Unschooling Vs. Homeschooling Vs. Formal Education
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
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We are unschoolers, but we do not parent this way. Our kids are disciplined, they do not get to eat whatever they want, and chores are a must. We have structured reading times, and we expose them to learning experiences they need and will need. Hmm . . . maybe we are not unschoolers.
Yesenia Castillo I totally agree. This isn't the first video I've seen of terrible unschooling parents, or maybe the journalist just make it look that way. I've met some really great unschooling families and support the movement (with the right parents). Ironically, I'm a public school teacher :)
This is an extremely unfair, cruel, and false report! I'm a homeschooler/ unschooler I went to school for 6ish years and I've been homeschooled for 4 now. I'm very happy I became homeschooled and I think I've learned so much more while being homeschooled then when I was at school. So I DECIDED to do research about the stereotypes of homeschooling and see other peoples perspective on it. So this is one of the videos I stumbled across and this is just wrong. I feel like they just shot the unglamorous shots of those kids, and this is a forum of bullying those kids, and I think this is just bad journalism. I think there's more to the story. And so what if they don't know how to do algebra or trigonometry or a lot about history and science and other subjects. Maybe they don't want to go to college, a lot of people don't. Being a mathematician or scientist isn't for everyone. So what if they want to have a pickle farm when they grow up, nothing is wrong with that. Somebody has to have a pickle farm or there wouldn't be any pickles in the world.
Young turks are young and inexperienced. Only 1% of the population actually use algebra for their jobs. Check out the TED talk about math education. Then look up Astrid Taylor an unschooled adult who is a documentary filmmaker. Her sister an incredible painter with works in the Smithsonian. She paints like an old master. Her brother computer programmer. As far as homeschooling, they score higher on standardized tests and socialization than public schoolers. Do your research Young Turks.
Something tells me the Unschooling video has been modified to make sure it looks bad.
It's called sensationalism.
I'm about to start homeschooling my children because I figure I may as well be teaching them. Their teachers aren't teaching them anything. They come home with stacks of worksheets for homework and have no idea how to do the work that the pages cover. So basically, I teach the information the worksheets are over and THEN they are able to do them. They refuse to do anything with my 6 year old. I tell them he is bored and needs stimulation and we get nothing. He's 6 and in kindergarten but reads on a second grade level. He should be in the Gateway program but they won't even test him.
wow that is horrible! i have taken some dual classes for early childhood educ and even i know that some kids get bored. i graduated high school in December and have a 3.3 gpa but i would have been a lot higher if they had challenged me. if i already knew something i would just tune out and not work. great call homeschooling. that way he can learn at his on pace and not be held back.
Just make sure that they are able to get the social education they need. Speaking as a kid who was homeschooled until sixth grade, even with a homeschool group, it was a culture shock to me when I first entered the public school system. Make sure you find a way for them to get the social education that is essential to functioning in society.
I learnt how to read when I was four, but had to wait for kindergarten because of my "state laws". Its really pushing people's children back academically.
Story of my mom's life.
Story of our life too, that's why we decided to home school a year ago. All because our 2 eldest children were teaching all the other kids in there class how to read, write and do maths. Our kids don't get paid to do this, Teachers DO!!!! After speaking to the teacher about putting our kids through an extension class, there answer to this, "oh no we can't put them up in a higher learning class because they need to be in the same class as kids there age"!!! WTH. My husband is a qualified pharamcist and went through university to get his degree, he said when he went into the work force he only used 20% of what he learnt over 4 years out in the real world!! Whats up with that?!?!?!?!
I would like to say that I was homeschooled until I was 12 years old. I followed curriculums, did my math, and wrote a couple of research papers. I was at the 7th grade level. From the age of 12 to the age of 14 I was in charge of my own education, I was basically unschooled. I had textbooks available to me, and taught myself whatever I wanted (including creative writing, marine biology, and I took a course on biomedical engineering). At the age of 14 I completed the necessary requirements to receive a high school diploma. I started that fall at my local community college. I have a 3.7 GPA, receive full scholarships based on academics, and will receive my associate's degree in December at the age of 17, after which I will transfer to a prestigious college to complete my bachelor's. The only thing I had any structured teaching in were the three R's, and only until I was 12. I do know several unschooled teenagers, however, that had the same basic teaching and opportunities as me, but most likely won't ever get their GED or diploma, because they lack the motivation. It's not an unschooling thing, it's a motivation thing.
*curricula
Very good point. Thanks for sharing. Motivation is the key.
We're home schooling using abeka which is highly structured and disciplined. It's the total opposite of unschooling. The curriculum is way more rigorous than what he had in public school.
I am an unschooling teenager (14) and I want to ask you two things. How much of your standard/traditional education (Algebra, Chemistry & Biology oh and History) do you use in your day to day life? Question # 2: Why am I free to disagree with you on the value of homeschooling but not on the value of un-schooling? You are either open to debate or you are not.
To answer your question (if in fact you are truly interested) “how is a kid going to learn something through this?”. The answer is, through the magic of self determination and will power. If you want to achieve something bad enough you will learn what you need, to achieve it. And besides, I can already do your “job” I can read a teleprompter and I am opinionated too!
Question 1)
Answer: Depends what kind of job you have. E.g if you are an unskilled worker making 16 dollars an hour then it will be likely you will not use it. However, if you have a real job like the people who manage those unskilled workers then you will need to use economic principles e.g economies of scale, production efficiency, profit maximization point, loss minimizing point, revenue maximization etc; you will need algebra to calculate these data values.
Therefore, what you learn in school will be used in you're daily life depending on your career. Another example would be if you were an Chemical engineer, in which case you will need to use chemistry and physics everyday. The reason schools teach these subjects is to allow children to seek out career paths and help them understand how the world around them worked.
Question 2)
I can't answer that because I'm not them.
P.S Don't ask stupid questions.
ckyborg
I can see the questions flew right over your head....And define "real job"? There are a lot of Americans who would kill to make $16 an hour right now. The point of what is being said is that a young adult needs to determine what direction they want to go, not be given so much general information that is directionless. They do the same in college, forcing you to spend money unnecessarily on courses that are completely irrelevant to YOUR cause and YOUR direction in life.
Ada Wong How do you know the questions flew over my head? You weren't the one who asked them....
You go through the courses in college/university to learn so that you can get a better job, therefore being relevant to your direction in life and your cause.
IMO, a real job is what I basically called a job which requires a high level of specialization and skill, which usually does not pay minimum wage.
I don't live in the US so I just did a rough guess of what minimum wage was.
ckyborg
Have you actually been THROUGH college? Half or more of your course work has nothing to do with your major. Like seriously.
Ada Wong We call it university here. But, yeah some of the stuff might not have anything to do with your major. However, completing it is necessary for your degree.Without the degree you would get a lesser paying job, hence relevant to "YOUR cause and YOUR direction in life."
I am all for the idea of unschooling. I think that learning by life experiences is the natural way to learn and that is how children flourish. Education is not meant to be defined by rigorous tests, grading systems and sitting still for 8 hours a day taking notes (with a little bit of hands on activities here and there). Education is meant to be experienced. I am an advocate of unschooling (although I think it should be called lifestyle learning).
All of that being said, I think that these families do not represent a healthy way to unschool. Just because you don't have a state certified cirriculum and allow your children to discover their own interests does not mean that you should give up all rules. There should still be structure within the day, and they should not be allowed to just watch TV if they feel like it all the time. That's quite extreme if you ask me. No school cirriculum does not equal letting your children do whatever they want.
