"the idea of university popped into my head"

Here is a guest post from unschooler, Stella of Not an Ordinary Teen blog.
Delightful!


When I was four years old, I was kicked out of preschool.

This is significant to me because it was the event that began my unschooling, the event that freed me from the school system, the event that allowed me to be who I was for the rest of my childhood. My parents had planned on sending me to regular public school from K-12th grade, just like everyone else, but after the preschool incident they re-thought their plans.

Now here I am, at age seventeen. After being unschooled my entire life and gaining a wealth of information and experiences simply by being free from the school system, I am now back to the very administration that started off this crazy experience. No, not preschool, but school. University.

In October, I got the GED. I was sixteen, and there was no burning reason that I had to get it -- I just figured that it would be “cool” to get an equivalent to a high school diploma. To pull this off, I had to study. I actually ended up teaching myself geometry and learning that my paragraphs had issues because they lacked structure. But it was all good! Even though I hadn't been formally schooled since preschool, I passed the test on my first try with high scores all around (and even one perfect score in Language Arts despite my previously unstructured paragraphs).

What was next? Well, in November I went to England and France for a few weeks to visit relatives, continued to spend multiple hours a week in the dance studio, and started writing a novel. December was largely occupied with the holidays, but I started a mural project and taught myself how to play piano by ear (with a little help from youtube).

Then, one day, the idea of university somehow popped into my head. I had always planned on going to university someday, but then I took a moment to ask myself why it wasn't possible to go sooner, as in, now. What was stopping me? The answer was, simply, nothing. I gasped at that concept for awhile, and then started to think about the reasons I wanted to go to university. What did I want to get out of it? Did I really want to enter the school system again after all these years?

It turns out that there's this really cool program at the university in town, where I could become a part time student and pick out my own classes without having to conform to what someone else thought was right for me. I looked through the list of classes, and was blown away. It was this huge resource right in front of me. Did I want to learn Swahili? Fine arts? African history? There were so many things to choose from, so much stuff I could do, and I got really excited. My dad said that it was like an unschooler's dream, which sounded slightly ironic since it was school, but at the same time, it was true. I had no idea what I was getting in for, but I was ready to try it and see what happened.

My first term started in January, at age sixteen. My class choices ended up being ballet, a basic college composition class, and a class that dissected the relationship between music and dance. Monday morning, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, got all my stuff together and took the bus to school.

That first day was overwhelming, but at the same time, incredible. I remember walking through campus, finding my classroom, sitting down and being absolutely amazed that I was actually there. This journey has been unlike anything I've ever done before, but it's proved to be quite the adventure.

However, I don't mean to make university sound like it's all fun and games. There are some things that I really dislike, but personally, the pros and cons seem to balance each other out to the point where there are more pros then cons. The first writing class I took was terrible. It was a prerequisite for any higher leveled writing course, and a requirement for all freshman. Needless to say, there were a lot of people who didn't want to be there. The professor was, quite honestly, a bit psychotic, and at one point she was failing every single person in the class.

In contrast, at the beginning of this term a different writing professor initiated a Petition to the Academic Requirements Committee in an attempt to get me into his already full fiction writing class. I was surprised and extremely thankful for how much he was pulling for me. His attempt did work -- I'm currently in his class and loving it.

In another class, a continuation of the class where we dissected the relationship between music and dance, I have moments where I feel like crying from sheer joy. The ideas that we are learning and discussing are concepts that sit so soundly in my soul. To bring them up to the surface and to even let them be understood by people who truly feel the same way about music and dance is overwhelming in the most completely fulfilling way. The professor himself is amazing as well, he finds the most fantastic resources for us to use and is more like a guide to learning then a dictator. He never went to high school himself, simply because he was too busy. He hates grades and stays as far away from them as possible. He has the busiest teaching schedule in the entire department, and yet he will always make time for us if we ever need help.

Right now, in the middle of my second term, this doesn't even feel like "school” anymore. I love that my ballet shoes are right next to my notebook, and that my day ends with slow plies at the barre. I love writing fiction scenes for the class to critique. I love, love, LOVE the discussions in the music/dance class that make me feel like maybe I'm not the only person in the world who is so obsessed with the arts. All my current professors are funny, kind, caring people. I am happy here.

Starting university at age sixteen is out of the ordinary, and a lot of people are shocked when they learn about this. Right now I “should” still be in my junior year of high school! But age has always been kind of funny to me. Why limit yourself just because of how long you've been on the Earth? Sure, there are some natural disadvantages to being young, but you should never ever be told that you can't do something simply because of how old or young you are. If there is one thing I have learned from being unschooled, it is that I can do anything I put my mind to.

