Thursday, October 12, 2006

"A New Chapter in Education: Unschooling."

An article on msn - subtitled
Controversial hometaught approach lets kids take the lead in learning.

I like the article. I like the quotes from Pat Farenga.

However, I don't think the author or the unschooling detractors are familiar with educational trends.

Unschooling in many ways equates with the emergent curriculum ( read here and here. )

The emergent curriculum is something I have read about and worked with for years ~ in my unschooling homeschool, in my teaching a number of different grades in a number of different schools and in my working with groups of children.

It works.

7 comments:

Alice Gunther said...

Leonie, I really enjoy reading these materials on unschooling and child directed learning. I would agree unquestionably that our happiest and most productive times occur when the children are engaged, motivated, and leading the way.

Anonymous said...

Hi Leonie, these articles are very interesting. I might try to write about this on my blog, later today when I get a chance.

Thanks so much for the info!

Leonie said...

Alice - I like your last statement - "happiest and most productive times occur when the children are engaged, motivated and leading the way."

Faith - I'll check out your blog over the next week and try to catch your post. Sure to be interesting!

Anonymous said...

Leonie,

I know it works, too! How did we learn before the invention of school? I mean, it wasn't always the way it is now....

Leonie said...

Its interesting to question our thoughts re education, isn't it, Maria?

Anonymous said...

Hi Leonie,
Wow, so there is an 'official' term for what we do! ~LOL~

I loved the image at http://members.shaw.ca/cheryl-ccc/emergent.htm as it is very much like what we do here...and it's so hard to explain it to anyone, but this diagram is really helpful.

Cool :-)

Susan <><

Leonie said...

Hi Susan, good to hear from you!

I like diagrams too - they help to make things clear.