Monday, September 16, 2013

You know you want to. Unschooling.

You've heard about it. It sounds amazing: learning in freedom. Learning what YOU want to learn. learning because you LOVE it.
Unschooling, otherwise known as self-directed learning. Learning from a place that starts with being genuinely interested in a thing—because we are actually passionately moved by that thing, truly wanting to learn so that it is impossible to be be stopped.
This, balanced on the other hand with 'incidental' learning: picking up things by merely existing around them with little effort at all. There is all sorts of research supportive of the unschooling learning-style.
There's ample evidence that it works.
But can YOU do it? After all, you have to be around the kids 24/7 and don't you have to have the patience of Mother Teresa for that?
There are so many reasons why you can't do this: You don't have the money not to mention you lack the skills and education that is needed in order to educate others. You don't know anyone else who is doing it and it will feel lonely. If you're really honest with yourself, you just don't have the motivation nor the innovative mindset.
Besides, what will the neighbours say not to mention your parents, your in-laws, your brother, your hairstylist, the people at work, the cashier at the supermarket etc etc.

It's just not going to work for you. So what do you do? You keep reading about it; you secretly join unschooling groups, unschooling Facebook pages, and fantasize about one day leading the self-directed learning lifestyle with your family. And time goes by..

But the thing is, there is no way of knowing if unschooling is for you and your family until you take the plunge and begin already.

Don't be afraid to get your feet wet.


Yes, it's messy, it's non-linear, there are times, many times when you think, "What am I doing?"

Similar to the creative process or like, well, life—right?

Once you open your mind to the possibilities, to the opportunities that abound, once you make the commitment and hold on for the ride, you will find the support you need to help you.

You will get to that place of self-trust, which is better than what any list of does and don'ts can offer.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I keep making excuses. I think I'm going to do it! Thanks so much for this!

Liz said...

Haha! This absolutely describes me....desperately interested, desperately afraid.

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