Episode 58: What is Unschooling? Part 3: Myths and Misconceptions

When you reflect upon History as a school subject, what comes to mind? For many of us, it’s a memory of taking in facts in order to produce something that demonstrates we’ve learned the presented information. But what if history is much more interesting than that. What if it’s woven into family life in curious and meaningful ways? What if it naturally includes critical thinking? Developing empathy? What if it can be fun?We are joined again by Anne of @obytheby and Kendel of @spark.to. flame.homelearning for a conversation full of the ways that history is quite naturally integrated into a thoughtful life and interesting life. We hope you will join for listen. 🤞Resources:The Rich Experience of Unschooling Science - Episode 30Unschooling Math - What Does Learning Math/s Naturally Look Like? Episode 36More Unschooling Math/s - What Does Learning Mathematics Naturally Look Like? Episode 38How Do Unschoolers Learn to Read? Does Reading Need to Be Explicitly Taught? Episode 60Still Standing showUsborne Encyclopedia of History“I Survived” book seriesJohn James Audobon graphic novelThe Birds that Audobon MissedThe Great Canadian AdventureLetters From Afar

In Part 2, we continue to think through some very common questions that homeschool parents receive and consider them from different angles. We take into account questions situations that just call for a short answer versus ones for which there is more time and interest in fuller detail. We also look at the distinction between answering questions of people in our lives who are interested in or concerned about what we’re doing, versus questions of families who are interested in or new to homeschooling. We’d love you to have a listen and share anything from your own experiences. We hope you enjoy! You can listen to Part 1 here.Questions We Cover:What about missing out on school events?How will they learn to follow the rules?Will they be able to get a job?Will they be able to achieve higher education?Will they ever be able to survive in the real world?How will they learn to separate themselves from you?Don’t you think it’s important for them to learn worldviews other than your own?Do you feel qualified to homeschool?Resources:How to Answer Common Homeschool Questions - Honest Talk and Deciding When to Say What, Part 1A View From the Other End of the Homeschooling Trail - Enjoying our Teens and Young Adults - Ever LearningParents Can’t Teach Their Children Everything and That’s Okay - Episode 54Young People Often Do Know What They Don’t Know - Episode 55Building Resilience Without School - Ever Learning

In this conversation, we think through some very common questions that homeschool parents receive and consider them from different angles.We take into account questions in situations that just call for a short answer versus ones for which there is more time and interest in fuller detail.We also look at the distinction between answering questions of people in our lives who are interested in or concerned about what we’re doing versus questions of families who are interested in or new to homeschooling. We’d love you to have a listen and share anything from your own experiences!Questions We Cover:Is homeschooling legal?What kind of oversight do you have?What questions do adults who were home educated receive?How will they learn to read?How will they learn to do math?What curriculum do you use?How do you know what to teach?Will they have friends?Resources:Do Adults Who Homeschooled as Children Reflect Upon the Difference in their Education? - Erin, Ever LearningHow Do Unschoolers Learn to Read? Does Reading Need to Be Explicitly Taught? Episode 60Unschooling Math - What Does Learning Math/s Naturally Look Like? Episode 36More Unschooling Math/s - What Does Learning Mathematics Naturally Look Like, Episode 38The Rich Experience of Unschooling Science, Episode 30Socialization and Homeschooling, Exploring it from Different Angles - Part One, Episode 13Socialization and Homeschooling, Exploring it from Different Angles - Part Two, Episode 13Homeschool Community - Finding, Sustaining and How it Evolves, Episode 15

On our 60th episode, we are finally talking about Learning to Read! This can be a loaded topic with some proponents of self-directed education and unschooling taking the stand that reading will happen in its own time, versus reading research that strongly suggests otherwise, citing the complexities with learning to read requiring explicit instruction. When our experience doesn’t match the advice or research on either one of those, it can be confusing.As we discuss this, we try to keep various angles in mind but full disclosure: we do have a lot of trust in a child’s inherent process. The distinction is likely that we also believe that parents and life itself are rich parts of a child’s literacy process and in some cases a child themself may request a supportive or formal resource.We are grateful to have found a list by Sue Elvis (Stories of an Unschooling Family) from her post,Sharing Some Thoughts on Learning to Read which we used to guide the order of our discussion.Resources:Sharing Some Thoughts on Learning to Read - Sue Elvis, Stories of an Unschooling FamilyEvoke LearningUnschooling and reading: my daughter’s journey so far - Cyrille Tignard, Unschooling and ThrivingHow Pokémon Sealed our Unschooling Fate - Missy Willis, Let ‘em Go BarefootSpot the Learning - Virtual Kitchen TableLearning to Read 1 - Esther Jones, A Place on a HillReading Doesn’t Need to Be Taught - Sara, Happiness is HereUnschooling and Learning to Read - Sue Patterson, Unschooling Mom 2 Mom8 Benefits to Learning to Read Later - Hayley, Taking a Kinder Path

