John Holt: Unschooling
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John Holt Coined the Term Unschooling
After teaching for several years John Holt realized that children learn best when the are learning what they want to learn.
He then went on to write many books about Homeschooling, started the magazine Growing Without Schooling and coined the term "unschooling".
Unschooling is learning based on the student's interests, needs, and goals. Parents are facilitators rather than teachers, helping their children to find resources for learning rather than being teaching a canned curriculum.
Unschooling Table of Contents
- Unschooling in the News
- We Chose Unschooling..
- John Holt Was A Very Wise Teacher
- Unschooling
- Philosophy of Unschooling
- But what about socialization?
- To Unschoolers, Learning Is As Natural As Breathing
- College admission for Unschoolers
- Criticisms of Unschooling
- School, Homeschool, or Unschool
- Unschooling: Is this legal?
- Picture Books about Homeschooling
- Unschooling on eBay
- Homeschooling in the News
- Magazines for Unschooling
- Unschoolers can Receive a Diploma
- Homeschoolers Love to Walk in the Woods
- How has John Holt and unschooling affected your life?
Unschooling in the News
I am a teacher and an Educational Consultant. I unschooled my daughter until she entered 7th grade.
Homeschooling was the best educational experience my child could ever have. She was able to study exactly what she wanted to study at any moment.
We were able to go in depth into some subjects just because she found it interesting and then go on to another subject when she was ready.
She never needed to be congoled into doing homework or studying subjects that she already knew. She learned to direct her own education.
She made the decision to go to high school starting in 7th grade and will be graduating this year at the top of her class, a member of the National Honor Society, with friends all over the world.
She is completing second year college level calculus and physics (AP) and has been accepted at several colleges.
She was given the Outstanding Senior award and all this began with a solid foundation in homeschooling.
As a homeschooling parent, you work more as a facilitator than a teacher. We used the library, museums, National Parks, friends, the Internet, and many, many other resources to find answers to our questions.
Though I may not know how to do calculus or physics, I certainly know where to find out.
And so when someone asks if one parent can teach a child, I say yes and no, "It take a village to raise a child."
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=6cfc3225-1658-449a-b109-1265d00cb962
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Growing Without Schooling
The Magazine started by John Holt
Growing Without Schooling is the title of a newsletter started in 1977 by the late John Holt. The last issue was published in 2001.
The newsletter earned a devoted following of homeschoolers over its twenty-four year history.
It was about people who, during some of their growing up, did not go to school, what they did instead, and how they made a place for themselves in the world.
Mostly, it was about people who wanted to take or keep their children out of school, and about what they did instead, what problems came up, and how they coped with these issues.
We Chose Unschooling..
John Holt coined the term Unschooling
As a teacher I have always strived to have all the children happily choosing to learn. One day I picked up What Do I Do Monday? by John Holt. I read it cover to cover. I could make one or two children happily focused on what we were learning but never the whole class.
As my oldest neared kindergarten age I looked at overcrowded classrooms of 35+ students and I talked with Betsy Herbert of South Street School, a school for homeschoolers in Boulder Creek, California. I wanted my child to continue to learn naturally.
We moved to Boston and joined the unschoolers there. Though John Holt had died several years before, we met Pat Feranga and the rest of the folks at Holt Associates and felt like we were coming home.
Catherine Hughes taught us about the Daughter of the Bog at the Boston Museum of Science. We held starfish in our hands at the New England Aquarium. My daughter fell in love with acting and making costumes with the Puddlejump Players. She learned to read with Harry Potter.Though our children choose to attend school now, we know that it is a choice and thus they are still unschooling in a sense.
John Holt Was A Very Wise Teacher
- He believed in children.
- He gave voice to the unschooling movement.
- He started the magazine "Growing With Schooling".
- He believed that home is the proper base for the exploration of the world.
- He believed that children did not need to be coerced into learning; they would do so naturally if given the freedom to follow their own interests and a rich assortment of resources. This line of thought became known as unschooling.
Unschooling
Unschooling is a form of education in which learning is based on the student's interests, needs, and goals. It may be alternatively referred to as natural learning, child-led learning, discovery learning, delight-led learning, or child-directed learning.
