Unschooling Answer Page

Here is how I "unschool" my kids.

If you've been stressing over things like, finding the right curriculum, figuring out how to structure a "homeschool" day, or not knowing where to begin, then get excited, because this is going to rock your world. 

I used to be a very anxious person. Sometimes I still am, but believe me when I say the difference is like night and day. I was dealing with anxiety in general, plus I was dealing with some health problems all on top of babysitting and trying to homeschool my kids. Stress much? Y.E.S.
I was following curriculums and stressing over which one was best for my kids. Even when I bought a curriculum, I never really loved it and continued to search for something new. Add to this the stress of knowing how much you spent on these curriculums and boom. More anxiety. I felt defeated. I felt like I was failing.
I won't share what curriculums we were using because I don't want to throw them under the bus or make you think they weren't great. MANY people have used them successfully and loved them. I liked certain aspects of almost all of them, but something just never felt "right". We ended up going through a season of prioritizing our life/lifestyle, which led to us letting go of many ideas and things. When I heard someone mention the idea of "unschooling" I was hooked. Obsessed might be a better descriptor here lol. I dug into research. I was a little (a LOT) confused by what it meant or how it worked. I had SOOO many questions but no one to actually ask. 
Eventually, I decided to just give it a shot, and.... I loved it. I'm so glad I took the plunge. 

Want to know what I learned?

1- My first tip is to simply let go of what you think "school" is supposed to be. I know, I know, this sounds like craziness, but how do you learn? Seriously, right now, as an adult...how do you learn something new? Do you buy text books and follow a scheduled plan and take tests to prove you learned it? Or, do you Google it and figure it out for yourself? I realize the answer to this will vary depending on what you're wanting to learn, but that means your child's education can vary depending on that too! They want to learn to play the piano? Cool! Sign them up for lessons or buy a keyboard and youtube it. You can make this work for your child's learning style and your budget. They want to learn about Egypt? Google it. Go to the library and check out books all about Egypt. Look up some Egyptian recipes and cook it for dinner. Buy some  kinetic sand and create a diorama with pyramids and all. Paint, draw, practice writing all about what they learn. They will be learning vocabulary, measurements (math), history, spelling, science, social studies, and art all without even trying.  

2- My second piece of advice is to learn along WITH your kids. Yep. You no longer have to be "smarter" than your kids in order to teach them. No more studying in advance to figure out how you're supposed to do this so that you can turn around and teach them. Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know". Your new phrase is, "I don't know, but let's find out together". (go to google and the library etc) Sit down with them and learn together!

3- Get outside. In our family, we call it "re-wilding". Go outside. Immerse yourselves in nature. Nature is the greatest classroom. Seriously. Even if it looks like your kids are "just playing" believe me...they are learning. Say it with me (yes really, say this out loud with me!) THEY ARE LEARNING.

Still have questions?

Is it legal? 
This style of learning may seem like a radical approach to many, even in the homeschool community. Because of this, many people often wonder if this method of homeschooling is legal. The biggest thing to remember is that unschooling does not mean not learning, nor does it mean not parenting. This approach is categorized as part of homeschooling, which is legal in every state of the United States. However, every state has different homeschooling requirements. Before you do anything else, you should first check the homeschool laws and requirements for your state. Some states have specific homeschool curriculum requirements that you must meet.


How do you start? 
With this style of learning, you don’t use specific a homeschool curriculum, textbooks, a rigid schedule, or structured learning. It doesn’t mean that you cannot use books or online classes during this homeschooling method. It just means that you are not following a specific homeschool curriculum. For example, your unschooler may have an interest in coding games, so they may ask to take a coding class to learn how to use a specific computer coding program. There is no set time for learning for unschoolers because learning happens all the time! So, you don’t “do” school. Learning just . . . happens naturally. During this time, learning flows naturally and is led by your child at his or her own pace. For example, unschoolers may use cooking as a method of learning. When following a recipe and cooking, children work on reading, use math skills, and learn how to follow directions to completion of a project. Unschoolers are often big on working on life skills. So if a child is cooking, they are also learning about grocery shopping, budgeting, nutrition, and even housekeeping while cleaning up after their cooking project. The unschool method is about empowering a child to learn and helping instill a lifelong love of learning.

