The day after Hurricane Irene hit we had no electricity (we had no electricity for days, actually, but we shall not speak of that). It turned out that a downed transformer just around the corner was culprit. Other than that, there was minimal damage to our neighborhood, and since school was not yet in session, […]
Unschooling: Embracing What Is
So tonight I found myself in need of the, um, facilities, so I crept off to the master bath, leaving my incredibly competent husband with our kids. My thought – that I might actually have a few uninterrupted moments – quickly proved unrealistic. Within seconds, I found myself engaged in what can perhaps best be […]
Unschooled or Unparented? Is Unschooling Just a Fancy Word for Neglect?
When people are first introduced to the idea of unschooling, they often express a belief that children raised in such a way must end up incorrigible, disrespectful, sloppy, lazy and completely self-centered. They have images of kids running wild, with long, matted hair and blackened teeth. Kids who rule the roost, while their parents either […]
Unschooling: Unmaking Stereotypes
Recently I connected with an old school acquaintance via Facebook. We hadn’t been in touch since graduating high school, and it was cool to catch up and to read his posts. But it was also kind of shocking. Why? Because as I read over his posts, I was amazed to discover the guy was a really good writer -when, […]
Unschooling Thought for the Day: A Transformed Society
Consider what society would look like if 65 million trapped schoolchildren learning to be consumers were suddenly set to actively imagining themselves in independent livelihoods, adding value to the rest of the community; imagining themselves as producers instead of bored consumers. – John Taylor Gatto, from Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher’s Journey through the […]
A Visit from the Un-Nanny
UPDATE: JULY 2013 The article below is an account of the UnNanny experience of my family in July, 2010. Sadly, in the past month, many people have come forward to share far less positive experiences. As of this writing, Dayna Martin has announced that she is suspending her UnNanny service. As with any paid service, […]
Confessions of an Academic Imposter
In his book How Children Fail, John Holt discusses the damaging messages that schools and teachers send to children. There are a lot of them, but one really resonated with me, because it described my own experience. Here’s what Holt has to say: What teachers most reward is not knowledge and understanding but the appearance […]
Unschooling: America’s Next Top Mr. Potato Head
I don’t watch reality shows. Seriously. Not Survivor or Dancing with the Stars. Not The Bachelor or Big Brother. Not even American Idol. Nothing. Well, okay, maybe I do indulge in just one…I’m a closet fan of America’s Next Top Model. But I never admit to it, so let’s just keep it between us. Anyway, […]
Unschooling: “How’s That Working for You?”
Ever watched Dr. Phil? He’s the talk show host who’s known for asking his guests, “How’s that working for you?” A retired psychologist, he appears to be a leading authority, dispensing wisdom and practical advice to his guests and viewers. In a series titled The Great School Debate, Dr. Phil explored the topic of unschooling. […]
Avoiding the Morning Rush, Unschooler Style
One common theme among parents is the dreaded “morning rush”. We talk nostalgically about our childhood summers, when the world seemed to be on “kid time”. These days, people always seem to be racing to keep up with their schedules. Being an unschooling family, we rarely experience the “morning rush”, which makes it all the […]