We are All Unschoolers Now

Abstract

Families who unschool, or home school (at least 2 million kids in the US) usually reach this decision after much deliberation, and after weighing innumerable factors: available time and energy, capacity, desire, and finances. Now, overnight there are hundreds of thousands of young people with no school to go to - compulsory unschooling. While some families will manage to cope (those with resources for alternative childcare, those who can work from home, those with good internet access and lots of available books and materials), many more are making painful choices. Kathleen Kesson, who has experience homeschooling her own family, examines the lessons she learned from it: (1) personalize learning; (2) craving structure; (3) boredom; (4) get outside; (5) play; (6) tell stories; (7) do things together; (8) take things apart; (9) read aloud; and (10) value the learning "process" over the "products."