How Unschoolers Own the World
What comes to mind when someone mentions nature studies, famous artists, or living books? Charlotte Mason?
What about classical novels, The Great Books or Latin? Classical education?
Do you think about unit studies when you hear someone is exploring a topic in many different ways?
And what about notebooking? Perhaps someone who writes down details of their learning is using this method.
We often associate resources and learning techniques with particular homeschooling methods, don’t we? However, Charlotte Mason doesn’t own all the famous artworks, the Latin language doesn’t belong exclusively to classical homeschoolers, notebooking homeschoolers aren’t the only people who own notebooks, and unit studies isn’t the only way to look at a topic from multiple angles.
We don’t have to use a homeschool method to appreciate art, keep a nature journal, dive into the classics, keep a notebook or read living books. We can retell a story we’ve read, draw what we’ve seen, memorise quotes and poems that make our hearts sing, collect interesting facts in a notebook, travel from English to science without even realising it while exploring a topic, and discuss a classical book around the kitchen table, coffee mug in hand, without adopting a homeschooling method. All these things belong to the world where unschoolers live.
We can dip into everything the world offers as we follow our curiosity or our needs.
Each homeschooling method adopts particular learning techniques. It picks and chooses the resources it values the most. It borrows things from the world; it doesn’t own them.
But unschoolers? Unschoolers use everything on offer in any way they like.
Unschoolers own the whole world.
Some Related Stories
Charlotte Mason often entices families away from unschooling. Maybe that’s because of three words often associated with this method of homeschooling: beauty, truth and goodness. Aren’t these what our souls yearn for? Aren’t they what we need? Could Charlotte Mason be the right way to live?
Or can we find everything our souls crave in the real world of unschooling?…
When I open the front door, a man with a winning smile immediately launches into a slick presentation. Do I have children? Yes, I have two. Would I like them to receive a good education? Yes. Do I want to give them the best start in life? Of course. It’s my lucky day. The young man tells me he has just what I need: a set of encyclopaedias. He thrusts a brochure at me and says he can give me a special deal. I tell him it all sounds good, but I’m not going to buy anything without first speaking…
I used to watch the clock a lot. Many years ago, when I was at school, every classroom had a clock on the wall. And each of those clocks had leaden hands that moved so slowly that I often thought I’d go crazy before they reached the half-hour or hour position. At those magical points on the circle, a bell would ring, releasing us, sending us into a flurry of activity. We’d thrust our books into our bags and race for the door. A few minutes later, we’d flop onto chairs in an identical classroom in front of another teacher…
Unschooling When Charlotte Mason Also Appeals to Our Hearts
Do some aspects of the various methods of homeschooling appeal to you? How about living books? And art and nature study? What about the classics? Journaling and drawing? Years ago, I was drawn to Charlotte Mason’s ideas. There is something very attractive about her way of doing things, isn’t there? Short lessons make sense for kids who can’t sit still. And shouldn’t children be spending lots of time outside playing and exploring nature? And I understand why narration is required. It gives kids the opportunity to make any knowledge their own. It’s good to appreciate art that tells a story…
Some Extras That Might Interest You
Christian Unschooling Zoom Meetups
If you’d like to get together via Zoom to discuss topics relevant to Christian unschooling, please contact Erin or me. All the details are in my post: A Genuine Invitation for Christian Unschoolers. Our next meetup will be next week, Wednesday/Thursday depending on where you live in the world!
Possible Unschooling Zooms
I might arrange a few unschooling Zooms on non-Christian topics if enough people are interested. The cost would be a cup of virtual coffee per Zoom. Please let me know if you’re interested.
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Images
Some birds from my world:
Male superb fairy wren by pen_ash, Unsplash
Male king parrot by Tahlia Doyle, Unsplash
Kookaburra by pen_ash, Unsplash
I often see these birds in our garden. I also see kookaburras in the bush not far from our house.