Brenna McBroom:More time is more freedom

Twenty year old potter (and many other things besides) Brenna McBroom shares her views on unschooling, success and--well read it and be amazed by the eloquence of this mind.






Going against the entrenched mainstream belief that to have a successful life you have to get higher ed, can you define your idea of what success means?

To me, the question of success is inextricably linked with the question of how I choose to spend my most valuable and non-renewable resource: my time. In my mind, a successful person is one who utilizes her time to its fullest potential, relentlessly pursuing those things which she is most passionate about and which bring her contentment and satisfaction (with the caveat that those things being pursued must not have a damaging or detrimental effect upon humanity).

I spent a year at a small liberal arts college when I turned eighteen, and my reasons for going were as uncomplicated and misguided as ‘because this is what I’m supposed to do’. (This, ironically, after six years of radical unschooling. Socio-cultural messages are pervasive.) When I chose to leave after a year, it was largely because of the realization that my time is finite, and that I couldn’t sacrifice four years of it in pursuit of a degree that I might not ever use.

Are you working at things that bring satisfaction as well as $$?

An unschooling mom that I greatly respect is in the habit of saying ‘do what you love and the money will follow’. I started throwing pots on the pottery wheel about two years ago, keeping that piece of advice in mind. I did it because I loved it and because it fed and satisfied me, but the money has started to slowly follow. Right now it’s not enough to pay a mortgage or buy a Mercedes (or probably even a Hyundai), but it’s enough to help fund travel and my ceramics addiction.

I’m very lucky: my parents see this as a time in my life for me to be pursuing an education whether I’m inside or outside the walls of a college. Because of this, they are happy to assist me in funding travel, internships, and other educational opportunities.

You've grown up with hardly any institutionalized schooling. What have been the pros and cons of this type of lifestyle?

I would say that the primary positive result of this type of education is that my time is my own, to spend or squander as I wish; it does not belong to a teacher or an institution. Because of this freedom, I’ve been able to pursue the things that I’m passionate about to their fullest potential, without any hindrance, and I’ve had the chance to learn what I’m passionate about, what I love, through direct, hands-on life experience. I’ve also been able to learn in the way that I choose.

For example, I’m an extremely visual creature; auditory processing is not my forte by any means. If I had gone to traditional school I would have struggled while listening to lectures, but as an unschooler I could simply make the choice to learn things by reading about them. I can’t think of more important lessons, to be honest: learning how to learn, and learning what you love.

It seems to me that many in the unschooling community are hesitant to criticize themselves, which is understandable. However, I think that, in order for our movement to remain a viable and vital one, we much undergo a nearly constant process of self-evaluation and self-criticism as a means for growth. Because of this, I’ll cite a real and omnipresent ‘con’ that I’m struggling with in regards to unschooling.

I feel that a lot of new unschooling parents are very hesitant to do anything that resembles ‘controlling’ their children, and so they fail to stop their children when they are behaving in ways that are disruptive or damaging to others or the property of others. Unschooling conferences frequently feature the worst displays of such behavior; a damaging trend when you consider that such events are one of the primary ways that we represent ourselves to the ‘Muggles’.

To me, this problem is only one symptom of a larger disease; namely, that many unschooling parents passively accept the principles of unschooling as gospel, rather than actively examining them.

Do you like the world you live in? How would you like to see it changed?

I love the world that I live in. Were I to change it, I think I would alter attitudes and beliefs rather than attempting to change governments or institutions, because, in the end, it is the things which we believe and the values which we hold highest that shape our world. I would change the belief that qualification and ability are inextricably linked.

For example, in the eyes of many, the twenty four year old MFA graduate possesses more ability to instruct ceramics students than the self taught ceramicist who has been operating a functional studio for thirty years, merely because of his qualifications. I’m not saying that qualification and ability never come hand in hand; merely that they don’t have to.

I would change the belief that learning is hard. I would change the belief that success = money. I would cure psoriasis and give everyone a Snuggie; I mean, while I’m at it, why not?

What words of advice can you offer a young person who is not sure if school/higher education is the right place for her at the time?

Trust yourself! If you have a niggling, nagging feeling that institutionalized schooling isn’t right for you at this point in your life, then listen to it. College can be a wonderful tool to get you where you want to go, but it’s just that: a tool. It’s important to keep it in its proper perspective; that is, a means to an end, rather than an end in itself.

