Unschooling

"Living is learning and when kids are living fully and energetically and happily they are learning a lot, even if we don't always know what it is. "  John Holt

 

A few weeks ago, we put away the curriculum and jumped into the new (to us) world of unschooling.  Unschooling is also known as interest-led learning or delight-directed learning.  The term “unschooling” was coined by an educator named, John Holt.  According to Wikipedia, ““He [Holt] believed that "children who were provided with a rich and stimulating learning environment would learn what they are ready to learn, when they are ready to learn it".  Holt believed that children did not need to be coerced into learning; they would do so naturally if given the freedom to follow their own interests and a rich assortment of resources.”

 

 

Over the last few months, I have felt the Lord gently leading us to unschooling.  I felt Him drawing us to let go of  curriculum, formal daily school time, and set educational standards and to just trust Him with our children’s education.  After all, He designed them and only He knows what His plans are for them, so it really is only fitting that He guide their education too.  There is a verse in Isaiah that resonated with me as I was praying through all of this.  It says, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”  Is. 54:13 

 

 

To me, unschooling is allowing our children to learn naturally as we live life together because we view all of life as a learning opportunity.  It is letting our kids learn and explore as freely as possible and it is trusting that because God is directing their individual and unique paths, He will draw them to seek out and learn what they need to know when they need to know it.  It is resting in the fact that God’s hand is upon each of their lives and that much of our job as their parents is to recognize what God is already doing and then collaborate with Him.  It is not a hands-off approach and it is not unparenting.  We are actively involved in working with the Lord to guide, direct, teach, train, disciple, answer questions, present learning opportunities, provide an assortment of resources, and pray for them throughout the process.  It just means that rather than allowing a core curriculum or state standards to decide what (and when) something is important for our children’s education, we are in essence, “throwing out the map” and trusting the Lord to be our guide on this journey.  We are trusting in His agenda and in His timetable for each of our children and we are allowing their education to happen as naturally as possible.  And although this process of letting go has been a bit unnerving (ya think?!), after taking the plunge, we have found greater peace, freedom, and joy in our daily lives (shew!).  We have no idea where the Lord is taking us on this journey of unschooling, but we are excited. 

 

 

“We can best help children learn, not by deciding what we think they should learn and thinking of ingenious ways to teach it to them, but by making the world, as far as we can, accessible to them, paying serious attention to what they do, answering their questions -- if they have any -- and helping them explore the things they are most interested in.”   -Holt

 

And really, that is just the tip of the iceberg on unschooling.  There is so much more information out there in books and on the internet if you’re interested in learning more about unschooling. 

Here are a few links that I have found encouraging and helpful:

Christian Unschooling Blog

Another Christian Unschooling Blog

Some great books on Christian Unschooling:

Christian Unschooling: Growing your children in the Freedom of Christ by Teri J. Brown

Finding Joy: A Christian’s Journey to an Unschooled Life by Julie Polanco