Unschooling is "not schooling." This literal translation, however, does little to explain what unschooling is. Perhaps, because the term begins with a negative prefix, unschoolers typically attempt to define unschooling by what it is not. The lack of a positive definition contributes to a multitude of misperceptions.

John Holt, the school reformer turned homeschooling advocate who coined the term, unschooling, did so in opposition to schooling (coercive teaching, rewards and punishments, compulsory learning, grades, tests, subjects, etc.) Unschooling, then, was not schooling. It was something else entirely. It was, in simplest terms, learning without school.

Unschooling is Natural Learning

The unschooling approach to life, in general, describes the way people learn naturally when left to pursue their own personal interests. Natural learning involves freely engaging in play, having fun, observing, and experimenting. In this way, unschoolers own their interests their passions, dreams, and goals and also the responsibility for pursuing and attaining those goals.

Unschooling is Variable and Flexible

The unschooling lifestyle gives children the freedom and flexibility to intuitively learn in the easiest and most enjoyable way for them. Children learn according to their own learning styles. Unlike schools which conform to standards, unschooling families vary widely. The unschooling lifestyle allows individual children to design their own course of learning, according to their own unique interests. Unschooling parents unconditionally support their children's pursuit of knowledge and experience through willingness and availability.

Unschooling is Noncoercive

Unschooling parents respect and celebrate the variety of ways children learn naturally. They trust that children want to learn and, thus, have no need of coercion masquerading as encouragement, incentive, or any other external motivation. Children naturally rebel against coercive teaching. Coercion disrespects the child and may harm the child's self-confidence. In other words, coercion disregards the child's feelings and needs. In effect, coercion is counter productive.

As social creatures, children never require coercion (i.e., threats, pressure, material incentives) to inspire them to want to fit in. They naturally want to connect and join in community. They want to contribute and play an important role. They want to learn useful skills (reading, writing, math, scientific observation, etc.), because they need those tools to navigate the world. If those skills were not useful, they would not need them.

The term "unschooling" is, perhaps, somewhat of a misnomer inasmuch as people tend to associate schooling with learning or education. However, to be clear, unschooling is not unlearning or uneducating. It is simply learning without school. Unschooling is a lifestyle of learning. It is an unconventional approach to learning that gives children the freedom and flexibility to intuitively learn in the easiest and most enjoyable way for them.

Learn more about this author, Sara Mcgrath.
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