If you’re struggling with the college question, a good litmus test is to ask yourself ‘I’m planning to go to college to what end? What am I trying to achieve?’ If your answer is something like ‘because I want to be a veterinarian’ or ‘because it’s an efficient way for me to learn everything that I want to know about classical philosophy’ then you’re probably on the right track.

If, on the other hand, your answers are something like ‘because otherwise I’ll end up working in a fast food joint’ or ‘because I don’t know what I want to do with my life’ then I would suggest you do a bit more soul searching.

I learned through personal experience that college isn’t a good place to find yourself, and that there are much better places for that. Write a book. Save the rainforest. Teach English as a second language. Revitalize your community. Build a house. Live somewhere that you don’t speak the language. Read this blog.

Furthermore, never believe those who tell you that not going to college resigns you to a lifetime of ‘flipping burgers’. The perpetuators of this myth are usually none other than the school faculty and administrators who are completely dependent upon your continued support of higher education for their continued employment. The vast majority of people I know who have chosen to forgo college for the time being are doing amazing things like writing grants, traveling the world, working on farms, or doing web design.

Finally, keep in mind that not going to college NOW is not the same thing as not going to college. I believe that many people would benefit a great deal from taking a few years to experience and experiment with various occupations and lifestyles before they make the decision to attend (or not attend) a university.

'Ours' work.

My house is neat -on the surface any way and in select rooms. The living room, dining room and kitchen are always spic and span. This is because my youngest loves to keep things looking tidy.

Woe betide the person who leaves a butter knife on the counter or library books on the table.
If you peek into the bathroom-things can look a little grubby until I get in there and clean-I can't stand a dirty sink, a questionable toilet.

Dust, well there is often a layer of it on all the furniture but the hardwood floors are always dust free because junior likes to wield a broom as part of her self imposed unschool daily tasks.
My room; clothes everywhere due to a lack of closet space (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).
Kids rooms? Oldest -let's just say she lives in a 'contained' disaster zone mess-the mark of great intelligence and genius (that's her story and she is sticking to it). The other kids? They share. Middle kid has all her clothes meticulously folded in her dresser, books neatly stacked on a shelf, personal possessions in a neat row.
Junior, although tidy downstairs is messy in her own room.
So who picks up the socks? Who cooks the meals? Who does the laundry who does the dishes?
Oldest does supper dishes (we don't have a dishwasher). Middle does laundry (with a lot of prodding and nagging). Husband fetches.
I basically pickup the slack. Somedays more than others. I often feel like I am doing more than my motherly share but slowly I am seeing progress with the housework -which I refer to as 'our' work-all our work, everybody's responsibility.
The expectation has always been that they will help. I find it wrong to live in a household and not do your bit. I know there are lots of people who let their kids off the hook saying that they only ask them to help out if it is absolutely necessary(as in the need is irrefutable) but I'm not one of these people. I have no intention of being the family slave.
Now if only I could be joyful about housework-more meditative. Tips anyone?

Adding value to the community

We've talked about kids working for $$. What about kids work that adds value to the community?

Too often, kids aren't included in adult work because adults don't think they have anything worth contributing. But kids need to see adults at work: they need to be included in adult work.

It's not easy; we are afraid that they will break equipment, or not do things well enough for our liking. Sometimes the work we are doing -especially on the computer- is not something we can include them in.
I try to find ways to if not include my girls, at least let them know what I am working on.

At my job as a project manager for an environmental organization, my daughters will sometimes help flyer, staff booths, educate people etc.One of my daughter's (14) is a strong writer and she has helped edit my writing.

They also have their own work which is meaningful to them. The girls volunteer where they can whether it is joining us in cleaning a creek from the trash that has been thrown into it, or creating documents for an event, or making buttons to promote a cause. Another daughter (12) plays violin and volunteers to help beginner students of the orchestra she is a part of.
My 14 year old keeps her own blog about how she views the world.

All this I call 'adding value' to the community; contributing to the world they live in as opposed to just taking or consuming. What they are doing is work that is well and truly needed-not some busy work designed to keep them off the streets.

When we had our radio project, we were privileged to meet people from all kinds of jobs and occupations who loved what they do (you can still listen to past radio shows by following the links).

Now I am mindful of the need to continue seeking out opportunities for my kids to not only learn about all kinds of work but also to learn from other in the community people.

I asked my youngest today what she wants to be when she grows up. Interestingly she answered, "Self employed as a psychiatrist or a dog whisperer. Or both." Plus she wants to own her own bakery-because she loves to bake.
With unschooling, kids get more of an opportunity to explore their interests which often do lead into self employment as they grew older.