Unschooling

Allowing Your Highly Sensitive/Out of Sync Child to Shine with Unschooling

A look at using an unschooling approach with children who are highly sensitive and out of sync.

What is Unschooling and Why Do Parents Consider It?

Unschooling is fueled by curiosity-driven experiences. It is estimated that about 13 percent of homeschooled children learn through unschooling. Unschooling will look different for every family, but it is founded on the idea of following the child's interests and giving the space and freedom to explore those interests.

Why Unschoolers Grow Up to Be Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are creative thinkers and experimental innovators. Unschoolers learn in these same ways, so it's no surprise that lots of unschoolers end up as entrepreneurs. Without the constraints of a classroom, unschoolers nurture their own interests and passions and many figure out how to make a living from these interests and passions. Fueled by their lifetime of curiosity and self-learning, many unschoolers end up very successful in their adult endeavors of self-starting business ownership.

What is Natural Learning?

So what on earth is natural learning? Isn't all learning natural? What would you do different if you were following a natural learning approach? How can I pursue natural learning?

Unschooling Undefined

Unschooling is a word coined by negating the idea of schooling; it starts off with a negative definition. What, specifically, is it about schools that unschoolers want to do without?

Language Arts and Unschooling

A former high school English teacher shares some of the ways that reading, writing, and grammar are learned naturally through living.

Always Learning

Discussion for homeschooling fans of John Holt, whose books Learning All the Time, Never Too Late, and Teach your Own have made unschooling an option for thousands of families.

Secret Society of Unschooling Dads (SSUD)

This group is for Unschooling Dads, Granddads, and Dads-to-be who have attended one of the past 3 Live and Learn Conferences OR who have spouses who attended one of these conferences. Other unschooling fathers (et al.) can also join the group through invitation. Our intention is to keep a running dialog and passion for unschooling our children between conferences.

HEM-Unschooling

This list is for the broad-ranging discussion of unschooling. It is sponsored by Home Education Magazine.

African American Unschoolers (AfAmUnschool) Email Group

African American Unschoolers email group is for African-American homeschoolers who use the whole world as their child(ren)'s classroom.

A Few Words About Unschooling Math

A wonderful list of things that can lead to math learning.

A Letter to Concerned Relatives

An explanation of natural learning and the reasons for pursuing this in a family.

Structured homeschooling gets an A+

A new study from Concordia University and Mount Allison University has found that homeschooling -- as long as it's structured or follows a curriculum -- can provide kids with an academic edge. "Structured homeschooling may offer opportunities for academic performance beyond those typically experienced in public schools," says first author Sandra Martin-Chang, a professor in the Concordia Department of Education, noting this is among the first nonpartisan studies to investigate home education versus public schooling.

Unschooling.com

Get information and support from fellow homeschoolers by visiting this unschooling message forum. Discussions include resource sharing, video and podcast links, and discussion and support for parents who have chosen to unschool their children.

Sonlight Unschoolers

This email group is for those who use Sonlight curricula but also like the unschooling approach (and other compatable methods). Working out how to mix the two, curricula exchange/sales, and connecting with other eclectic Christian unschoolers is the object.

Unschooling from an African-American Perspective

A look at unschooling as a philosophy of life from an African-American perspective.

How do Unschoolers Turn Out?

Is unschooling successful? This article details the results of surveys of unschoolers, looking at their experiences as children and their successes as adults, including pursuing higher education and careers. The authors of the survey conclude that unschooling works well when there is high levels of family engagement and involvement, there is effort at social connection, and a dedication from both parents and children to work together to further their educational goals, while still learning freely.

Why Natural Learning – Does It Make Sense?

Many experts claim to know how to teach a child, but do they know how to educate him? Perhaps professionalism is a form of religion too. It takes a lot of faith to believe that removing children from their parents and making them serve time under an authoritarian regimen in a formal institution is somehow going to prepare them to love and serve their fellow man and live a peaceful and prosperous life. But mothers know.

The Unschooling List FAQ

This was compiled from many of the wise voices of a great internet list called The Unschooling List. A great basic primer on the concept of unschooling.

Crunchy Unschoolers

A list for unschoolers who are interested in moving towards a sustainable lifestyle. Topics for discussion may include how sustainability and unschooling complement each other, and how we resolve conflicting values.