Agreed, it also depends on the age though. Young kids pre school and kindergarten ages who are watching educational shows is fine, or if they watch documentaries etc. It depends on what they are watching, I think they just found the worst possible example of an un schooling family to make others who do it look bad. But hey it's main stream media, that's their job right?! Spin the narrative to push gov agenda's....I'm sure the gov schools aren't to happy with all the money they are losing over damn near everyone pulling their kids out.
Agreed completely.
We unschool but, we have rules and boundaries. Our unschooling consists of child led education. Meaning we pursue what they are interested in through various mediums. No curriculum is used. For example, we use books, museums, ducumentaries, games, puzzles, etc. We do educational trips with other unschoolers once a month. What the people in this video did is called whole life unschooling where the children get to do whatever they want and their parents are just their friends. Which is totally different and it should be noted in the video. This video gives a bad name to real unschoolers.
I think the majority of unschoolers are like your family. too bad the only time the media does reports on unschoolers they ignore this fact and focus entirely radical or whole life unschoolers. I believe this minority really does give the majority a bad name, not just to unschoolers but to all home educators. I've met several unschooling families in the past couple of years and only one of those families were whole life unschoolers. keep up the good work!
Who said anything about learning algebra out of thin air? When a child comes to a point, in the study of their areas of interest, when it becomes necessary to learn math concepts, then they learn math. The dynamic thing about it is that they now have a foundation of identifying interests to give them a driving sense of purpose in the acquisition of mathematical knowledge. They will learn the subjects they need to learn throughout life as the need presents itself. In the public school method, children are force fed all these subjects from early childhood on. They come to identify learning as something they have to do, rather than it being an integral part of their being. And they have to learn what someone else wants them to learn. Not only that, but a lot of what they learn tends to be disconnected from their everyday experience outside of school. Our current schooling model(the industrial schooling model) is not only bad for many students(some do well, but many could do better with other models), but it's also a drain on teachers who have to work extra hard to get their students interested. Teachers also have to deal with large numbers of students making it difficult to be more engaged with individual student progress. Mothers are the ideal teacher, even if they're not well educated. They're the one who's most able to powerfully motivate their child, who feels loved and valued in the home, to seek out knowledge of whatever kind. The Internet, library, neighborhoods, business community, and community programs and organizations, provide a wide array of educational opportunity and wealth of accessible knowledge. Home/Un-schooling(HS/US) is not, or at least, it shouldn't be an experience of isolation. HS/US families can easily collaborate their efforts in planning social activities, fieldtrips, service projects, etc. which will engage their children in the community. Anyone who is failing at HS/US is trying to use the public school model, and trying to keep up with the public school system, or they just need support and guidance from other successful HS/US families.
Funnily enough I unschool and my 12 year old daughter literally just decided to learn chemistry! Also she has take up learning French in the last few weeks. The news article is biased. It did not focus on what they have done but on what they have not done.
Unschooling is not "not providing any direction for your children whatsoever" it's providing them with experiences, opportunities, sources for learning, and letting them have fun exploring their interests and it works on so many levels that aren't being expressed here. Kids do seek knowledge when they don't hate learning. You did not do this video from an objective standpoint at all, which is close-minded, ignorant, judgmental and arrogant. Your way is the only right way, right?
I'm 17, I know more about scientific discoveries, environmental/world problems, health and literature, than my own teachers. It's possible. It's very very possible. The reason why you wanted to sit and watch the power rangers is simply because you were indoctrinated into public schools at a early age. You were spoon-fed information your entire life, and never encouraged to have your own curiosity about the world around you. Your parents probably encoraged you _not_ to ask questions because you were pestering them; I've seen it happen COUNTLESS times:
_Daddy, why is the sky blue? Why is the earth round? Why do you go to work? What does THIS say? What does that say? Why? Why? Why? Why?_
_Ugh, Jimmy go watch Spongebob and leave Daddy alone. Daddy has to pay bills._
If you were brought up in a TV-less environment where reading/math/and learning was entertainment and your parents encouraged it, at your side, then your parents wouldn't necessarily have to force you to learn. Your parents would have to* guide* your curiosity, for instance, if you became obsess over rocks and stones, your parents would probably teach you a "cool trick" to know how many rocks you have (which would be counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying).
You speak the beautiful truth.
I had a diatribe here, but decided to backspace. You should resend that song to me. I didn't get to listen to it.
Brandon Defa i resent the message, you should have it now.
Ashley Casey My brother just got out of high school a few years ago, he was much like you. Intelligent. I used to enjoy the stories he would bring home, not only about the b.s. they were trying to teach, but how he would challenge it.
It's important for people to be where they are in time, but few utilize their importance in the whole.
People like you and my brother are put in these institutions to challenge them. There are many who will be influenced by you, even if they find you different. We need that influence to break us out of this paradigm.
It's time for a change, we all feel it, but once again few care to recognize this.
Awe thanks! :D
Tita Goosemin Your dog is hilarious! lol!
I went to public "mainstream" school. For my 4 years of high school I was placed into the very same pre-algebra class, after 4 years I still didn't get it. Just because you sit in a desk for all these years of your childhood, doesn't mean you will get anything out of it. I now homeschool our children and while they are all working at their own levels, (most above their age group) my favorite part is all of the time we spend together. You will never hear me complaining that it is summer vacation and the kids are home all day!!!
i was unschooled. i did not learn algebra or chemistry. i graduated college. i have a degree in social science. if i had wanted to go into a field where i needed algebra or chemistry i would have learned it. i learned what i needed when i needed it. my 8 yr old is intrested in Minecraft, and has decided to begin learning abt computer programming. unschooling allows for the child to learn what they need to. i bet many kids who learned algebra in h.s., cannot recall most of it now, which means it was not learned.
Christina Neville wow
Exactly. Most adults can barely recall Any information they were taught past 6th grade. Any idiot can get a college degree if they apply themselves. Many people with 2 or 3 master's degrees still struggle to find/maintain careers in their desired field. I'm not saying necessarily that there is no value at all in going to college, but it is odd that it seems to be widely accepted in our society that that is always considered "a given" in order to accomplish success in life(however one chooses to define success).
Thank you for sharing your story! 🙏💯❤
Young Turks or whatever you call yourselves...you are projecting your narrow minded views on others! I have unschooled all 6 of my kids and like the girl in the video said, if a person wants to accomplish a goal... college... or whatever ...he or she will learn what he or she needs to because of self-motivation. Honestly, you spew on about how unschoolers won't know chemistry or physics or algebra--how much of that stuff do you know? More importantly, for those of you who went into non-STEM fields, how much of that stuff from high school do you remember? Is it relevant to your career as an artist or quasi-broadcaster?
Three of my adult children (all unschooled) are taking different paths in life, however since narrow-minded people wish to judge everyone by their ability to be academically successful, then I will focus on my son, now 20. He was completely unschooled and taught no formal math (or anything else). Due to being free to pursue his interests, instead of languishing in a classroom "learning" things that he would later forget, he became interested in geology. He was able to learn invaluable skills through volunteer work with active professionals throughout the state, and even had an article written about him because he was one of the youngest persons formally involved in the field. From his exposure and his experiences, came a desire to go into engineering mining. With NO formal education, he began taking classes at age 17 at the local community college (he easily passed the tests required to begin taking college-level courses in spite of his "handicap"). He started with basic college math and has worked his way up to higher level math classes. He has received an "A" in every course from math to English to History to Foreign Language. He will be transferring to the State University in the Fall. He was able to learn what he needed to in order to accomplish his goals, and had the time to do extensive volunteer work as a teen which will give him an edge in his field (before graduating, he will have accumulated more field experience than many professors teaching his classes). What's really interesting is that he took the GED with no formal education and scored in the 90+ percentile in all subjects (a study revealed that many high school graduates are not able to pass the GED even after 12 years of formal education)!
