Comments on: I Can’t Justify School

By: I Can’t Justify School | Happiness is here – Learning All the Time

Sun, 03 May 2020 12:19:03 +0000

[…] Source: I Can’t Justify School | Happiness is here […]

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 22:37:54 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with the idea that there should be so much more to childhood than being away from their loved ones for over 6 hours a day, being lectured at and retaining only a portion of that. I am of the opinion, however, that unless your child is incredibly self-motivated, they should have some structure (provided by the parent) to their learning if you want them to have the basics that would open the possibilities to them for wherever they chose to later on.

Having said that, I don’t think the structure always needs to be intense. In fact, we spend only about 2.5 hours (on average) each day on our structured work – which might be sit-down-at-the-table work, hands-on crafts and projects, unit studies, lapbooks, online games/documentaries/classes, or co-op classes. Where your child might not motivate themselves to regularly scaffold their learning in a particular subject area, you can step in and encourage and guide them to do so so that the basics are covered.

You can confer with your child, allow them input into the curriculum choices, make regular trips to the library with them, encourage learning experiences and meaningful discussions regularly. I think there can be a balance between allowing your child lots and lots of input and self-direction to their learning experiences, while also being a guide, facilitator, and an organizer of their learning where needed.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:22:47 +0000

Thank you for this. I am so grateful that we discovered the world of self-directed education before my kids became “school age.” They are now 4 and 2 and we have one on the way, and while I often feel bombarded by others who feel we aren’t doing the right thing and it causes me lots of self doubt, I know deep down that this is best for them and best for our family.

By: Emma Foster

Emma Foster — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 14:02:25 +0000

I have been following your fb page for a while and a lot of your articles really resonate with me. I want a lot of the things that you ascribe to unschooling. It mostly sounds great except for the little catch that I am a single mum and I work as an RN. Sadly, I can’t afford to stay home and have the time with my little ones that would be required to unschool them. Do you have any advice for people in my situation?

By: Mae

Mae — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 17:52:07 +0000

In reply to Helena. I am a single mom who works full-time and homeschools. I worked third shift while the kids were in elementary and middle school so that I could be with them during the day. And if I needed to catch up on sleep on a weekday we would just do a couple lessons on Saturday morning or after church on Sunday. I am back on days with one in college and one in highschool. My teens do most of their classes online or at our local CC so I don't have to do too much right now. The great thing with homeschooling/unschooling is you can do it at any time. Of course, I was able to drop my kids off at my sister's house to sleep while I worked so I wasn't paying a sitter. Maybe open a home daycare?

By: Sara @ Happiness is here

Sara @ Happiness is here — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 09:26:01 +0000

In reply to Roxy. You haven't done the wrong thing It takes a while to remember what you liked to do before people started telling you what you should be doing all the time!! They say to allow AT LEAST one month for every year they've been in school to 'deschool'. In that time don't do anything that looks like school! Let her be free to do what she likes. She'll eventually think of something :) In the meantime I would just empathise... 'it's hard to know what to do sometimes isn't it?', 'it sounds like you're really having trouble', 'you can't think of anything to do right now and that's frustrating for you', etc.