| Many parents feel passionately about giving their | | | | lessons. Unschooling freely allows any activity to |
| children the best and having the freedom to raise | | | | be a teaching moment. Families basically allow their |
| their children the way that they believe is right. | | | | child's curiosity to guide the subjects that they |
| This often shows itself in the causes that a | | | | explore each day. Parents that use this style of |
| parent will fight for, and also in the decisions that | | | | teaching, speak about visiting a sausage factory |
| parents will make even when they go against the | | | | with their child after they began to ask questions |
| grain of society. Home schooling is a practice that | | | | about where sausages come from. It is a method |
| is born out of parents' desire to give their children | | | | that apparently never leaves children bored. |
| a very specific type of education, as opposed to | | | | Educator and advocate of home schooling, John |
| that of the local school system. A parent might | | | | Holt coined the phrase 'unschooling' in the |
| choose to home school for religious reasons or | | | | mid-1960s. Around that time, he published a book |
| for other more unique family circumstances. | | | | entitled, 'How Children Fail'. Holt and his writings |
| It is no secret that many parents are dissatisfied | | | | have been very influential in promoting the idea of |
| with government schools or the government and | | | | home schooling and for the increasing popularity |
| local school system values. Therefore they | | | | of the unschooling style of home school education. |
| choose to home school their kids in an attempt to | | | | His teachings are challenging and always leave |
| protect and pass on their values. The decision to | | | | home schooling parents with the question, 'To |
| home school children is nothing new. Home | | | | school or to unschool?' |
| schooling has been around since the United States | | | | Unschooling sounds like a very 'cool' way to |
| was first formed. Although in the 21st century | | | | educate children and it sounds very laid back and |
| home schooling would be considered the less | | | | 'happy', however traditional educators have many |
| conventional way of educating children, it is | | | | questions and doubts about this way of educating |
| traditional in many ways. | | | | children. First of all, they feel that every day life |
| Although home schooling can give children a less | | | | does not provide adequate enough intellectual |
| pressure-filled education, most homes follow a | | | | challenges to help unschooled kids compete with |
| specific curriculum, even if very loosely. In most | | | | their peers at traditional schools. They also doubt |
| States in the USA, home schooled children are | | | | whether these children can compete with a child |
| tested on a regular basis (usually annually) to | | | | that is being challenged at high levels both |
| ensure that they are on par with other children of | | | | scientifically and technologically. |
| the same age group that attend conventional | | | | As innovative as unschooling sounds, it seems |
| schools. This forces parents to at least have loose | | | | that it can only be successful if it is done with |
| guidelines as to the subjects they must cover | | | | certain boundaries in place. Unschooled children |
| with their children and at what level these things | | | | should not be placed at a disadvantage, they |
| must be explored each year. | | | | should be able to compete with other children |
| Unschooling is a method of teaching children that | | | | their age. More importantly, although it is great to |
| derived from home schooling. With this method, | | | | follow a child's interests, there will be and should |
| parents basically use every day life as a | | | | be certain subjects that must be taught whether |
| classroom and as the catalyst for the day's | | | | children like them or not. |