So...that's my 2 cents on the subject.
Home-schooled students test high than public students. It is good, but this unschooled stuff is just plain absurd.
Educated people should know that you don't grow pickles. You grow cucumbers and make pickles from them.
One doesn't need to be "forced" to learn and it's not about "power". There are also many spectrums of what "unschooling" might look like. Most homeschoolers, and especially unschoolers, don't strive to "work" for someone else. Many become entrepreneurs. Who cares if one works at night and sleep in the morning or visa versa. An unschooler is usually "guided" by the parent, but are able to choose what they would like to learn more about. If a child enjoys history then the parent usually would make sure there are history books available, take the child to maybe a history museum or go on field trips with family or other homeschoolers. Of course there are "lazy" parents both in the homeschooling and the pubic school "court". Our kids have "chores" because we all want the house to be clean, so we all chip in. Just in any relationship...there is give and take. They have learned if they want mom to do something for them, then I expect that they do what I need done at home as well. They are not spoiled in anyway and are very respectful of others. It's not just about "schooling" but also about teaching and showing by example what "respect" looks like.
I was homeschooled. Not unschooled. But I still never did chemistry subjects until I went to University (just like a lot of school kids don't opt to do it unti Uni...). I did a Medical science degree and got excellent marks, despite not studying chem or physics or any science subjects. It is easy to catch up later!
Our educational system is based on a 100 year old idea designed during the industrial ryevolution. Back then we didn't even fly planes. Now, let's fast forward 100 years. Today, the world is a very small place and skills acquired by our children through regular education are near useless. The top three - math, language acquisition and science are still at the top of the "food chain" whereas creativity is still something that most schools don't take seriously. So basically, we're expected to prepare our children for the future (we don't even know what the world will look like 5 years from now) based on a 100 year old system. Another thing - where in real life, do you ever find yourself in a situation where you're forced to exist for 8hrs at a time with people same age as you? When in your life are you faced with situations that you can't simply walk away from?
Also, many studies had been conducted on the way that schooling is conducted. Lesson 1 - gym, lesson 2 - math, lesson 3 English.... do you really think that our brains can function like that? They don't. I was very much against homeschooling for a very long time. I'm an educator myself and had worked for international educational companies and after nearly 20 years in this field, I can honestly say that homeschooling and world schooling are the best options for our children. Unfortunately, our education is worth less and less, the BA is no longer worth the same as 20 or 30 years ago. Even the MA is not something worth much at this point either. It is crucial for our children to learn how to be creative and think on their feet as well as how to understand other cultures. These skills however are never taught in schools. I'm not against un-schooling, if done right, the people in this particular piece are not really doing it right, however, if done correctly by showing your children the right direction this is also a feasible option. If you look at history, prior to the industrial revolution way of teaching, those who were homeschooled were the best educated and went on to go and do great things whereas the "industrial style teaching" children, for the most part, went on to join the work force in factories etc... is it bad to do blue or white collar work? Of course not, every worker is necessary and to put it in a way that you guys did, it's offensive to those people who actually shovel your crap and take your garbage away. The corpo and white collar world is a small one in comparison to jobs which require real skills. Think about that for a minute before making such rash and uneducated statements.
So I reckon the argument is that all, or even most, of the students coming through the public education system exit with a proficiency in Algebra, Geometry, Biology, Physics, etc? That is definitely not the case. The notion that force feeding a curriculum to students "makes" them learn is simply untrue in my experience.
TYT are extremely judgmental and ignorant in their expressions here. I have a child in a public school, and this is just ridiculous.
so then unschooling is good?
lexia sanchez
It depends on the parents and the children that are doing the unschooling, nothing is good for everybody, but if there are responsible parents yes unschooling is very effective.
John Hendon Exactly. But public school would have you believe that it is the best choice (good for everyone) and even the ONLY choice.
I can see the idea of letting kids find the drive to do what they want, but if they've never been challenged before, that drive will be pretty weak.
For parents who might be considering this, I urge you to take a more structured approach than what's expressed in this video. Expose your children to as many topics as you can and see where their interests lie. But once you know what they're interested in, cultivate that interest and help them work towards it. Make sure they understand everything about it, and know the steps required to replicate it.
Otherwise, you could end up with a child who likes to play video games wanting to make them only to run headfirst into a wall of algebra, trigonometry, and calculus that they have no idea how to even begin to tackle.
For as terrible as the school system is, it serves the basic function of providing your children with a base broad enough to enter any field. Ignoring huge swaths of that education cuts down on the number of possible jobs they have a reasonable shot at doing.
If I may offer some advice, it's to never sleep on math. So much of math builds up on itself, and trying to understand calculus without a solid grasp on algebra is likely to frustrate your child into giving up. This is especially damaging to your child's opportunities, as degrees are basically separated into Engineering degrees (ALL of which require math skills) and liberal arts degrees (MOST of which, i.e. the physical and social sciences, require math). If you don't have a basic understanding of math at that point, you're going to be pretty screwed.
People who play video games as a career make more than the president annually
Maegan Zofnas Not on average they don't.
+Maegan Zofnas Hi Megan, Unfortunately, these probably make up a very small percentage of computer gamers :)
Yet if someone decides they want to do programming they can then learn the maths beginning with algebra if that's what they're up to. Just because the school sets it in a particular year doesn't mean everyone has to learn it then.
What about the unschooled students that have their own business in their teen years? Or master a skill like blacksmithing at a young age? What about the unschooled students that went on to Brown and Harvard etc. You can't base your whole argument on a highly biased video and then just state your opinions. You need to go much more in depth TYT.
I think this segment is unfair to unschooling families. Only 2 families were shown, and one of these was an extreme example of uninvolved parenting and unmotivated students. I know of many unschooling families who do much more to encourage their students to learn and to set future educational and career goals. Many unschooling kids ARE motivated to study math and science in their teen years to prepare for the future. Many are also highly accomplished in interests outside of academics, like art, music, technology or whatever.
I would love to see a follow-up on the lives of the unschooling family's kids--what are they doing now?
That was just rude. I know a lot of unschoolers may not have rules or chores, but we do. I am trying to calm down, but I have years of discipline under me, and I want my children to help. I cannot run a home with absolutely no help...but I have learned to look at my priorities a bit differently. I actually was thinking the other day-wouldn't life be better if we just tried to "fit in" and maybe send kids to school, go through the drive thru, not read labels....but I know that if people like ME do not start changing things, it will all end in disaster. How is it that if you see someones be mean to a dog, it makes your heart hurt...but parents spank their kids on a regular basis...how is it that now, if a woman chooses to stay home with her children, she does not have a "real job"? Why is it that if I wanted to sell my eggs at the market, I would need a special license? Nobody even wants to pay a fraction of what I need to cover the cost of raising my chickens organically, and humanly...not when they can go to walmart or kwik trip and get 'eggs' for 99 cents. The world we live in is skewed, it is messed up. I am all for technology and such, but people are puttint high paying careers and things over family, community, and just being human instead of robots
Tamika Anderson well said!!!!!
