As we have found, the term "unschooling" can be difficult to define. As we try to apply such a fluid word to our family life this summer, getting insight into what unschooling actually looks like in practice makes sense.
With this, I am thrilled to bring you the first interview of one of my most favorite unschoolers.
Jean, her husband Andrew and their 12 year old son live and homeschool by the sea, in Maine. Jean does not have a public blog, but you can view her rich and earthy flickr photos where she goes by the name beetgreen.
Let's get started.
Eren: So Jean, how does your family define unschooling?
Jean: I guess the best place to start is to say, quite simply, that we don’t do school at home. The learning that happens is driven by what any one of us is exploring, and is sometimes incidental to how we spend our days. We lead a very rich life, both within our community of family and friends and in the greater community in which we live. My husband and I are, at any given time, aware our son’s budding interests. We provide the tools and experiences for learning, but do not insist that any topic or course of study be followed. We don’t structure the learning in any specific way, which is not to say we lack structure or routine in our daily lives. As a natural consequence of how we live our lives, he is continuously exposed to new ideas and experiences.
Our son was an early reader, and gets much of his knowledge through books. Those books sparked interests that have led to fiddle classes, concerts, museum visits, horseback riding, farm camp, boat rides, growing and harvesting food, and many other experiences. Along the way there was a lot of learning. Also, we are fortunate to have a number of class offerings available through a local homeschooling cooperative. We let our son know about upcoming classes, and sign up if he is interested. We visit the library 3-4 times per week, swim at our local Y, attend presentations at the Audubon center, meet friends at beaches and parks, explore the local trails and woods, skate, go to museums, and stay home when we feel we need some quiet. We are avid readers and love being outdoors. We enjoy travelling to visit family and friends, and drop everything for last minute invitations. That said, we are homebodies to the core. We have busy days, when we are out and about, and quiet days when we are home all day. Although we do pay for lessons and programs, we love finding fun things to do that cost nothing.
Eren: Do you consider yourself a strict unschooling family, or do you use a mixed approach?
Jean: It wasn’t always like this. We hadn’t planned on homeschooling, and at first thought he would eventually go to school. He did attend preschool, but did not continue on to school when the program ended. When he was little I attempted to do lessons with him for writing and math. I taught in public schools for years and thought this would be the best approach. Although he was a fluent reader at about age five, he had no interest in writing, and zero interest in anything that smelled like a math lesson. After many fruitless months, I stopped all formal instruction. It took me a long time to let go. It took him no time at all. He spent his days reading, building, playing, and exploring, just as he had always done. We cooked together, read stories, watched documentaries, played with friends, and attended classes. When he wanted to take lessons, we sought out folks who understood our approach and would work with us. For example, while he loved fiddle lessons, he hated practicing the fiddle at home. His teacher understood this and never insisted that he practice outside of lessons. Now that he is older he practices quite regularly, prompted by his desire to be a better fiddler.
One day, about a year after we started unschooling, he came inside and told me he thought he should start writing. He has been writing daily ever since. It quickly became a major focus in his life. Much to my surprise, the same thing happened with math. After years of showing absolutely no interest in anything resembling a lesson, he requested math workbooks. He sets the kitchen timer and works independently in his books. When he needs clarification or instruction, he asks one of us to sit down and work with him. From time to time I hear him in conversation with my husband discussing more abstract math concepts.
All this is NOT to say we have abandoned him. He has learned lots by being part of our family, our community, our world. He has responsibilities and chores, just as we all do. We provide a rich variety of experiences, some based on his interests, some on our own. The difference is that we don’t turn any of those experiences into lessons. There was lots of math in planning our food garden, and he was eager to work with us. The learning that happens is a natural extension of living. We have found that as he gets older he is increasingly interested in pursuing more traditional approaches to learning.
Eren: What is the most difficult thing about unschooling?
Jean: I think the most difficult part is having faith in unschooling itself, particularly when just beginning. Most children will learn no matter what approach is used. Many others will not. When it goes badly for a little person, the damage done can be profound. I believe strongly that there is purpose and meaning in the pursuits a child chooses for himself. But, the connection between a child’s activity and the learning that results is not always evident to adults. When you have faith in your children, encourage and trust them, they will grow and learn.
When we first started homeschooling I felt obligated to explain our philosophy to anyone who asked. Now, I’m really quite skilled at gauging if the inquiry is genuine, or simply a way of starting a conversation that ends with a lecture on how wrong we are to live this way. I am more than happy to share our story and exchange ideas with people who hope to learn something about it. But, if I sense that they are not really open to it, I move on.
Eren: What is the best thing about applying this approach as you educate your son?
Jean: The best thing for me, personally, is the education I have received while living this life. I have learned more about learning and the human spirit in the last few years than I ever did while teaching, or in any of my teacher training classes. While providing a wide range of opportunities for our family, I have expanded my own interests and knowledge in all kinds of ways, and met all kinds of interesting people. That is a gift beyond measure.
For most of us, being joyful is a natural state. Young children are usually full of a very positive spirit. Our son has retained that sense of well-being and joy. I believe that is a result of living the way we do.
Eren: So, what is your son studying at the moment?
Jean: My son loves history. Only after living this way for a few years did I see a pattern emerge. He usually gets quite involved with a specific topic and sticks to it for a long period of time. Sometimes it lasts for a few months, sometimes for a year or more. From time to time it will be quite brief. There is usually a period of time in between when he is much more casual about his learning. Then he gets a bit restless, and dives into something new. Several years ago he read an account of Shackleton’s expedition. He read and re-read as much material as he could find. We watched documentaries, went to local museums, made clay boats in a pottery class, and followed Will Steger, a modern day explorer, on the internet. The next year, after watching “Spirited Away”, he became interested in Japanese history and culture, and the life and work of Hayao Miyazaki. That was followed by an interest in baseball. We played baseball with friends and neighbors, went to local games, and headed back to the library. He studied the history of the sport, which led to learning about segregation and civil rights. He has also studied boat building, hawks, and owls, among other things. (He is well known at our library, and uses the internet to request materials from all over the state.)
He has always spent much of his time outdoors, either alone or with friends. His books are his dearest possessions. He dreams constantly about what he will be when he grows up, and where he will live. For the joy it brings, he wants to be a really, really good fiddler. He wants to be good enough at math to get into the college of his choice. His professional aspirations change from time to time, but usually find their way back to books and history. If all of this changes, we’re fine with that. Our goal is to continue to nurture his independence and growth so that when he is ready, he will walk out our door confidently, knowing he has much more to learn and lots to offer.
Eren: I can't think of a more perfect ending, Jean. Thank you dear woman for your candidness and your willingness to share a very real peek into your unschooling days. We are all learning about trusting ourselves and our children more because you have shared a bit of yourself with us here today.
Jean has also shared a few of her favorite resources and are now available in the sidebar. Be sure to check out the Skylark Sings link. But be sure to get a cup of coffee first, there is so much to check out you will want to have a nice amount of time to "walk around" the site.
Thanks again Jean and happy Monday all!
