Planning to Unschool?

(First of all, I want to thank everyone who left such kind comments about Katydid's First Communion! ) 

I just finished writing out our curriculum for the school district.  This year the IHIP was a little harder to write because we're not going to be very formal around here for a while.  Amy and Valerie have both written posts on "homeschooling in crisis mode" -- which, for a lot of us with growing families, can seem like most of the time.  Back in April, I wrote about the same thing ... sort of... except at the other end of the year, when I was feeling a little more burned out. 

It seems like there are two camps as to what to do when a crisis hits:

1. Resort to school-at-home and workbooks (if you are the make-it-up-as-we-go-along sort)

or
     2.  Resort to unschooling (if you are the lesson-plan, formal academic, school-at-home sort)

I can't say much about workbooks, except that sometimes -- and for certain children -- they only seem to make life harder, but their promise of "no teacher prep" glimmers on the horizon for me like an oasis in the desert.  In our family, I have begun to think of option #1 kind of like a Greek siren sitting on the rocks, attempting to sing us to our doom.  Which is not to say the workbook option might not get you through a tough spot.  But to take the "just sign up with x-curriculum provider" advice without first taking a good hard and thoughtful look at your kids' personalities and your family culture is probably not the best thing.  In this case, it's probably better to have somebody tie you (me) to the mast like Odysseus.

On the other hand, sometimes I get the impression that when people say they "unschooled" during a particularly trying time -- say the first few newborn months -- what they really mean is that they took a break from their regular schooling and their kids learned anyway because that's what kids do.  But then they go back to their more structured schooling afterward.  There is a wonderful thread on the 4Real boards right now discussing the definition of unschooling.  The general consensus seems to be (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that unschooling is not simply an unplanned break when you leave kids alone and have no plans... although unschooling can certainly grow out of such a time (and has for many people).  Instead, unschooling is a mindful approach to education.  It's a philosophy more than a method, and it comes in many flavors... which makes it adaptable to many situations. 

We started out homeschooling as unschoolers.  We pulled Gareth out of preschool and the next day I went to the library and found The Unschooling Handbook and was amazed that I might actually be able to teach my child at home.  At the time, however, I didn't really understand that there might be different flavors of unschooling and settled on "radical" as my definition of it.  Unfortunately, "radical" unschooling wasn't what a child with some fairly quirky special needs really needed.  So now I don't consider what we do at home in a "non-crisis" period "unschooling" since it is so very, very eclectic and we do have some requirements (Maria Montessori's "freedom within limits"), but we definitely fall toward the relaxed, unschool-y end of the spectrum.

On August 22, I'm scheduled for a C-section.  Fortunately, having a baby is an event a person can plan for, even if things like health and colic and sleep patterns are yet to be revealed.  Some crisis events can't be planned for -- for instance, when everyone in the family spends months sick with virus after virus, or a parent develops a chronic illness, or a tornado sweeps through your neighborhood.  I think a mom can still plan for those situations to some extent -- like having an emergency preparedness plan, do I have a routine I can fall back on when everyone is sick?, or in case of frequent travel, what sorts of resources will we use?  But it's far easier to plan for an event that can be seen coming closer on the horizon, even if that event is full of a lot of unknown variables.

And, yes, I think a person can even plan to unschool for a period... to do so mindfully, without calling it a "break".  After reading the 4Real thread and coming at this as I do now, from a Montessori-influenced point of view, I think that what's really important in these situations is a rich and learning-conducive environment.

Speaking from experience... if you're moving, you're probably laughing at me.  But you can make your car pretty rich and learning-conducive, especially if you're headed cross-country.  Audio books and music CDs, picture books, novels, and nonfiction, paper, colored pencils, a camera to record the scenery and the experience, the opportunity for at least a few discussions around the screaming of toddlers, new food, some stops along the way, and TV documentaries in the hotel at night won't make the stress go away, but they will give the kids something to learn, which in general tends to make kids happy (or happ-ier anyway). And once you get to your destination and the boxes start arriving, that is a lesson in organization and teamwork (believe me.)

As far as having a baby goes... this time I'm trying to make sure we have some resources on hand for the kids to use without me having to constantly supervise.  I want them to be independent learners for the next 6 or 8 weeks.  I haven't gotten everything set up the way I wanted it -- such is life -- but I do think that I'm a little more prepared this time than I have been in the past.  (I guess after 6 kids it's probably time for me to learn something, isn't it?)

Coming up: the nuts and bolts of our approach to this fall... 

Comments

[Amy]

I like your "siren" analogy - I felt like that last year, but didn't think to tie myself to anything. :)

Praying for a safe and healthy delivery!!

[Leonie]

I love your unchooling discussion - thank you!

[Valerie]

Nice post, Angela...and I like the opening analogy as well. :-) Best wishes with your upcoming birth...I hope all goes well and your recovery is smooth.

[Genevieve]

I'll be praying for a peaceful delievery and that your recovery smooth. Love your thoughts on unschooling. Have fun fueling that fun-learning environment!

[Jane Ramsey]

Very good insights, Angela!
Praying for you and the little one.

[Erin]

Angela
A thought provoking post:) All the best in these last weeks of 'scramble';)