People who have never been around homeschooling children just think all kids have the I hate to learn attitude. That is what school does to kids. I once took my homeschooling children on a field trip with 4 other families. We waited outside of George Washington's tavern while a school bus load of public school students took their tour. When they came filing out towards their bus... they scuffed their feet, looked bored, walked with slumped shoulders, looking very unimpressed with the situation. When our group of kids finally got to talk to the guide, it was just so funny to see his reaction. He hardly knew what to do or say as their energy to learn and sop up knowledge while they were there just blew him away. They interacted with him and each other and every one of us had a wonderful time. Learning how to learn goes with you, when it is fun and satisfying.
Homeschool is the best option. As long as you are disciplined. Unschooling is bad for the kids and gives them no responsibility. Formal school is just WAAAAY too much stress.
You are so wrong. We expose our children to opportunities to learn. You don't need teachers and an outmoded "system" to learn. Children get guidance from parents and extended family, siblings and the wider community. We have resources like books and the internet. My son did learn Algebra on his own using books, Khan academy, which is a free online website where you can learn almost anything and from a university lecturer friend. Why did he want to learn algebra? Because he needed it create 3D animations. He is now 30 and he is an animator with his own business.
TYT strikes again. Unshooling wouldn't be something I'd be willing to try but it has worked for some. Homeschooling is better than public school in most cases. I myself learned algebra in 5th grade and was doing advanced calculus by 9th. I thought it was interesting and wanted to learn it on my own. Just like reading Shakespeare was entertaining. Listening and reading notes to better understand classical music was a hobby. These were things that traditional school slows down to the point of losing interest. instead of belittling the unschooling crowd, look for the successes to failure rates and comment on that. Also, take a look at carrier diplomas and "Testing out" option. I sometimes forget I'm trying to make a point to TYT. Have your fun talking down to people and reporting things without malice or forethought.
Similar experience. Some kids do love to learn and are best with a little less involvement, just not all.
I don't usually agree with the Turks, but I do here. I have home schooled for almost 16 years. Two of my children are in college now, and one is a senior in high school. My oldest is going for a nursing degree, while the other is aiming for a degree in criminal justice. My rising senior plans to major in business management. WE DID NOT UNSCHOOL. Frankly, most of the unschoolers I know don't end up in college. They give an entire carnegie credit in wood working for building a bird house that took all of 2 hours. I'm not saying wood working can't be a good credit, but not just for one 2 hour project. We did a very traditional curriculum, and it did not stiffle my childrens hyper curiosity. By the way, even if your children don't use Algebra every day, it is a perfect disciplinarian tool for their lives. Having to learn Algebra and higher maths is great personal discipline and will teach them as much about life as mathematics.
If you have children with special needs, home school. It helped me so much, compared to public school.
I don't think anyone should have an opinion on something they clearly know nothing about. Perhaps they haven't met anyone why's actually been unschooled? This 'report' has definitely solidified my opinion on TYT. Thank you for that.
Oh come on. There is no way you can use a logical argument to back this up as long as you expect your kids to live a stereotypical life. Now if you expect them to live in a commune or some other sort of alternative lifestyle then that's different. But if that's the case then giving your children no rules or boundaries makes no sense because you've already made the ultimate choice for them.
I'm in unschooling and i do lots of homework just as much as kids in real school don't think bad about unschooling every one is different about teaching
***** yea I was in unschooling but I hated it
I have been unschooled for two years now.. Not to say that it's at all my first choice for an education however, I have been excluded by all major schooling systems because of my absolute inability to learn in a normal classroom environment. Putting me in he normal classroom environment has caused me severe mental health problems on top of my multiple learning disabilities. In these two years yes i have watched my fair share of tv and spent days laying around not doing well anything.. But i have had two going on three intern-ships at places that wouldn't even dream of taking on an unskilled uneducated students. I am considered a very smart individual and very skilled in many trades in life. I have learned way more things than most kids will learn in any school in north america, granted education is a gift, the kinds of education most children are receiving in regular schools really isn't teaching *MOST* students anything that they will use later on in life it is stressing them unnecessarily and causing them mental health issues. NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Instead you insist on overloading and stressing your children and students constantly. Telling them that because they get below average grades they are stupid, that they are write-off's, That they are lazy, unteachable and will never go far in life, when in fact that is not at all true they have just as much chance in life if not more of surpassing their goals. In my experience with unschooling i have learned more on my own in these past two years, than i have in 10 and a half years of schooling so leave me and all other unschooled children alone because we thrive and will continue on thriving and surpassing what anyone ever assumed we can do. For me it's just the best way to learn.
You have no idea how FRUSTRATING this is to watch as an unschooler. I have been unschooled my whole life and am proud of it. People ask me all the time, "how are you getting a proper education?" "how do you socialize?" "how are you going to graduate from highschool?"
1) I have a LIFE. I go out and do things. I ENJOY going to museums and other educational places because I'm not being forced to! I LOVE to read! I took a college level chemistry class at 15 and got an A!
2) Again, I have a life
I was that weird kid who read the encyclopedia for fun but I'm definitely glad I went to public school. I tried homeschooling and I HATED it. Unschooling is just ridiculous.
I read medical books for fun and honestly, unschooling would have worked for me. I would not recommend unschooling for most people however, because as you can see from my first sentence, I'm just weird.
No one claims the ability to learn something magically and instantaneously. Why would a kid be a scientist or mathematician if they have no interest in it in the first place? What do you remember about math or chemistry or physics? Do those subjects apply to your job? If not, why bother learning them?
Right. And he pretends as if he's never heard of a "library" before. If a kid really enjoys math or science (since that's what unschooling's mainly about [ENJOYING learning, and evoking a passion, instead of discouraging their passions, to pressure them to learn things they'll forget in two years, and probably won't use again]) then you can buy them some workbooks, or textbooks for them to knock out, or send them to an academic camp. Unschooling kids have a lot more options than conforming kids.
Without some basic knowledge of science, we enter the dark world of superstition.
RomansPwnedJesus I'm saying that everyone needs to learn science. Not that everyone needs a traditional formal education. It didn't work for me.
PolycrystallineLace No one "needs" to learn it. It's just inevitable that some will be passionate about it, while others won't give two craps about it, and thrive in other areas. Knowledge shouldn't be forced.
maybewise
Right...because superstition and fear are ok.
I was homeschooled. Most of my childhood consisted of reading, playing in the woods, fishing, and bringing home injured animals. And I learned a lot from that. But we also did math and english, and a different subject study every semester. For example, my mom would order a box full of everything we needed for a medieval studies unit, and a bunch of other things. So I agree with unconventional schooling, but routine is also required.
Hi!. Im 16 and have been unschooled my whole life and i am a historian and i know what i want from my life and i feel as tho i know how to get it. In short this video is wrong.
Absolutely biased from the get go!
plz do some research before critisising those ppl: unschooling is how we all learn before kindergarten, otherwise a baby would never learn to talk or walk etc..
It is actually the same. :)
I don't say to my kids - do you want to learn... and list everything.
Learning just keeps happening. You know you learn something new everyday. Homeschoolers who don't use formal methods just learn many more new things each day by informal methods.
She was rude with the children. It is funny how people care about sending children to school, when most of the people remember almost nothing from what they learned there. Except what they were interested in. So what is the difference? In schools you suffer, and children have to suffer, right?
