Unschooling
Articles from the Pages of Live Free Learn Free
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Issue 14
(May/June 2007)
Why
Doesn't Unschooling Come Naturally? by Dayna Martin
"If I lived on a deserted island and had no cultural influence telling me
what to do, would unschooling come completely natural to me as a parent? Why do we need
to learn how to unschool in our culture? If it is such a natural way that
humans learn, why do so many people think that learning has to be
forced?"
An Unschooling
Perspective on Screen Time by Ann Vetter "I have witnessed movies
spark a child’s imagination, inspire their writing, motivate them to read a book on a
subject, and encourage them to act out their own version of the plot in an imaginative,
lets-pretend sort of game. I have explained complex math concepts because my children needed
them to get to the next level in a computer game they enjoy. I have watched their vocabulary
expand as they ask me the meaning of words they see and hear on screen. Best of all, I spend
time doing these things with them."
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Issue 13
(November/December 2006)
Learning
Together: Mixing Unschooling and University by
Rebecca Ellis "My university studies not only enrich my own life but
also enrich the lives of my children. We learn together and are able to share our
intellectual passions with each other.'"
Abundance by Mary Thomas Draper "No
money was spent, no additional consumption made. A child was getting his needs met by
being with his mom and having his desire honored. Abundance can come from
within."
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Issue 12 (September/October 2006)
Be Realistic! by Kathryn Baptista "Julian
wants to be a rock star. The experienced, true-believer unschoolers are now all
thinking, “That’s wonderful!” Others are telling their partners, 'See,
I told you that’s what comes from this unschooling! He should be applying to law
school!'"
Jesse's
Story by
Sue Whitson Jesse was "a Mozart at farming," and homeschooling
allowed him to follow his passions.
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Issue 11 (July/August 2006)
Exploring
the Slow Lane by Deb Baker A family slows down and enjoys the
benefits of exploring the world at their own pace.
Unschooling and Self-Worth by Shana Ronayne
Hickman "For us, one of unschooling’s greatest benefits is its
natural reverence for a child’s self-worth. Rather than imposing our own structure
on our children’s education, it necessitates that we trust our children and help
them find and follow their own interests, forge their own paths, and pursue their own
dreams."
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Issue 10 (March/April 2006)
But How Will They Ever Learn to Stand in Line by
Shannon M. Reichard What does socialization look like in an unschooling
family? Here's one wonderful example.
Life Curriculum by Miranda Demarest Curriculum
for unschoolers? It's not what you think! A mother describes what she would like her
children to know as they grow into the world.
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Issue 9
(January/February 2006)
Crafts
from the Heart by Elizabeth Roberts Crafts
without stickers, markers or glitter? These crafts "came from the hearts of two
wonderful children, and from their lives - things they touch and taste and use."
Destruction
Instruction by Amy Bowers "As parents, I think, we
are often pleased when our children use items in an unorthodox way - a wooden block for
a piece of pie or a cushion for a boat - but how encouraging are we when our young
children use something in a manner that seems destructive to our 'schooled'
sensibilities?"
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Issue 8
(November/December 2005)
Living History by Heather
Woodward A family visits a reenactment camp in
Pennsylvania.
Thoughts on Unschooling by Tracy Million
Simmons "Unschooling is all about becoming. Whether you are just
beginning or have not thought of education in terms of school in years - embrace the
change, embrace your children, and make it all about living life."
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Issue
7 (September/October 2005)
He
Was Labeled Retarded by Sharon Miller When their son is
labeled "severely mentally retarded" by developmental specialists, his parents
decide to bring him home and focus on him as a person.
Home (Centered) Work by Marjorie Sangster
Rolleston Three families establish "alternative work paths
that allow them to spend time with their children." From retiring early to moving
to the country, these families are making the most of the homeschooling years.
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Issue
6 (July/August 2005)
Online Support for Today's Homeschooler by Tammy
Takahashi Why are so many homeschoolers finding support through
Internet e-lists? The author describes her own experience with online support.
What
About Math? by Christy O'Neal A number chart hung
unobtrusively inspires Logan to make math a part of his imaginative play.
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Issue
5 (May/June 2005)
Learning by Living by Dana Laquidara A
mother explains her children's path to unschooling and details how they spend their
days.
Three
Readers by Sandra Dodd The author chronicles the reading lives of
her three children.
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Issue
4 (March/April 2005)
On
Earning Promotions by Kimberly Olson "Lately I have
discovered that my most valued promotions have come from my children."
TV-Free
Family for a Week by Rachel and Lexi Johnson One week, no
TV. A mother and daughter share their thoughts.
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Issue
3 (January/February 2005)
Home
Learning Expensive? Naaaah! by Avivah Werner "We
need to be aware of the underlying assumption in our society that spending more equals
giving more."
I
Love My Job by Anne E. Ohman A child follows his desire
to help others, enriching their lives, as well as his own.
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Issue
1 (August/September 2004)
College
or Not? by Peter Kowalke An unschooler
turns his struggle with the college question into a documentary about grown
homeschoolers and learns some surprising things in the process.
Cooking Up an Education
by Heather Woodward A family learns about history, geography,
gardening, math, reading and, yes, food through
cooking.
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