Unschooling is generally considered to be a form of home education, which is simply the education of children at home rather than in a school. Home education is often considered to be synonymous with homeschooling, but some have argued that the latter term implies the recreation of school in the context of the home, which they believe is philosophically at odds with unschooling.
Unschooling contrasts with other forms of home education in that the student's education is not directed by a teacher and curriculum. Although unschooling students may choose to make use of teachers or curricula, they are ultimately in control of their own education.
Students choose how, when, why, and what they pursue. Parents who unschool their children act as "facilitators," providing a wide range of resources, helping their children access, navigate, and make sense of the world, and aiding them in making and implementing goals and plans for both the distant and immediate future. Unschooling expands from children's natural curiosity as an extension of their interests, concerns, needs, goals, and plans.
The term unschooling was coined by John Holt. An author of ten books on education, John Holt founded the unschooling magazine Growing Without Schooling.
"You cannot teach a person anything; you can only help him find it within himself.
~Galileo Galilei"
Philosophy of Unschooling
Unschoolers commonly believe that curiosity is innate and that children want to learn what is necessary for them to become competent adults. Some argue that institutionalizing children in what they term a "one size fits all" or "factory model" school is an inefficient use of their time because it requires every child to learn specific subject matter in a particular manner, at a particular pace, and at a particular time regardless of that individual's present or future needs, interests, goals, or any pre-existing knowledge he or she might have about the topic.
Many unschoolers also believe that opportunities for valuable hands-on, community based, spontaneous, and real-world experiences are missed when educational opportunities are largely limited to those which can occur physically inside of a school building.
Additionally, some unschoolers agree with John Holt when he says that "...the anxiety children feel at constantly being tested, their fear of failure, punishment, and disgrace, severely reduces their ability both to perceive and to remember, and drives them away from the material being studied into strategies for fooling teachers into thinking they know what they really don't know." Proponents assert that individualized, child-led learning is more efficient and respectful of children's time, takes advantage of their interests, and allows deeper exploration of subjects than what is possible in conventional education. Unschooling and homeschooling Lenses
Squidooers, please feel free to add your homeschooling lenses to this list. You may also grab this plexo to add it to your lens. By adding it to your lens both our lenses will be updated each time someone adds a lens to the plexo.
http://www.holtgws.com/
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http://www.fun-books.com/gws.htm
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http://www.freechild.org/ReadingList/john_holt.htm
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http://www.naturalchild.org/common_objections/
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http://www.afamunschool.com/id10.html
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An Unschooling Life
An Unschooling Life2 points
Alternative Learning Systems & Experimental Education
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Real World Learning
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Unschooling ROCKS!
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Essential body of knowledge
What do Unschoolers Learn?
Unschoolers often contest that learning any specific subject is less important than learning how to learn. They assert, in the words of Alec Bourne, "It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated", and in the words of Holt:
Since we can't know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned.
This ability to learn on their own makes it more likely that later, when these children are adults, they can continue to learn what they need to know to meet newly emerging needs, interests, and goals. They can return to any subject that they feel was not sufficiently covered or learn a completely new subject.
Many unschoolers disagree that there is a particular body of knowledge that every person, regardless of the life they lead, needs to possess. They suggest that there are countless subjects worth studying, more than anyone could learn within a single lifetime. Since it would be impossible for a child to learn everything, somebody must decide what subjects they are to explore.
Unschoolers argue that "Children... if they are given access to enough of the world, they will see clearly enough what things are truly important to themselves and to others, and they will make for themselves a better path into that world than anyone else could make for them."
Videos about Unschooling
The Role of Parents
The child-directed nature of unschooling does not mean that unschooling parents will not provide their children with guidance and advice, or that they will refrain from sharing things that they find fascinating or illuminating with them. These parents generally believe that as adults, they have more experience with the world and greater access to it. They believe in the importance of using this to aid their children in accessing, navigating, and making sense of the world. Common parental activities include sharing interesting books, articles, and activities with their children, helping them find knowledgeable people to explore an interest with (anyone from physics professors to automotive mechanics), and helping them set goals and figure out what they need to do to meet their goals. Unschooling's interest-based nature does not mean that it is a "hands off" approach to education; parents tend to be quite involved, especially with younger children (older children, unless they are new to unschooling, will often need much less help finding resources and making and carrying out plans).
