Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom

After six years of homeschooling my kids, I've finally come to the conclusion that we are probably better off unschooling! Here is just one example. My second oldest has struggled with learning how to read for years. He resisted with every fiber of his being. I would back off for a while and then try again. Same response. He just couldn't be pushed. The anxiety and tears he experienced was just too much for him. I finally decided that it wasn't worth the fight. I couldn't force him to learn something he wasn't ready for. I let go and tried to trust that he would read when he was ready. He is nine, almost ten, now and is just barely starting to read. He is showing interest in early readers and will actually willingly read to me as long as I'm not the one that suggests it. This is a huge milestone for him. After reading "Unschooling", I am convinced that unschooling can work. Kerry is extremely knowledgable and has provided ample research to support her claims. She provides an overview of how the compulsory education (schooling) system began in the United States and includes how it is failing children today. Over and over she iterates that education and schooling are NOT synonymous. I agree 1000%. She talks about how our "schooled" mindset leads us to think that children need to be taught in order to learn. But this is simply not true! She provides copious examples that illustrate just how much children can learn when given the freedom to follow their own specific interests. When left to their own devices, children will constantly be learning and exploring because it is important to them! There is so much I wish I could share from this book, but you just need to read it yourself. It is SO. GOOD. I wish I could give a copy of this book to all parents, not just homeschooling ones! I know that unschooling has formerly been a radical idea, but when you break it down and look at the research and success stories, I think it should be considered by more parents, families, and educators. We can't change anything unless we challenge the norm. If you are wanting to learn more about unschooling, or how child-led learning works, you need to read this book!

I'm too insecure to unschool - I admit it! I like a curriculum that I can thumb through and see where it is taking us. But I'm also from a generation that has nearly always known what it was like to have GPS at your fingertips. The concept of just seeing where the road will take you is a little bit terrifying to me -- but also exciting. But I am a fan of Kerry McDonald's writing, especially at Fee.org. Her rational and support of homeschooling is always well-researched and can shut up even the most ardent critics of homeschooling. So, of course I wanted to give her book a read! It didn't disappoint. Most books about homeschooling are more narrative in style, which can be nice and encouraging, but if you want some meat to justify just how wonderful homeschooling is at the Thanksgiving dinner table to all of your relatives that want to quiz your children, read this! Even if you use a more structured approach to your homeschool you'll enjoy this book. Although we are pretty structured, it has encouraged me to be more adventurous with my own kids during these spring/summer months and I have to say, it's been fun allowing ourselves a little freedom until our co-op begins again in the fall. And isn't that the beauty of homeschooling? To allow ourselves to try something new? To model that for our kids? In doing so, we truly learn more about ourselves than just following a prescribed, worn path. So whatever your family's homeschooling philosophies, give this one a read! Even if you don't become a full unschooler, you'll surely come away with some fresh ideas.

In Unschooled Kerry McDonald presents the case against traditional schooling and for unschooling, which is a form of homeschooling. In traditional schooling she says, “The most important lesson for children to learn is obedience and memorization.” It is a product of the industrial age and no longer relevant in what she terms the “Imagination Age.” Schooling she says, “results in a pattern of conformity, obedience and authoritarianism and prevents the development of creativity, exuberance, natural curiosity and inventiveness that are the hallmarks of the Imagination Age.” She distinguishes unschooling from homeschooling in that the latter is more structured and typically includes a curriculum, whereas unschooling is more self-directed learning in which the child decides what he or she wants to learn. Moreover, unschooling is “a moral choice” that “gives children more freedom and control over their lives by letting them learn instead of being schooled.” Ms. McDonald also provides numerous examples of unschooling choices and each chapter includes several unschooling tips. I think this book is extremely important reading for parents, teachers and anyone who is concerned with education. At the same time there are considerations that Ms. McDonald does not really address. For one ,not every parent can engage in unschooling, either because he or she has to work to earn income needed just to live or because the parent lacks the qualifications to unschool the child (McDonald unschooled her children, but she has a masters in education from the Harvard School of Education. Other mothers who unschool their children have similar degrees.) Secondly, one of the most important features of school is that it is a certificating system—the goal is to get a formal recognition that the student has competed a certain degree of education, i.e. a diploma. In my case for example, I have several such diplomas including a doctoral degree and while I believe that I have learned a lot more outside of school than inside, this formal piece of paper is what has enabled me to get many of the jobs I have gotten. The author states that many students who are unschooled do get into universities, but at that point their education becomes “schooled.” Finally the author does not address the question of how school can be made more like unschool, since it is not likely that the entrenched education establishment will convert the present system to one that is like the unschooled model. This book should be required reading for all members of that establishment.

This book is filled with lots of great information. So much to think about in the way of education, it's purpose and how kids learn. I really enjoyed it!

Unschooled challenges the traditional classroom model and celebrates natural learning. It shows how children learn best through curiosity, play, and real-life experiences. The book empowers parents to trust their child’s interests and instincts. Real stories make the concept of unschooling relatable and inspiring. It’s a refreshing read for anyone rethinking education and parenting.

I brought this book as I was curious about unschooling , it's an amazing read and gives a great overall picture around what unschooling is and what it can look like for different families, worth every penny.

As a new mom, living internationally with my husband working remote my main concern with this lifestyle is how will my children get a good education and socialize without the normal school experience I grew up in. This book helped me see there are SO many people doing education ‘different’ I now have the confidence my children have the opportunity to thrive and make connections through unschooling networks. I am now excited not anxious for the future!

Atravessamos muito rapidamente a Era da Informação e do Conhecimento e já nos encontramos na Era da Criação. No entanto, as escolas — por inércia, dificuldade de adaptação ou até de forma deliberada — não evoluíram no mesmo ritmo. O modelo educacional dominante passou a fazer cada vez menos sentido diante da realidade que nossas crianças enfrentam hoje. Seguimos presos a um currículo impositivo, a um aprendizado frequentemente desprovido de significado, orientado por testes, notas e pela memorização. Diante de um mundo inundado de informações, é legítimo questionar: como educar uma criança nesse contexto? Quais são, de fato, as evidências de que a escolarização tradicional tem funcionado como deveria? Em vez de formar sujeitos curiosos e autônomos, muitas vezes reforçamos a padronização e a ansiedade. Vivemos em um mundo cada vez mais rápido e disruptivo, e acabamos transferindo essa urgência para as crianças: mais horas de estudo, mais atividades estruturadas e, em contrapartida, menos tempo livre para brincar, explorar e buscar aquilo que faz sentido para elas mesmas. O excesso de estímulos e cobranças tende a gerar esgotamento cognitivo ainda na infância. Diante desse cenário, torna-se essencial repensar o processo educativo. Precisamos encorajar, desde cedo, uma educação mais autodirigida, que respeite os interesses, o ritmo e a curiosidade natural de cada criança. Um aprendizado mais orgânico e natural, que prepare não apenas para provas, mas para a vida. No futuro — que já começa agora — as crianças precisarão menos de respostas decoradas e mais de autoconfiança, empatia, capacidade de colaboração e inteligência emocional. São essas habilidades humanas, profundas e difíceis de padronizar, que realmente as ajudarão a navegar em um mundo em constante transformação.

Very informative and practical book for those looking for alternatives to mainstream education.