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1) #HomeschoolCrashCourse is sharing homeschooling philosophies, and I'm a bit nervous, as my philosophy is unconventional. TBH it sounded absurd to me when I first learned of it. I guess I don’t want to be judged, or want teachers to think I don’t value traditional schooling.
2) But the point of #HomeschoolCrashCourse is to show the possibilities, so I’ll be brave. B/c maybe this will resonate w/you. We (mostly) do #unschooling. (Not to be confused with #deschooling, which is the time it takes for a kid to decompress from traditional schooling.)
3) Unschooling philosophy allows the student’s interests to guide what they learn about. Curriculum is rarely used. The emphasis is on learning to be passionate about learning, not on learning specific content. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
4) I was a straight-A AP student. I knew how to learn the material, ace the test, and immediately forget the material. I cried over too-advanced math every night of high school but don’t remember a bit of it, b/c nothing in high school math serves me now. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
5) Unschooling doesn’t mean if you don’t like math you don’t do math. It means Ss will learn what they need to in their own time, either to support their interests or get into college. But when they choose it for their own reasons, there’s less struggle. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
6) There’s a LOT of second-guessing oneself in unschooling. Kids learn things on a different timetable than peers. Daughter learned timetables when she was 12. But she got a gold medal in a high-school-level national mythology test when she was 7. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
7) Unschooling parents don't leave kids w/zero guidance. It’s more about paying attention to their interests & providing resources & support to help them explore those. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
8) I don’t ever require my kids read specific books. I DO make sure they have a TON of books available that expose them to new ideas. Daughter read 201 books in 2019, is in 2 book clubs, on 2 Battle of the Books teams & is a young reviewer for our indie #HomeschoolCrashCourse
9) Son spends so much time doing Minecraft. I struggle. BUT he types faster than I do, has a deep understanding of resource management, uses tons of creativity, and works collaboratively with friends. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
10) There's lots more to unschooling & every family does it differently. I feel I'm really seeing how it works in my 14-year-old, after years of wondering if it was "working". If you're interested, I recommend How Children Learn by John Holt. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
11) A few more book recs: How Children Fail and Learning All the Time by John Holt, Homeschooling for Excellence, and The Teenage Liberation Handbook. #HomeschoolCrashCourse
12) Obviously this doesn't work for every family and every learner. But if you've got an outside-the-box kid, it might be worth thinking about some of the ideas. Let me know if you have questions! #HomeschoolCrashCourse