The Best Unschooling Book
Vote for your favorite unschooling book or add another.
Everyone has their favorite unschooling book. Please add your own here.
Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling by John Holt
The classic work on teaching children at home, upd more...4 points
What Do I Do Monday? (Innovators in Education) by John Holt
When teachers listened to Holt's talks, or wrote h more...4 points
The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education by Grace Llewellyn
You won't find this book on a school library shelf more...1 point
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto
<p>With over 70,000 copies of the first edit more...0 points
The Unprocessed Child: Living Without School by Valerie Fitzenreiter
The Unprocessed Child is a work of nonfiction abou more...0 points
Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves by Alison McKee
A compelling story about one family's journey into more...0 points
Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don't Go to School Tell Their Own Stories
In 1993, eleven homeschooled teenagers described t more...0 points
Socialization for Unschoolers
Concerns about socialization are often a factor in the decision to unschool. Many unschoolers believe that the conditions common in conventional schools, like age segregation, a low ratio of adults to children, a lack of contact with the community, and a lack of people in professions other than teaching or school administration create an unhealthy social environment. They feel that their children benefit from coming in contact with people of diverse ages and backgrounds in a variety of contexts. They also feel that their children benefit from having some ability to influence what people they encounter, and in what contexts they encounter them. Unschooled children are often reported to be more mature than their schooled peers,and some people believe this is a result of the wide range of people with which they have the opportunity to communicate.
But what about socialization?
The first picture is of a classroom where the children are seated quietly listening to the teacher. There is no social contact between the children. Many school systems are even eliminating recess. The second picture is of a group of homeschoolers learning together. They are socializing while learning.
Very well meaning family, friends, and even strangers will ask "But what about socialization?" How do you respond? Here is a list to help new families with this looming question:
Socialization is one of the best reasons to homeschool.
Although non-homeschoolers worry that homeschooling may turn children into social misfits, we know that the opposite is true and that POSITIVE socialization is one of the best reasons to homeschool your children3 points
Homeschoolers spend more actual time out in society.
Socialization is actually meant to prepare children for the real world, which means learning to interact and deal with people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. In this case, homeschooling actually does a better job of this because homeschoolers spend more actual time out in society.3 points
Homeschooled children certainly not isolated; in fact, they associate with--and feel close to--all sorts of people.
Home-schooled children are taking part in the daily routines of their communities. Home schooling parents can take much of the credit for this. For, with their children's long-term social development in mind, they actively encourage their children to take advantage of social opportunities outside the family. Home-schooled children are acquiring the rules of behavior and systems of beliefs and attitudes they need. They have good self-esteem and are likely to display fewer behavior problems than d...3 points
Many people are homeschooling because of socialization reasons.
Socialization in homeschooling works better because children have more opportunities to be socialized through the modeling of good social behavior by caring adults rather than through peers, who do not know much more than they do. Parents give their kids the skills they need to interact with other people and also have the chance to protect their children.3 points
To Unschoolers, Learning Is As Natural As Breathing
The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 07/25/2008)
The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 07/25/2008)
College admission for Unschoolers
Unschoolers have been admitted to most universities (including Ivy League schools). The article Homeschooling: Back to the Future? states that "in the absence of a transcript or high school diploma, applicants can submit samples or a portfolio of their work, letters of recommendation, and CLEP and Stanford Achievement Test scores." Some universities consider unschoolers to be an asset because they tend to love learning, be self-motivated, and know what they want to get out of their college experience. According to Johnathan Reider, an admissions officer at Stanford university, speaking of home educated students in general, "The distinguishing factor is intellectual vitality. These kids have it, and everything they do is responding to it."
How do you homeschool?