I feel it is very different from that. I absolutely *hate* school, but it would be a disaster if my parents had just let me do whatever at a young age, and I'm glad that wasn't my situation. You learn a lot more in school than what you're interested in. I mean, yeah, I totally agree when people say things like algebra are pretty useless, as well as other classes, but it's more the skills picked up than the subject at hand. You learn critical thinking, logic, analyzing, people skills (!!!), etc. And sure, the kids will be all for it now, but what will they think when they're adults? Maybe a GED would be useful when McDonald's won't even hire them. While their peers are having successful careers, they still need to go back and get their education because mom and dad can't support them forever, and it would amaze me if they looked back when they are 40 and not have a few regrets about how they handled their own "learning".
falling07riot THe problem is that you think that children wont get interested in Algebra. When I was a child, my brother used to teach me math for fun. I used to see him resolving his university exercises and I wanted to understand them. I would have a lot of fun doing things that were a lot beyond what they were teaching me at school. And this is the funny thing. Now I hate math, and I hate math because of my school teachers, because they forced me to exercise things I already knew, or things that were not so interesting, things that didn't mean a thing to me, because they were more concentrated in his program than on what i could learn. So don't think that children wont get interested on this or that, they will, and the good fact is that nobody will fuck them up their interest.
I understand where you're coming and it makes sense, but I don't see that working out for most kids. For example, what if someone else didn't even have siblings? Maybe they won't even be exposed to algebra at all. If I stopped going to school in 1st grade I wouldn't know what algebra looks like. While I'm not saying that is the most important thing in the world, I believe that the beneficial aspect of school is the exposure to more things you would not have been otherwise.How do you get to learning about things you've never even heard of? Also, it's good to be exposed to different ideas and different cultures that come from socially with other kids your age, I know I wouldn't get that if I had been pulled out of school.
falling07riot It is interesting that you repeat like three times that algebra is useless, when I think that it is essencial for living. i find it interesting that you, a person that went to school, are unable to see how this information is connected to everyday living. A homeschooler will need algebra just like any other human being, and since they are living a real life (not just sitting in front of a teacher) they will learn when it is that normal people need it. I find it terrible that you can't connect certain knowledge you have with your daily life, and that is something I don't want for my children. And one more thing, if in the house, children dont have siblins or parents that reinforce these knowledge and give them things to think, they will just be bad students at school.. Or not?
And Please, don't think that I underestimate your education, your way of communicating just tells me that you are a smart person, it is just that I think that even people like you would have learn and enjoy school a lot more if it was not so controlled.
They're children! They simply don't have the capacity to dictate their own lives. Schooling offers a platform for children to make wholesome and educated choices about their adult life. Children can't learn something if they're not even aware that it exists
I am confused. If all you do is allow the children to do whatever the hell they want, then stop calling yourself a parent. Call yourself a moron, because that is what you are & what your children will most likely grown up to be.
We homeschool rather than unschool. However, I do believe that unschooling, when properly done, DOES have a certain amount of merit (what was shown in the video is radical unschooling). In fact, Psychology Today published an article entitled "A Survey of Grown Unschoolers" which viewers of this video might find interesting. The sample used by the author, Dr. Gray, is small, only 75 students, but the results are interesting. Also of interest might be information about the students from Democratic Free Schools, which operate on a similar philosophy to unschooling. For this, see the article "Democratic Schooling: What Happens to Young People Who Have Charge of their Own Education?" in the American Journal of Education, Vol 94, No. 2, Feb. 1986. There are also a number of young unschoolers online who have their own blogs or vlogs, and Dolly Freed, 18-year-old author of the 1970s classic Possum Living, was practically unschooled. (She later became a NASA engineer.) Intelligent, college-bound unschoolers DO learn algebra and/or chemistry...when they need to do so and, because they realize that they NEED to learn these subjects to get into college, they apply themselves (rather than resent a teacher trying to teach them something so "boring") and learn the material much more quickly. Unschooling isn't for everyone; it's not even for us, but I think in order to discuss it intelligently, one needs to at least try to make the paradigm-shift.
Yes, when unschooling is done right (i.e. not like the people in this video), it can go very, very well. People forget that the modern day school system is only around 120 years old.
Is it really so different to the family in the video? What was that science experiment we saw so briefly? We didn't hear what they do know only what they don't know.
I love how they judge something without doing any research lol
My two year old is learning numbers and letters of her own accord, as well as THREE foreign languages, not to mention her incredible vocabulary in her first language!! I have not even decided what I think the best schooling option is for her as of yet! Oh, and she helps with all house hold chores from laundry to dishes, sweeping and vacuuming, cleaning up her own toys. She also wipes down the bathroom sink every morning and the kitchen table every evening after dinner. She is completely potty trained to the point that she only asks me to turn the light on because she cannot reach it. She also takes care of our dog and chickens! All this because I don’t make a huge deal of it. I just follow her lead and interests (“Montessori” or “Un-schooling” style). Yes, I require her to brush her teeth twice a day, but most of the time she does it herself and asks me to set it up for her! She can also feed herself and puts her dishes on the dish washer.
My point is that you are selling your kids short and playing into this idea that most have been brainwashed to believe. You are also supposed to report on things. You should be unbiased, or at very least fully educated and researched on the subject you are reporting! Dare I say it? An in-schooler would be!! Gasp! You two terrible “reporters” ought to check out the Cambridge study on un-schooled children. WORST NEWSCAST EVER!!! I only watched to the end to laugh at THEIR ignorance!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Am I the only one concerned that these people think you can grow pickles? You grow cucumbers that you then put in a spiced brine for a while that makes them into pickles. I've known a lot of homeschool kids, as well as those in public school. I personally think it has to do more with the kid's personality and learning style than anything, there is no "right" answer. Just for reference I am in private school.
There are tons of kids who take Algebra in high school or in middle school. They know jack squat when you ask them about their work because they are not learning. Unschooling is facilitating a love of learning. I am usually very impressed with your level of knowledge on subjects. I am extremely disappointed on this piece.
but the people in the video are terrible at unschooling their kids
If your an adult or were a child with no internal drive to learn then let me let you in on a secret, you had it! You were born with it! But It was stolen from you by misled parents that controlled your every move! It's not in your nature to not be driven to learn quite the opposite, loosing the love of learning is a consequence of forced learning from the time you were born! When your constantly told no! not what you want, do what I want mine is better then yours then you grow to be self interested narcissist that's learned to hate learning, many many times to the point of loosing your entire internal drive toward pursuing & learning about things that interest you for life!! That's a sad life! But all the doctors, therapists, manufactures of this & that all love it!! We have bought into a lie that force learning is going to produce the opposite of what it really does!!
I went through formal schooling and i believe that people dont like unschooling because it sounds crazier than it is. I graduated five years ago, and so far i never need to answer any algebra, nor do i need any science or labs. Actually, the only math i have needed was simple math, and the only science i have needed was how to make home made ice cream. Also, anything that i need to find out that i dont know, like fixing my computer, or cooking grilled chicken, can be found on youtube. I dont know if i would send my kid through unschool, but atleast have an open mind about it. If i felt my kid would get more out of unschool than formal school then i would try it. Many kids dont fit in, cant focus, struggle to keep up, and worst of all feel like they dont belong. When the kids dont feel comfortable they feel like they arent as smart as the other kids. I like that people are trying something different, and if it doesnt work out i am sure they can get something out of it.
They are used to children don't wanting to learn, because school makes them hate learning. I have seen a lot of unschoolers that are extremely smart and interesting. I think you should just explore and research a liitle bit more.
