http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/unschooling-homeschooling-book-tests-classes/story?id=10410867&page=2
( above is a link to a report on unschooling)
I've been enjoying the process of looking into how I'll educate my kids. It's a huge process and I feel that I am just at the beginning of this all. I am seriously looking into the pros and cons of home, public, private school and which one I'll end up choosing for my family. I came across the idea of unschooling a while back and wanted to share my thoughts on it.
I am not going to dive deep into my thoughts on the topic of unschooling. Basically the concept is let children direct their education and parents only facilitate that. This is a concept I don't embrace nor will look into much further. I think this is the harsh reaction to dislikes of public education and levels of structure. I see some valid points in their arguments but to crush concepts of structure and discipline all together for the "happiness" or "will" of the children isn't a good idea either.
This isn't how the world works. Imagine if an NFL team instructed players to play how they want, decide their own course, and practice however they want just as long as they show up. You just learn by getting on the field and running around. It would be disastrous. Or if a small business told it's employees to only work on what they like, the end result would be a failed business.
Disorder doesn't create order. Never has never will.
It's my view that all education ( or child rearing in general) has to be parent directed. I think that is the God given role of parents in the wider Biblical mandate. That is what God has done with his children. (mankind) If I study the scriptures correctly bad things happen when man decides his own direction or is wise in his own eyes. Shouldn't we apply that to raising our kids?
Notice the below translations of Proverbs 22:6....look at the mandate to parents with words like...."teach, train, or direct."
Proverbs 22:6 (New International Version)
6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.
6 Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
Proverbs 22:6 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
6 Teach a youth about the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Imagine the course of western civilization if it had been....."let your children direct their own paths" or "children must teach themselves what's right." etc. In the Bible it constantly talks about getting wisdom, seeking wisdom, etc. While curiosity may be built within, wisdom is not. Acquiring wisdom takes direction, instruction, teaching etc.
I am not saying we shouldn't incorporate our children's desires, pursuits and interest within the context of a well rounded education. If my son is interested in history you better believe I am going to facilitate that. If my daughter loves biology or reading I am going to facilitate that desire. However just because a child may hate a subject doesn't mean we should avoid that.
I am just saying that education based on the inclinations of your kids isn't a good idea. Children need structure, guidelines, direction and with that being a base........the freedom to explore creativity, the ability for parents to foster their interest etc. Unschooling seems like an incomplete idea. One that I think would fail most kids at the end when its time for them to fly out of the nest. This is an idea as a whole I don't support.
I disagree with unschooling too. I think it creates lazy, undisciplined kids and gives homeschooling a bad rap. For the majority of homeschoolers, we thrive off of schedules and discipline. Unschooling thrives off of disorder and "anything goes". I'm not against incorporating strengths, likes, and passions into the day, but there has to be some order. "Do everything decently and in order" is what the Bible says and I think unschooling just teaches kids that they can run the show. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks MB, there is most for sure a distinction between unschooling and homeschool for sure. The untrained eye might perceive them as both which does sometimes give a sad portrayal to homeschooling families.
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