| While some parents may still balk at the thought | | | | gone on to pursue Ivy League academic careers |
| of homeschooling their children, it is more widely | | | | and excelled. These children have a lifelong love of |
| accepted than the relatively new educational | | | | learning. |
| approach: unschooling. Unschooling is a rather | | | | Other children take a more scattershot approach, |
| unstructured approach to education. As the name | | | | gaining in depth knowledge in just one or two |
| would suggest, it means approaching learning, sans | | | | areas and getting very little or no knowledge is |
| a curriculum, but instead allowing the child to | | | | other areas. Many homeschoolers disagree on just |
| explore whatever interests them. The child | | | | what subjects are important and should be |
| proceeds at his or her own pace and can choose | | | | learned and which are not as important. It is a |
| to learn any topic in any order that they choose. | | | | common area of contention among homeschooling |
| The basic concept that underlies this movement | | | | families. |
| comes from two views regarding child | | | | For instance, many people do not learning science |
| development. One is that children are naturally | | | | and mathematics. Either they have a difficult time |
| curious. They begin exploring their environment | | | | learning it or they are not interested. For a small |
| almost from birth. They want to touch, taste, | | | | population, this is not a problem, but for the |
| smell, hear and see everything around them. They | | | | majority of people, they need an understanding of |
| want to discover for themselves what they can | | | | math and science that extends beyond the |
| do. As they become verbal they ask question | | | | rudimentary, particularly with our society |
| after question. | | | | experiencing such rapid technological advances. |
| The second concept is that a child will naturally | | | | On the other hand, some people may focus |
| take an interest in certain things in the world | | | | heavily on subjects such as science and |
| around them but may be less interested in other | | | | mathematics but have no exposure to art, |
| things. They make these value choices early in life. | | | | literature, fine music, history and other areas of |
| By using these two fundamental concepts as a | | | | the humanities. For some people that is perfectly |
| jumping off point, those who advocate | | | | fine, but for many homeschoolers it indicates a |
| unschooling assert that the best approach to | | | | deprivation in an area where the child could be |
| learning is to allow the child to lead. The child | | | | enriched and enlightened. |
| chooses what to study, when and how. These | | | | There is no doubt that there must be a balance |
| children have no pre set curriculum, but simply | | | | between these two camps. Many argue that it is |
| explore the things that interest them. | | | | essential. However unschooling does not work to |
| Unschoolers differ in their approach to parental | | | | achieve that when it relies solely on the child to |
| involvement and guidance. Some believe that the | | | | discover and choose the route he or she wants |
| child should take the helm and the parent should | | | | to take. |
| adopt a hands off approach entirely while others | | | | Unschooling has been advocated as far back as |
| are more involved, sharing topics that excited | | | | the mid 1960s by John Holt, one of the foremost |
| them, answer questions and even assist in finding | | | | writers on homeschooling. However, as of this |
| solutions to problems. This experiential approach is | | | | date, studies that have followed unschoolers and |
| controversial and the results are mixed. | | | | have analyzed the long term effects of this |
| This approach is very successful with children who | | | | approach are still inconclusive and on going. At this |
| are very independent and highly motivated. These | | | | time only personal views and experience are the |
| children will actively seek out areas that are | | | | only guide to determine the worth of this |
| interesting to them and useful, making use of the | | | | educational method. |
| knowledge later. Many unschooled children have | | | | |