My three children were home educated. They are all honest, hardworking citizens. One owns and operates a dairy farm, and did not grow up in that environment... he does very well, by the way, and it is not easy to make it in that industry these days.
One works in a custom meat processing facility. Our family business was custom meat processing. She walked into a wonderful situation in another state because she understood the trade. One child is a homemaker/mother/taxidermist. She was the artsy, animal lover. But she is running a business and doing all the things she loves. I am proud of all of them.
I agree with you Ligia. Children learn to hate learning in school, and do so in the early years. Then they learn to do as little as possible to satisfy the teacher and get the grade... just coping with the system. There is stress to conform and perform and you are measured by some misguided, one size fits all, standards. I was around many home education situations. Parents who truely want their kids to succeed in life will facilitate, and help children see why they need to learn certain subjects. And in my experience, the child wants to learn that. But I often reminded them and encouraged them to use a math book, read profitable materials, make their own spelling and vocab lists whenever they found something new to learn. We lived looking for new things to learn... it was fun, engaging, rewarding, interesting all the time. Honestly it was a fun and rewarding lifestyle, but a lot of hard work, we learned to live on one income, and everything we did was part of learning and moving on to the next level. We all learned to budget, and none of us are seeking entitlements. My kids were ahead of their piers on many levels at 18 years. We mixed up the unschooling and homeschooling ideas and did what worked for us. It changed as they grew older. Schools are boring and turning out students who have no idea how to do many necessary adult tasks. Chemistry, higher math and such are certainly not beyond the home or un schooler. I took Algebra 4 times in my life. I did the problems on my tablet while they did theirs and it was so much fun for them to get the right answer sooner than I did. I was hard to beat, so they did well. I really miss those fun times. But I love the excellency I see in them today.
I wrote the same thing.
I feel like that Unschooling thing is edited, and the conversation was clipped
It was majorly clipped. You have to see the parents in interview... Schools are social institutions made to breed empty thoughtless minds who sinc information into their heads long enough to take a quiz, then dump it out the other ear. It was made to ruin the joys of learning, and to make kids only believe what certain ideas help our capitalistic society. None more.
Remember haters. Keep it real.
It's about Unschooling. Not Homeschooling.
I'm Homeschooled, and I don't think "Unschooling" is a wise idea.
When I was 10, I never thought I'd become an engineer. Little did I know then. Now, after a third of a century as an engineer, I'm grateful for my education. It turns out that maths & physics are very useful, almost magical tools of creativity. A person not taught these subjects will not realize his own potential to understand this modern world or to contribute meaningfully to society at large. Education is a gift that keeps on giving.
i am home schooled. my mom is like sarge tho. i was just in a math competition and kicked some butt. homeschooling works if one has the right teacher. i am a senior and have some very nice college options!
I went to the public school and TYT sound ridiculous about their opinions.I am for homeschooling.Yeah what makes someone smart is their ability to learn not being forced to go to PRISON OOPS I MEAN PUBLIC SCHOOL.I do however believe kids should do their chores around their homes you know what I'm saying but do not scream at them to do them so you do not sound like some psycho who needs to be COMMITED or as we call it in florida BAKER ACTED and to tell them good work after chores are done.Also when having them do a math or English assignment say you gotta do this if you do it not you don't have to worry about doing it later and they will do it right away guaranteed.
Yeah I hear the reason why some parent's homeschool so their kid's can avoid even seeing bullying which I can't argue with that. People are allowed to say that that's a ridiculous reason but I can disagree because those kid's can have plenty of opportunities to be social like taking brazilian jiu jitsu lesson' s or muay thai or kickboxing. Things like that are good opportunities to be more social.
Lyndsayarielle Cool
Hopefully all just work's out well. This is interesting stuff you're talking about doing in the future and I hope you just overachieve at it. You're doing great. Keep up the great work.
Sounds interesting and like a good idea too. Again it's great to hear you're doing something good in your life instead of wasting it by partying alot. Ya know drinking alot of alcohol and getting high on drugs or whatever. I wish people would better thing's to do with their lives because they're just wasting it away and that is a shame.
I understand the argument of unschooling. Our public schools are basically a joke. I homeschooled my daughter. She was in public school til her freshman year. She had a philosophical difference with a teacher on a subject in her history book. Her teacher was leftist and was trying to outsmart my straight A conservative thinking daughter. She received all A's except for in her class, she received an F. I went to the principle, and he sided with the teacher. I took her out. She graduated at 16
The map has Nevada incorrect. It has us listed as "low regulation" and that couldn't be farther from the truth. I home school my son, and I still have to register him with the school district, submit my curriculum and his results as well as his "attendance" hours. if a child is between 5 and 18, they MUST be registered with some form of viable and transferable education curriculum, or the parents face serious fines AND jail time.
Personally, I think this "unschooling" BS is pure laziness by the parents. It's easier for them to let their kids run wild, without structure or discipline. It's easier for them to not have to watch and care for their children and just be their children's friends. But kids NEED *parents*, NOT more friends. They are only doing a disservice to their kids! No one will hire these kids, when they are exposed to the real world, to real jobs and situations, how will they cope? Will they tell their boss "this is MY burger flipping spatula, so I don't feel like cleaning it, or flipping burgers with it. In fact, I don't feel like getting up at noon, or following any rules, my mommy never gave me rules, so you can't either!"??
I feel sorry for their kids, I truly do. The kids are thinking they hit the parent jackpot, but will those parents be able to support them for the rest of their lives? This should be a crime, it should be considered neglect, and I hope the best for those kids.
Unschooling isn't like that... I don't agree with it completely, but TRUE non-sensationalized unschooling is nothing like the foolishness in media.
Unschooling dosen't prepare for being an employee. It prepares for being an employer or self employed. It encourages learning by respecting individuality and choice. It allows for self directed, self interested, and self motivated study. It does not use threats or violence to force an outsiders opinion of what is important. It treats the child as a person with personal thoughts, wants, needs, and allows natural curiosity to motivate and direct. It is anti-authoritarian and therefore out of the cultural mainstream. It does not make for good, obedient citizens. It makes freethinkers. Freethinkers are rare. They innovate and create all of humanities progress.
Young turks should look up the history of public education. It was originally used to train children (operant conditioning) to be away from parents and respond to bells, etc so that they would be prepared for factory work. Also to fill minds with extra information and suppress creativity that factory workers do not need. There is no doubt that children learn in public schools but an open classroom with 30 children is not the best way for all to learn. For example kids with ADHD, children that are hearing impaired etc There are plenty of ways to socialize children. BTW I might have agreed with the young turks when I was myself young and inexperienced but I am neither at this point in time. I home school a previously public schooled child. What a personality change! I dont agree with the no rules thing but from what I understand that is rarely how unschooling is done
Still is.
Wow, thanks for that. Very insightful, and makes sense. I studied operant conditioning in Psychology many years ago, and Education Studies later on. All the pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly. Thanks. ;-)
Unschooling, huh? Seems more like uninvolved parenting.
Honestly sending your kids to school and relying so much on the school to teach them things is uninvolved parenting because you're not teaching them anything so it's like you're not really there for them.Feeding,clothing and providing shelter for your kids is only part of involved parenting you have to also spend time with your kids and no more partying.Once your first born is in this world your day's of selfishness are supposed to be done for good.In my neighborhood I see so many kids at party house's and I am like if they get their kid's taken away it serves them right for being such neglectful PIECES OF TRASH.