We finally wrapped up Hayley’s What is Unschooling? blog post series in this conversation. Sue Elvis of Stories of an Unschooling Family joined us again as we had a second look at the Myths and Misconceptions related to unschooling.While we do continue “busting myths,” ultimately we burrow deep into the beauty of living and learning curiously and respectfully with our children because, as we came to realize again through sharing our experiences, it’s so much more than just defending this remarkable way at life against the status quo.Part 1 - Episode 56Part 2 - Episode 57Part 3 - Episode 58Resources:What is Unschooling? Part 3: Myths and Misconceptions - Taking a Kinder PathStories of an Unschooling FamilyDegree Free8 Benefits of Learning to Read Later (and taking a more natural approach) - Taking a Kinder PathUnschooling Math - What Does Learning Math/s Naturally Look Like? - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastThe Rich Experience of Unschooling Science - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastThe State of Flow in Learning - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastSpot the Learning! How Our Children are Learning More Than We Might Think  - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat Do Our Unschooling Days Look Like? - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastUnschooling A-Ha Moments - Virtual Kitchen Table Podcast

We discussed Part 3 of Hayley’s What is Unschooling? series.  Sue Elvis from Stories of an Unschooling Family joined us to tap back into this next part of the topic.This time we discussed Myths and Misconceptions about unschooling. We were keen to do this because we know how misunderstood unschooling often is, even by people embarking upon it. We found ourselves out of time with some of Hayley’s post to still discuss, so stay tuned for a continuation of the conversation. We’d love you to have a listen!We Discuss:Deschooling - what it is and different ways to think about itMoving in an unschooling direction without having specific language for deschoolingThe idea of unschooling as lazy parentingThe idea of child-led (in learning and in living and whether there’s a distinction)Unschooling as a rejection of curriculums, classes, checklists, routines, timetablesThe concern about children being  ‘behind’, uneducated and unprepared for the real worldThe different things that the “real world” means to different peopleQuestions of post-secondary education and optionsChoosing to live a life with rhythm and orderResources:What is Unschooling? Part 3: Myths and Misconceptions- Taking a Kinder PathStories of an Unschooling FamilyWhat is Unschooling? Part One: A Framework of Ideas - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat is Unschooling? Part Two: What Unschooling Looks Like - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastDeschooling Through the Lens of the Unschool Challenge - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat is Unschooling and How Does it Work? - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat Do Our Unschooling Days Look Like? - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastUnschooling A-Ha Moments - Virtual Kitchen Table Podcast

We welcomed Sue Elvis of Stories of an Unschooling Family to discuss Part Two of Hayley’s What is Unschooling? series.It was another rich opportunity to dig deeply into the nuts and bolts of the practical side of unschooling, with concrete examples and shared experiences.We hope you’ll have a listen and learn something new.Resources:What is Unschooling, Part 2: What Does Unschooling Like? Taking a Kinder PathUnschooling: What’s in a Name? – Ever LearningHome Ed Labels and Jargon: Sorting Them Through, Episode 19 – Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat is Unschooling and How Does it Work? Episode 18 - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat Do Our Unschooling Days Look Like? Part One, Episode 1 - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastWhat Do Our Unschooling Days Look Like? Part One, Episode 2 - Virtual Kitchen Table PodcastSandra Dodd's Big Book of Unschooling by Sandra Dodd  - Sandra DoddLadies Fixing the World podcastEU382: Unschooling Stumbling Blocks: It’s Not the Unschooling - Exploring Unschooling PodcastUnderstanding Unschooling – Ever Learning

Do you ever wonder what unschooling is really about? Or maybe you have a sense of it yourself but wonder how to describe it if asked? This ended up being a very full and nuanced conversation based on the first part of Hayley’s blog post series by the same name. What a joy to speak with Sue Elvis from Stories of an Unschooling Family and reflect about the framework of unschooling in detail based on Hayley’s ideas and our own. We seem to learn as we discuss and think you’ll gain some perspective from this conversation and some fuel for your own realizations.  Resources: What is Unschooling? Part 1: A Framework of Ideas, Hayley, Taking a Kinder PathStories of an Unschooling FamilyCurious Unschoolers, Sue ElvisRadical Unschool Love, Sue ElvisThe Unschool Challenge, Sue ElvisUnschooling: A Voyage of Discovery, Episode 31Unschooling – What’s in a Name, Ever LearningWhat is Unschooling and How Does it Work? Episode 18Do We Deserve Joy? Unpacking Perspectives of Joy in Home Education, Episode 8Ladies Fixing the World podcast 8 Benefits of Learning to Read Later (and taking a more natural approach), Taking a Kinder Path

Resources:Episode 54: Parents Can’t Teach Their Children Everything and That’s Okay Episode 16: Lists or Not: How Do We and Those We Love Keep Organized?

This isn’t a criticism of the abilities of home educating parents, but instead reassurance for all parents that there is no need to take all of the things on. Children being taught everything ahead of time isn’t how deep and meaningful learning usually happens.At the same time, it’s not a conversation about “hands-off” parenting — far from it! Instead it’s a reminder of the roles that our presence, relationship and belief in children play as we walk alongside them (and ahead as needed) in their development.In this discussion, we look at the pressure that parents are under to prepare their kids for various stages of childhood and adulthood, as well as the pressure kids feel to live a life of “getting prepared” for future stages. It is neither possible nor necessary.We really enjoyed the directions this topic took us in and hope you will too. Join us as we think it through!Resources: A Lifetime for Learning – Parents Don’t Need to Offer Everything, Ever LearningReflecting on the Process of Self-Directed Learning, Ever LearningOn Chores, Learning Respect and Such … Is There a Gentler Way? Ever LearningEpisode 25: Self-Directed Learning Beyond AcademicsEpisode 52: Does Teaching Have a Place in Self-Directed Education?Why I’m Divesting from Parenting, Fran Liberatore, A Life Unschooled SubstackVirtual Kitchen Table Community