Thursday, February 02, 2006
No school, no books, no teacher's dirty looks - Feb 2, 2006
CNN.com - No school, no books, no teacher's dirty looks - Feb 2, 2006
A new fad in home education has been found called "unschooling". It seems a bit like Montessori schooling at home. Zero structure. The kids learn what they want, when they want. I am wondering how parents submit affidavits and learning objectives for this type of schooling? I am also wondering how the kids fare on standardized tests or in environments that require structure?
The funny part of the whole story was not the elephant in the room, the lack of learning plans with measurable objectives, but that public educator's chief complaint with the movement is the lack of socialization!
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3 comments:
While I cannot defend all that unschooling upholds, I don't think you can call it a "fad", because as the article says, it has been around for almost thirty years (at least John Holt's definition of it).
Holt has written quite a bit, and consistently wins (won? I forget if he is still teaching) the New York Teacher of the Year award, and though lots of people don't like his methods, cannot argue with his results. I have only read one of his books, but it was quite good.
PS. You can add my name to your list of people who read your blog, though I didn't speak up the other day when you stated that Eric was probably the only one, since I don't really like most of those blog quiz things that get passed around.
Well, to be honest, winning NY Teacher of the Year probably only confirms that he is likely a devout liberal (as a product of NY public education, I think I can make this type of assertion). NY has been decades ahead of other states, perhaps only slightly behind California in promoting liberal values, often replacing core academics with subjects such as "values clarification".
Besides its failure to teach children structure and the need to follow direction, the concept of "unschooling" seems to fails to recognize the biblical truth that "folly is bound up in the heart of a child". To be honest, I am ore concerned with the impact of unschooling on the character of a child than I am his or her test scores.
In my limited experience with homeschooling methodology, I have found that few, if any, really adhere to a style in it's true theoretical form. I'm sure that you could find some structure in the "unschooling" family and at the same time I know that even the most structured families must be flexibile at times. Life has a rhythm to it and at the same time is unpredictable. We must teach our children to function in that environment. What the best balance is for each family will differ.
Your concern for a child's character during the process of homeschooling is appropriate no matter what the particular methodology, whether spontaneous or structured. Character will be developed when and only when godly character is a goal of the homeschooling parents who seek God's help through the process. I don't care what your style is, you can create an environment (by God's grace)where a child is helped to grow in patience, kindness, truthfulness, diligence, and yes, self-control. There are downfalls to every approach to homeschooling (nothing we do is perfect), but as we rely on God's mercy and strength and sovereignty we can help our children to honor Him and love learning.
PS. as for the child not knowing what she's studying (per the article), that's not unusual - just ask my kids what they did in school today, and you might just get a blank look and a shrug of the shoulders!
PS#2. of course socialization is the concern, because the world is convinced that learning and character is not as important as blending in with your peers and using them to satisfy your own selfish desires.
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