My kids have never set foot in a public school. As a public school teacher by trade, I know what it has (and doesn’t have) to offer; I wanted something different for my kids. About four years into our ‘school at home’ scenario, my oldest was starting to dig their heels in when it was time to do school work. Not wanting to sacrifice the relationship with my oldest, I asked the universe for wisdom on what to do about my predicament. Almost immediately, unschooling fell into my lap.
Full Disclosure: This blog post includes affiliate links. While it is no extra cost to you, if you purchase items through my links, I will earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your kindness and support.
Sign up for the Informed Escapist newsletter to stay up to date on blog posts and book giveaways
No curriculum?
If you want the full scoop of what unschooling is, please check out this website. To be honest, it was really hard for me to wrap my head around it at first. I am the product of a public school and I also taught in them for over a decade. It took a lot of deschooling my own brain to learn what unschooling looks like. Hint: there is learning everywhere, including video games and YouTube videos.
The first book I read about informal learning was Peter Gray’s Free to Learn. Some may find it a dense read but it was really fascinating to me how children can learn without formal education. What blew me away was when Gray discusses the Hole in the Wall Project where a group of children learn how to use a computer without any help at all from adults. If I remember correctly, they started learning English too.
Solidifying my Foundation of Trust
The first book I read that stopped me in my tracks was Dumbing Us Down by John Gatto Taylor. He discusses the harms of the public school system through various speeches. Before you get upset, know that the author has credentials regarding public school. He taught nearly 30 years in New York State. More than once, he was awarded Teacher of the Year. He knows the public school system. I highly recommend this book because he discusses things that I didn’t even think about regarding how the public school system can negatively affect children.
The second book I always recommend is Unschooled by Kerry McDonald. It is an in-depth yet easy read that covers all things unschool related and leaves you feeling motivated, not overwhelmed, by what unschooling can offer your family.
Another helpful book for unschooling beginners is Free to Learn: Five Ideas for a Joyful Unschooling Life by Pam Laricchia. The author creates an easy layout and the contents are made simple to understand. I highly recommend for any new prospective unschooling families.
While unschooling may not work for everyone, our family has enjoyed the adventure so far. We live life and learn along the way. As I tell my kids, ‘life is learning- learning is life.’
Books On My To Be Read (TBR) List
Life through the Lens of Unschooling: A Living Joyfully Companion by Pam Laricchia
Unschooling To University: Relationships Matter Most in a World Crammed with Content by Judy Arnall
Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work by Akilah S. Richards
Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher’s Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto
Connect with Courage: Practical Ways to Release Fear and Find Joy in the Places Your Children Take You by Roya Dedeaux, M.S., LMFT
The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child’s Education, A New Way to Homeschool by Ainsley Arment
How Children Learn by John Holt
Image by Pixabay
