What is unschooling?

To me, autonomous education or unschooling is all about learning together with my son.

To unschool him would means to allow him to be himself. To allow him to be the master of his life. Many a times I wished and itched to step in and rein in his obsession; but I've learnt that to impose any restrictions on my son would mean him rebelling against it. So my philosophy is why create a battle when we can resolve this amiacably? Not that I am being a bad parent by allowing him to do whatever he wants, but instead I am being a good parent by allowing him to learn how to make good decisions, by making bad decisions. DS know should he need an opinion, he can seek counsel with me. By allowing him all the space he wants, he will soon get to the bottom of whatever he is obsess with, and will move onto newer pastures. By not focusing on controlling DS, I am free to concentrate on what I want to do, and get on with it. And DS will learn to moderate himself if he wants to aligned himself to my routine.

All of the above have made my child believe nothing is too small, too big, too silly, too serious, too difficult, too impossible to explore and everything can be discussed.

Now that all mental barrier to learning is remove, it is my job then to bridge any handicap that my child presents, mentally or physically. If he cannot spell, I will spell for him. If he cannot draw, I will draw for him. If he doesn't want to write, I will scribe for him. If he cannot stop for food, I will feed him.

The objective is to help him reach his goal and accomplish that he will, despite any mental handicaps place there, either by himself or society.

Example:-My son will read any book from a very early age, despite the fact some of the books he picked is too mature and deep for him. But nevertheless, it never stopped him from picking up a very thick and heavy book to take home. Because he knows I WILL help him carry this book home, and I WILL read this book to him. Hence, he knows, no book is too difficult and too heavy to access into.
Nowadays, he'll read anything on his own. His reading level is of a 15 or 16 years old. Infact he is reading books meant for teenagers.

Our unschooling means to dis-regard all the conventional thinking and follow our own instinct. Only by unschooling, can we feel free enough to break away from all those chains imposed onto us, and finally see sense in learning about living and life, in it's natural order.

Which is why we believe in learning thru play instead of workbooks. My son's life is all about Lego, ps2, psp, nintendo DS and his laptop. Because for now, this is what his interest is all about. It is thru these magnificent inventions that my son finds his preferred learning method. It is thru these mediums, many lessons has been spawned.

For instance, the most recent one is about mental maths and spellings. Me and Hubby and DS is competing against each other on the Nintendo DS Brain Training game. I have to say tho DS is consistently in 3rd place, don't forget, he is competing on a software based on an adult's capabilities. So the fact that he can complete all his trials, from mental maths to spellings to memory games, means he is really really good, for an 8 yr old. Infact some parts of the trials especially the memory bits, he's come up 1st!!

This Brain Training Game has also gave him a reason to practise his writing for it is his bad handwriting that is letting him down.

We went to Scotland recently and had the opportunity to sit in the planetarium. It was magnificent and DS was surprisingly well informed. He pointed out and named the various constellation, an evidence of learning just by playing on his Jumpstart pc educational game.

What else...? Urrgh...at this stage of our 2nd year unschooling, with my full confidence knowing my child is learning all the time, has made it hard for me to cite evidence of learning. This is because I am no longer keeping track and looking for evidence of learning in order to convince and comfort myself. But it does seems like, whatever is the "favourite game or interest" of the moment, there is where evidence of learning can be seen.

So for now, his focus is on the Ninetendo DS Brain Training game(because the winner gets the money pot), Xmas, continue adding onto his Lego City which seems to have dominate the living room floor, and playing his Nintendo DS Transformer WiFi.

Unschooling (other than breast feeding) was the best parenting decision we ever make for our son, and ourselves. It allowed us the freedom from any constraints, and endless opportunity to allow our child to grow and become the confident, happy, wise, kind, gentle, considerate and articulate young boy he is today. No words can describe how proud me and hubby is of DS's accomplishment, so far; and we are relax and confident knowing that he will grow up to be a happy and confident young man, in his own right.

What about college and uni, incase you're asking. Well, if University is what he wants, then he'll have to back track and do college, won't he? If he wants university that badly, he WILL willingly do college, without any co-ercion and pain.

Happiness and Hugs to AllSharonBugs, unschooling 8 yrs old DragonBugshttp://mamagecko.blogspot.com/