Criticisms of Unschooling
1. The following are common opinions and concerns of people who are critical of unschooling.
2. Most children lack the foresight to learn the things they will need to know in their adult lives.
3. There may be gaps in a child's education unless an educational professional controls what material is covered.
4. Because schools provide a ready-made source of peers, it may be more difficult for children who are not in school to make friends and develop social skills than it is for their schooled peers.
5. Because schools may provide a diverse group of both adults and students, it might be more difficult for children who are not in school to be directly exposed to different cultures, socio-economic groups and worldviews.
6. Some children are not motivated to learn anything, and will spend all of their time in un-educational endeavors if not coerced into doing otherwise.
7. Not all parents may be able to provide the stimulating environment or have the skills and patience required to encourage the student's curiosity.
8. Because they often lack a diploma from an accredited school, it may be more difficult for unschooled students to get into college or get a job.
9. Children who direct their own educations may not develop the ability to take direction from others.
School, Homeschool, or Unschool
Children who are homeschooled exhibit no disruption in academic or social development, however, to make homeschooling work, parents must make the time commitment, the money commitment, and the lifestyle commitment to provide that academic environment for the child at home.
Homeschooled children have above-average social and psychological development through their exposure to many different age groups and other activities to boost their social development.
Do you or would you homeschool your children?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, homeschooling or better yet unschooling is the best.
Capagrl says:
I do homeschool and am dabbling more and more into unschooling. My son is super smart, super headstrong and super capable of educating himself in the areas that interest him. I guess you could say he's deschooling ME :)
Posted June 30, 2008
endlesslight says:
Absolutely!
My son is 5 and this is what we are facing right NOW. We have just decided to homeschool him.
Isn't funny how you just stopped by my lens today and rated it and said hello and invited me to check out yours on homeschooling Because this is the very information that I would soon be researching! It has also made me feel great aobut our decision. Thanks! You have made my job so much easier and the book by John Holt sounds great! I will pick one up for sure!
Posted April 27, 2008
Becca_Sanz says:
Unschooling gave me the maturity and confidence to get into the best colleges in the country.
Posted April 26, 2008
CarmellaMae says:
I feel the only way to teach our children anymore is by homeschooling. It is not always easy, but at least I know that my children are not being taught a bunch of trash by the school system. I say homeschool is the only way to go!
Posted April 18, 2008
WhitePineLane says:
I would LOVE to be able to homeschool my children. A year ago I never would have said that, but after watching my sister begin homeschooling her children, and spending lots of time looking into all the alternatives for homeschooling, I feel that I would love to give it a try.
Posted April 15, 2008
soultravelers3 says:
Yes, we homeschool our child as we travel the world. We live life as a happy family field trip because it works for us. We find combining unschooling and world travel makes an ideal world for us and today that is easier ( and cheaper) than it has ever been before. I don't want my child just to read about the world, I want her to experience it fully and understand what it means to be a global citizen.
Posted March 24, 2008
soultravelers3 says:
Yes, we homeschool our child as we travel the world. We live life as a happy family field trip because it works for us. We find combining unschooling and world travel makes an ideal world for us and today that is easier ( and cheaper) than it has ever been before. I don't want my child just to read about the world, I want her to experience it fully and understand what it means to be a global citizen.
Posted March 24, 2008
Barkely says:
I've thought about it. My sister homeschools and loves it. I substitute teach at the school where my son goes, so he can't get by with much. We do our own field trips in the summer, and I try to put a fun spin on everything.
Posted March 08, 2008
Susan52 says:
We homeschooled both of ours from day one, all the way through. Scholarships, honor grads, high-achieving successful young adults who know how to learn anything they decide they want to learn is the result. If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't change a thing.
Posted March 03, 2008
j3nny3lf says:
I unschooled my daughter until SHE entered seventh grade, just as you did yours. It was a wonderful experience for both of us. Up until this fall, I have been homeschooling my three recently acquired (2004) sons, but they're back in school now, due to health issues my husband is having - I just don't have the time. But what a rewarding thing to do! I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
Posted February 28, 2008
says:
We kind of tailor school I like to call it. The boys learning is tailored to their needs. :D It's sort of an unschooling, eclectic, homeschooling, whatever the day brings sort