Messages By: unschools

Quote From: knittingmom

What studies is Dr. Phil referrring to that say homeschooling is no longer a mentally healthy option for middle schoolers on up?  I've never even heard of this.

 

Quote From: mom930

I personally feel that traditional schooling is the best way for children to get a good education.  No, it's not a perfect system, but I feel that it is the best way for children to become aware of the world around them.  Socially, I think that homeschooling is not a great choice for kids.  Yes, parents can take their children to events and clubs, but most of those are things that interest the child.  What about those people in the world that are not like you?  How are you going to learn how to develp the skills needed to get along with other people.  I have never heard of unschooling until today.  My question is this...unless you are your own boss someday, how are you going to ever be happy working at a job where someone is telling you what to do?  The other complaint that I have are homeschooling parents who want to get their kids involved in sports affiliated with a middle or high school eventhough their kids don't attend those schools.  In my opinion, if they can't go to school with those kids, they can't play sports with them.  I am a public school teacher, so maybe I am a little bias.  I think one thing that would help our schools today is parental support and involvement. 

Quote From: bookworm31602

When in grade school, the public school system I attended experiment with haveing children proceed at their own pace. As I am now fifty years old, that was some time ago. The only subject I did not do well in was mathematics. (probably because I never could figure out new math and my parents couldn't help me either) Since we could proceed at out own pace, I did not do the math unless I had to.

 

So I was appalled when I learned about unschooling today. I work at a University as a librarain. Have worked here for sixteen years in a three different units.  The first set of parents are not thinking about their childrens future.  Most likely those children will be unable to hold down jobs. 

 

Between my expereinces at work and listening to the problems a friend of mine has who is an assistant manager at a resturant, we both have come to the conclusinion that many young adults do not have a work ethic today. They seem to think they can come and go as they please, make demands on others, and that others should run to do their work for them.

 

How are the unschooled children going to survive when they go to college or get their first job?

 

How will the unschooled children transition from an unstructured enviroment where you do what you want when you want to a structured enviorment where professors or supervisors expect you to met deadlines and follow rules and procedures and to be to class or work on time?

Quote From: mel2023

I had to write today about the couple who have decided to "unschool" their children.  Maybe I have been in the dark but this is the first time I have heard df such nonsense.  Yes, in an ideal world we could keep our children safe and secure with use everyday for the rest of their lives.  However, in the real world it is part of our job as a parent to prepare our children to be completely independent of us.  The truth is you can and should still teach your children about the world, the ocean, trees and so on and so on.  That is part of our jobs.  However, it is also part of our job to make sure our children are formally educated.  It is really unbelieveable in today's world that people think they are creating "entrepreneurs" by unschooling.  They are actually doing the exact opposite.  Not to say that you cannot be a successful entreprenueur and not have maybe FINISHED highschool.  My husband and I have 3 successful businesses and neither of us finished college and also were not A students.  However, what school did teach me is discipline and that in the world people expect certain things from you.  You should not  teach a child that they can do whatever they want whenever they want, because that is not how it is in the real world.  Unfortunatley, these people are setting their children up for failer as adults.  Children need a structured education whether it be public or private school.  As for the guy that said there are drugs, guns, teasing, bulling and dealing with rich kids, well guess what all of that is also in the real world of adult hood to.  As you reach adulthood and maybe get your first job at any given larger company chances are in your career you will deal with harrassment of some sort, favortism of some sort and maybe even co-workers or bosses on drugs (whether it is illegal drugs or pill popping) or alcoholism.  Unfortuntaley many of the probelms that we talk about in highschools are also in adult society.  It is the PARENTS job to educate children about these problems at a young age.  A lot of parents these days think for some reason it is the school systems job to teach their children some of life's most important lessons.  PARENTS need to take more responsiblilty when it comes to their children and teach their children as they get older to be more responisble for their own actions.  

Quote From: winterwarmth

It only seems new because it is only recently that the media has selected it for shock-value fodder.  Unschooling isn't just something that started happening only recently!  It's been around for many generations!

People unschooled their children when I was growing up in the 60s and early 70s.  More than 30 years have passed since then, and said "children" are now 40 and 50 years old, and yes, they did manage to leave home at some of the classic ages.  They too, had to encounter ignorance from people in the mainstream and official facets, but now they are grown adults with families of their own, and have careers and salaries, and businesses.

I know a lot of grown unschooled graduates who are wondering WHAT all the fuss is about.  I guess they don't know that they're supposed to be ignorant hicks who can't read "The Cat in the Hat."