Actually, you are really, really wrong on that. The two unschooling families that I know are SUPER involved in their kids lives and they spend alot of time together. They may communicate a little differently, in ways that most aren't used to, but they aren;t disrespectful. In fact, they are pretty articulate, sociable human beings. Can't say that about some of the animals that come out of formal school.
loveumleaveum How many children you know would just go and learn stuff on their own? Especially at the ages of 7 to 11 or so. Yeah, they might be curious and interested in some things, to an extent - but the moment it gets hard, or boring, they would go straight back to playing videogames or surfing internet. And when it's time to go to college (seeing how higher education is required in many professions): there is a certain minimum amount of knowledge expected at the entrance.
To further my point: 4:40 "If I need to learn, I pick up a textbook and I learn" - I share Cenk's sentiment, good luck with that. However flawed the educational system is, it still provides structure for the learning process. In addition to other benefits, that is.
114Freesoul I know you can't understand this, and most people who are stuck on school can't fathom that a child can and will learn on his own. Ben Franklin, Frederick Douglass, all of the great historic leaders were self-taught. They did not go through twelve years of schooling in order to become smart, productive members of society. School as we knew it was created in Prussia as a way of mass control during the Industrial Revolution. When these schools were created, education gradually was limited into what is now complete socialization. Right now, there is no education going on in schools. If there was, 100% of children would be graduates, and there would be no low wage jobs or poverty.
To go back to my point of the unschoolers, yes they did pick up a book on their own, and out of sheer determination, learned what they needed to know. In school, you are forced to learn on the district's timetable, and if you don't you are considered a failure. The pressure drives many students to fail miserably, and many aren't prepared with the focus to succeed in higher education and life in general. Ivy League schools actively seek out homeschoolers and unschoolers because they have a more realistic approach to life, and most importantly don't flake out on commitments the way alot of college freshman do. You should really get to learn more about unschoolers and homeschoolers before making general antiquated assumptions about how they learn. The statistics of their success goes against your beliefs.
Actually in a recent interview with a bunch of different CEO's and others who do the hiring for businesses when asked in 2017 if having a college degree mattered they all said NO....everyone has them pretty much so it doesn't really make any difference at all if they have one as long as they have the skills to do the job they said they would hire the person if they really wanted to work, had drive and was willing to learn etc. So the old school need to have a degree isn't even true anymore for the most part.
This show is so opinionated and they've edited the show in such a way to fit perfectly well into their notions of what education should be. So ignorant and condescending. If they really wanted to make a point against unschooling they better do their job well and interview other unschooling families who have positive experiences.
I do whatever I feel like doing as well. Unschooling hasn't ever stopped me from doing what I want to do. It has helped me by allowing me the time to pursue my passions and interests. I spent the years from age 12 to 17 developing computer games and collaborating with people from all over the world. Programming taught me advanced math, the art served as a graphic design class, and leading a team of designers at a young age taught me leadership and management skills. I wouldn't have had time.
Wow, theres still a misunderstanding between homeschooling and unschooling? She just clarified. But allow me to clarify even more.
Homeschool: Perfectly legitimate. Your parents actually teach you things.
Unschool: Not legitimate. Your parents don't teach you anything. It's not really school if they don't teach you.
"Learning is paying attention." - Accepted, the movie. "Classes will dull your mind."-John Nash, - A Beautiful Mind...I recommend reading Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning by Sara McGrath. She tells how she's always putting interesting things to learn in her children's path. She promotes daily learning, and makes it clear that her children are very motivated in their hobbies which promotes lots of study.
you have to guide them and teach them what is important to live a successful life. not just letting them be rugrats.
Who said anything about no discipline? AGAIN, no one should have an opinion unless they have personal experience with this. That family featured on CNN, is NOT typical of most unschooling families. After all, why would the media want to spread truth about what it's really like to be unschooled? Journalists don't love drama and always speak the truth, right?
I'm a homeschooling mother, a former teacher who found that the system called public school was a joke and a babysitting service. While I try to keep the dumbed down textbooks to a minimum, I want my kids to learn the benefits of intellectual discipline, time management, social responsibility, etc. Unschooling would make me crazy. That said, I still think parents should be allowed to decide how they want to raise the kids. Not everyone needs college to succeed, either.
I am a high school math teacher in Texas. I am SICK with the culture of schools, and the horrible spoon fed system. And I hate the idea of FORCING PEOPLE to pay for this system. Public school in its current form should not be funded by our taxes; sorry.
I disagree with much of your views but you are dead on about this deranged unschooling. I are homeschooling and this unschooling is insane. It honestly gives home schooling a bad name because people don't understand the difference. Part of being the parent is you know more than you children. You are to prepare them for things they will need to know in the future. Cleaning, discipline, handling emotions, reading, writing, math science, etc. I understand that my goal is for my kid to surpass my wife and I in intelligence. There will come a time where they do teach themselves from reading, online classes, etc but this is not in stinking elementary school age.
I agree with what you said about the role of parents, but I disagree with what you said about elementary school aged kids not being able to teach themselves from reading, online classes, etc.
I homeschool my 10-year-old son, and it's obvious to me that he and many other kids of about his age teach themselves quite a bit by reading. My son knows a lot more than I do about Monopoly, Pokemon, and Minecraft, but he also knows quite a bit about botany (especially poisonous plants - but he also knows that one cannot grow pickles!), different kinds of animals, and chemical elements, among other things. Some of his knowledge he has picked up from reading and talking with me and others, but much he's picked up from his own reading and from watching videos on RUclips.
My son's education resembles unschooling in that I allow and encourage him to follow his interests. However, it does not resemble the families in the video. My son has rules to follow (including limits on screen time), and chores to do). He also has a variety of academic subjects he needs to work on every week - but he has a say in what he wants to do for that subject (for example, for science, this week he worked with a Circuit Maker kit, read a book about botany, talked about plants, sketched the onions that have sprouted in his garden bed, and talked about plants, among other things). I reminded him to check on his garden bed; the rest, he chose on his own initiative. A few years ago, it was the Periodic Table of the Elements in which he was most interested.
He is definitely not ready to fully determine what his education will entail and at what time, and he needs a lot of encouragement to complete assignments in areas he finds frustrating and difficult, but he certainly can and does learn from reading (independently and together) and on-line (especially from Kahn Academy and RUclips).
Ya, letting your kids watch TV and play computer games is no good, but unschooling can be done well. A suburban home with TV and computer games are likely not the place for it (unless, perhaps the kids have payed for those things themselves).
I just read Ben Hewitt's book, Home Grown. It's partly about his family's experience, but also of the experience of connecting to the land. The children are profoundly responsible, who do chores voluntarily, because they know it will feed them, and at the age 8 and 11 help their aging neighbour baling hay, dress and cook game, trap animals and sell the fur (legally), can build (and hunt with) a bow and arrow, build complex structures, drive tractors, harvest maple syrup (and manage selling it), and have a profound understanding of ecology. They studied hard to pass their hunting license exam, so they have that capability. Many unschoolers who want to go into school have caught up in only a few weeks. Really who's to say that bailing hay and dressing game aren't more valuable that times tables.
How do you think they learned how to garden and grow cucumbers? When they find something they want to do they must research it and then implement it. Shows how little you actually think before you speak. When you were 10 and wanted to watch TV all day it was because you were never given the option to learn at your own pace. You were forced to learn in school. You guys don't have any valid arguments!
You guys are criticizing that particular family, but you can't just assume all unschoolers live that way. Many people are very successful with unschooling as kids. If you want to judge the philosophy, read more on it before you do.
