Analysis Paralysis 3: Unschooling

Overwhelmed with what is available out there, I'm going to attempt to create my own Eclectic Homeschool curriculum, taking the best of each method and trying to create my own system.  It is important for me that the final "method" that I use is cohesive and aimed at the goal of encouraging my kids to develop as complete human beings.  It should be tailor made for their invidual personalitities, while taking into account what skills they will need to live in this world.  So I introduce the Analysis Paralysis series- a closer look at what has already been done, and what I'm going to pull from it for our program. 


Unschooling is an approach to education which is entirely child directed.  Parents serve as enablers, helping children explore or find resources to explore whatever idea pops into their head.  Here's an example, taken from our family:

The other day, Eliot got a special treat and was able to select and watch a clip from Sesame Street on Youtube.  He chooses his clip based on the little picture, and this time he chose Spaceship Surprise!

This led to a pretty long discussion of what a planet is, and since we were already on youtube, we watched a couple of videos on the solar system, the sun, and the planets.  Since then, Eliot and I have built a solar system mobile, talked about gravity (his understanding here is a bit loose, but hey, not even Einstein claimed to understand gravity...), he chose a book on space (in French) for himself at the bookstore and has been reading it every evening with Frederic, and he is building lego satellites and spaceships.  We regularly play games where we are aliens, and we choose which planet we are from, so he is learning the names of the planets and some of their most basic properties.  And so on.  Anyone with a three year old knows how these sorts of obsessions can go! 

Well, unschooling is allowing this type of learning to continue with no age limit, where children aquire "skills" (symbolic math, grammar, historical timelines) as part of the process, rather than the process being skill acquisition.

In theory, I LOVE this idea.  I think it is especially valid for the natural sciences, early math, cultural studies, and even art and music.  In fact, I really, really want to like unschooling for everything.

But there's a few things holding me back from embracing it completely.  Maybe it's just my newness to homeschooling, but I am still worried that the kids might not learn the "right" things, wathever those may be.  Also, where does the child get the inspiration for their research?  The natural sciences seem easy- the kids can pick their ideas literally out of thin air.  But history, geography, social sciences?  Advanced math?  I just don't know. 

The book on unschooling that I just read listed tv as a possible place where kids could get sparks for jump starting their research.  Obviously that's not going to fly with me.  I am rabidly anti-television.  And when it comes to CHILDREN and tv, I'm actually rabid AND foaming at the mouth.  Even things like the youtube example used above is something that I strictly limit to about once a week, 2-3 5 minute videos. 

So, again, where do the ideas come from?  I know I'm supposed to TRUST the process, but still. 

Here's where I get crazy:

I think I can start in on the Charlotte Mason booklist, which is supposed to take about 20-30 minutes a day for 6 and 7 year olds, and spend the rest of the day with a much more child directed approach.  The books provide good fodder for the imagination, I can rest assured that they are getting good literature and a good base for literary culture, and everyone is happy.  Right? 

In the mean time, while waiting for Eliot to begin CM, I have two years to do things in a much more pure unschooly sort of way. 

And here's a random tidbit from the Unschooling book, which will play in to a later post:

You will probably find your children will be much happier with real, professional art supplies than with the sort packaged especially for children.

There are then two family anecdotes, describing the advantages of choosing just a few excellent supplies, rather than having cupboards full of children's art supplies. 

This is something that I readily believe, as I am continually frustrated with how dull and lifeless the crayons, markers, finger paints, and watercolors we have are.  The colors are faint, and materials are difficult to work with...  I'm just not impressed.  I will definitely be taking this lesson to heart for our art sessions, and investing in a very limited supply of higher end products.