ZenHabits.net explains it like this: 

"With Unschooling, kids learn how to learn, how to teach themselves. If you know how to learn and how to teach yourself, then you are prepared for any future. If in the future the things we know are obsolete, then the person who knows how to learn anything will be ready to learn whatever is in use in the future. The person who only knows how to learn from a teacher will need a teacher to teach him."


Where to begin? 
Beginning homeschool can be overwhelming. One of the ways to help ease everyone in is to deschool.

Here are some simple steps on how to start deschooling:

-Allow a period of rest and relaxation so kids (and parents) can decompress!
-DO NOT do any formal lessons, curriculum, or academics.
-Focus on life skills.
-Ask your kids about their interests and then provide natural ways to learn on those topics.
-Get comfortable with lots of free play and open time.
-Let your kids choose what they want to do.
-Create with art, music, and building things.
-Enjoy nature.
-Take advantage of museums and local sites by being a tourist in your own town.
-Volunteer.
-Don’t rush the deschooling period


What if they don't like being outside? 
I can especially speak to this because one of my two is not a big fan of doing things outside.Take it a little at a time. Get them to just go for a walk with you on the sidewalks in your neighborhood. Graduate up to walks at the park, and then to a short hike in the woods and so on. Nature is so nourishing for our bodies and minds, but it needs to happen gradually and not feel forced if they're not too keen on it at first. Also, find ways to take activities they do love outside. For instance, my daughter loves art so she's more on board with being outside if she can take her easel. 

How do you know they're learning? 
You can ask them questions in a way that it feels like a natural conversation. Make note of their answers in your phone later. I “test/quiz” my kids all the time and they have no idea they’re being “quizzed”.

What if they don't want to learn anything in particular? 
Learning doesn't have to look like learning. They may very well be learning something by just playing outside. Find opportunities to learn. If you're at the park and see a caterpillar, google what kind it is. Do some research on it's life cycle etc. It does not have to turn into a report/presentation. Learning can be just that-researching something you didn't know until now. 

What if they just want to lay around and watch youtube videos or play video games all day? 
During the deschooling process...this is okay. Even after the deschooling process...this can be okay. Just ask them what they're learning. Teach them to ask questions, to do further research. Are they watching a maker on youtube? Tell them to create a shopping list of tools, ingredients, and supplies they will need to make it themselves. Not in your budget to just run out and buy all the things? It's not in mine either! Now they have to work on chores, helping neighbors etc to earn the money to go out and purchase the stuff...and just like that, they're learning social skills, economic, and responsibility BEFORE they even begin the intended project!

What about testing? 
You’ll have to find out what your state’s requirements are for testing. For my state, we have to administer testing, and have it ready to submit if necessary, but their scores don’t really matter unless they matter to you. 

What about high school credits/college etc?
While I have not personally gotten to this point with my kids yet, many others have. First, my advice would be to ask them if they have a plan (even a loose plan) for their future. If that involves college, then they need to look into what schools they’d be interested in and what they require for acceptance and credits. This is still allowing your child to have a choice in what they are wanting to learn. Follow your state’s requirements for high school credits in order to graduate. Many parents have unschooled their kids and had no problems getting into college. 
I'm not saying this style of teaching/learning is for everyone, but it can be a life changing journey for those of us that love it. If you are wanting to try it, you CAN do this. Homeschooling doesn't have to be full of stress and anxiety. It can be a beautiful journey, and I believe in you! If you think this is an option for you and your family or perhaps you just want to see what "the crazy lady with the dreads" is going to do next, be sure to subscribe to the blog and follow me on instagram and facebook.

Let's Dare to Dream of More...together!
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