Dang, that really sucks. Unschooling is definitely something where the whole family should be involved.
How often do 99% of people use chemistry, biology or physics in their everyday lives? Never.
The point of it is that kids will learn and do what they're naturally drawn to and interested in. If you care about what you're learning, you'll learn better and faster. If they wanted to be mathematicians, chemists, physicists or whatever, then they would study for those things and ignore kickball, poetry and all of the other shit that they don't care about and don't need to learn anyway.
This should be considered child abuse.
These people actively limit their children's chances in life.
It for good reasons that this is not legal in any civilized countries.
Unschooling is a nice word for no schooling. If a poor minority parent did this they would be arrested and charged with failing to provide an education to their children. However because these are white middle/upper middle class parents its OK. All children need an education. While you can teach them what ever you want they need to learn the minimum that is required by the state. Remember what is required by the state will also probably be needed in college.
if the parents are so concerned about this, just send the kids to a private school that matches their ideology. public schools are garbage in almost all countries. unschooling is a nice idea to respect and teach your child so he or she will lead a more healthy childhood.but the kid still has to learn how to read, do math for basic brain training, history, science, sports, group activities, cultures and so on. unschooling is a child abuse and once they are 18 and know nothing you will see why.
Does the nature of this "debate" show what public school did for you 2 ? Emotionally charged opinions with no basis. Not convincing. Repulsive. Aggravating. Not at all educational.
Way to go unschooling parents. You know they've got it right when they think children are fit to adjudicate their own education curriculum - something that is planned and executed by experts who have undertaken years if not decades of dedicated research.
There is a HUGE difference between unschooling and homeschooling. Unfortunately, too many people think that unschooling is the norm which it isn't. Most homeschoolers have parents that are very hands-on with their education. I find the idea of unschooling absurd! It's the parents job to be a disciplinarian, a role model, and a guide in a child's life not a best friend.
I can almost guarantee that non-schooling kids are not going to get a job anywhere. Everyone needs the basic reading, writing and math. All the rest is extra to boost to get a higher paid job.
I'm beginning unschooling tomorrow. I think it's a great idea. Most people who oppose it tend to overlook the fact that teenagers are capable people who can gain information that they need. People are programed to learn from the very beginning. We learn from our environment naturally. We learn speech, social norms, and a billion other things from our environment alone. The only reason people are opposed to learning is because we've decided learning is something that's forced.
It's not morally justifiable to force a kid to brush his teeth.
It's not aggression to protect someone from immediate danger of which they are unaware. If someone is incapable of giving consent (they're insane, unconscious, etc.) then you can only violate their rights if they would almost certainly give consent were they able. If you do protect them from danger, but they do not afterwards consent, then what you have done is morally wrong. As with the teeth, the child is clearly not consenting.
When I was a baby, they told my mom things would be different when I became old enough for grade school. When I became old enough for grade school, they told me things would be different at high school age. Now that I'm high school age, they tell me things will be different when I'm college age. But things have only gotten better, as I have learned what a true gift my freedom of education is, and as I have found my interests, and begun to pursue them into the world of making money.
I think you've missed the entire point. Unschooling isn't about letting kids do whatever they want. Like I said, forget what this video told you. It's 100% possible for parents to work with their kids and teach them things while being unschooled. Personally, I learned more at home than I ever did at school.
Why can't you ask the kids if they want to brush their teeth?
Like a child? I've run several businesses, very successfully, since I was 15 years old. I'm unschooled. Here, they try to argue against it, and by any intelligent person's standards, fail miserably. Unschooling, is the future. You, are obviously antiquated, and your ideas have not evolved, as the world has.
Unfortunately, the Young Turks chose to be ignorant and sarcastic about unschooling. The family examples were very biased. Unschooling is a healthy way of life. Just like school kids, there are no guarantees of success, then again, what is your definition of success? Let's be honest, how many adults remember chemistry or algebra ? Unless you have used it in your careers, you have naturally forgotten it. All that time spent learning was a waste NOT an exposure. So ask yourselves, what is a healthy lifestyle ? For me, it is one that includes education as a life long learning and not one that limits it to a specific hour in day and time of life. Education is also the love of learning and developing (physically, mentally and spiritually.) Hence the school system, restricted by budget, and, politically refined, falls short of this. Unschooling is an option for a better life and can be unique to each family.
This is not unschooling it is neglect. My children are unschooled by being given access to lots of books on a variety of subjects, classics. They go to a homeschool coop where they take classes that they choose. My daughter has taken cooking, dance, art, chemistry, manner, literature and others. She is 8. They don't watch TV, but occasionally watch educational videos and cartoons. We play games like monopoly so they can do math. We discuss books and do chores and cook together. It's great
My brother and I were home schooled, but now that I look back on it, we were almost 'unschooled' in the way that we had no set schedule. I was always very motivated and loved learning. We learned Science in a hands on way...museums, experiments, etc. My dad studied botany in college and enjoyed teaching us on his days off. I had more time to focus on music lessons and reading. Once we were in 9th grade, we went to small private schools. I finished two years early and went on to University.
99.9% of kids are not going to spend 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, learning and studying if they are given the choice to not. Can't argue with that.
I went to public school, I got great grades, but I was a horrible student. I slept in class, I never paid attention, and often skipped school.. My only salvation an unschooling neighbor. If you had a question they would answer it. Now my daughter is a great student with bad grades. They improved only when I started to partially homeschool her. I was allowed to roam freely and learn what I wanted. I learned all i needed outside of school. I just went test days. Next year homeschooling full time.
Homeschooling is fine as long as you do it right; but unschooling? Those parents need to be punched in the face. They pretty much screwed their kids over. How are those kids supposed to get a job or into college with probably less education than a 5th grader?
1st TYT ignore the incredible level of failure of state schooling paid for by outrageous sums of money taken at the point of a gun.
John Taylor Gatto, 3 times NY City Teacher of the Year and NY State Teacher of the Year, has written books and articles about schools which allow children to decide their own curriculum including doing nothing at all.
John attributes most of his success to convincing his students they were in charge of their own education. Don Winfield for TheLibertyGang Site
Homeschooling should not be allowed. How on earth will they learn social interaction? And when they're homeschooled the religious but jobs are open to do what they want. I don't understand how anyone can support homeschooling without a valid reason
Unschooling works when you have that rare exceptional child who wants to learn more than the people around them. Unschooling doesn't work when it's just random schmucks doing whatever they want.
The only reason kids in school aren't interested in the work is because the school system makes it boring. That's why an unschooler will follow their passions, because they haven't been subjected to school and haven't had the interest sucked out of all their subjects. People seem to think that if people don't learn everything as children, they'll never be able to, but it's not true. Anyone of any age can learn what they want when they need to.
This is not homeschool. This is repulsive. This is a video of parents dropping the ball on their kids future. I'm gonna go throw up now.
Is asking the kids a bad thing? If the kids say yes, no problem. If the kids say no, then it's the parent's job to convince a child to brush their teeth.
Non-violent parenting really is better
Obviously those who think unschooled kids are socially awkward have never met an unschooler. They are some of the most intelligent, articulate people I have ever met, who have the ability communicate with a wide range of people.
This video irritates me to no end. First of all unschooling is NOT homeschooling and TYT is trying to blend the two together. Second, I was homeschooled and was able to walk into college and start engineering degree classes just fine and pull very decent grades. Fourth, half the high school grads don't know jack squat and can't even make college.
Oh, and these people who think letting their kids do whatever they want wherever they want is OK are complete idiots.