantage to their peers.

 

[mishtm52]

I just could never imagine just not knowing things.
And I really think that if my parents "unschooled" me (to whatever degree), I would end up feeling cheated at some point later in life.