Sunday, July 12, 2009

The idea of "unschooling"



Though the girls are just now 2 1/2 I've been more and more wanting to know what our future holds as far as schooling goes. I've wrestled so much with what I hope for the girls education and what I see available. In many ways I'm in love with all that a Waldorf education provides, but they miss the mark, at least for our family, on the most important subject of all. Relationship with Father God and Jesus. So as much as I wish it that option seems out. Public school feels ruled out for us for the same reason and addition to the fact that children often seem to become numbers instead of individuals. Christian private school would seem an option but even there I'm having a hard time finding a school that is gentle in their teaching and who focuses on the whole child and the whole of life, not just the 3 R's. So.....that leads to homeschooling!!! The thing I swore (at least quietly to myself) I would not do! Yet as I'm thinking about it and reading about the different homeschooling philosophies part of me feels excitement at the prospects, and of course another part is panicked and completely freaked out! :) Two books I've just finished reading are about the idea of Unschooling in your homeschooling. It essentially child led learning with the parent being the facilitator as opposed to the teacher. The child is trusted as the primary agent in learning. Big, incredible, yet scary concept to me. Anyway these are interesting books especially the Christian Unschooling books second half as it is essays telling of families experiences.

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