There's a lot of buzz right now around children learning without school, and the different terms used can be confusing. I see the word unschooling pop up in different contexts and sometimes feel a bit flat when I see what it is describing. Not because someone else is doing it 'wrong', but because when this … Continue reading What is unschooling?
Tag: Unschooling
Why unschooling works for PDA children
Time outs, naughty steps and reward charts were never on my radar. None of that has ever made any sense to me. Even so, when my eldest son was younger I had to marvel at friends who did these things, and at how their children accepted them with minimal resistance. It was beyond my comprehension. … Continue reading Why unschooling works for PDA children
Money, money, money…
We've spent a few days with money on our minds. Mostly because we've just moved house, so there are lots of tempting ways to spend too much. And, while I've been busy doing calculations in my head and on little bits of paper, I've noticed that the children are also thinking about money in different … Continue reading Money, money, money…
When unschooling means exams
What happens when an unschooler wants to go into higher education? How does a child who has spent years following their interests possibly get their head round formal study and exams? There's plenty of evidence that they do just that, so, although we're not quite there yet ourselves, I know that at first glance the … Continue reading When unschooling means exams
Structures and freedom
A few days ago, just before she went to bed, my daughter decided to write down her morning routine. She felt like her mornings would be easier if she could just follow the same schedule every day, so she wrote it out and she keeps it on her dresser. The schedule starts with waking up, … Continue reading Structures and freedom
Trusting the quiet moments
Sometimes, it's easy to feel confident. Seeing a child curled up reading a book, looking up ingredients to do some baking, or just getting cross about politics in the kitchen. At these times, I can't help but think that all is well. We look like someone's idea of what this should look like. We are … Continue reading Trusting the quiet moments
What did we do today?
Well, life in semi-lockdown goes on, and we've had plenty of time to settle into new rhythms. Human beings are certainly adaptable creatures. What would have been unthinkable just months ago seems relatively normal now. It's true that a lot of conversations start with a hopeful, 'After lockdown...', but generally the days pass peacefully enough … Continue reading What did we do today?
The many benefits of unschooling for children with special needs
I hear a lot of doubt around whether unschooling can work for children with special needs. Perhaps it's because many of these children need so much help and support to get through formal education. And if it's stressful and exhausting even with everyone trying so hard, logic follows that without all that effort and structure, … Continue reading The many benefits of unschooling for children with special needs
Let them game!
This lockdown sort of caught us between places. We had just rented a house in the UK, and brought over some of our belongings. We were due to travel back to Barcelona in March to get the rest of our things plus our three cats. Obviously that couldn't happen, so we're living a fairly minimalist … Continue reading Let them game!
Learning to read #2
This series of posts follows my seven-year-old daughter as she learns to read. C has created a beautiful world in Minecraft with a pet shop, swarming with different animals, and a sweet shop with all sorts of colourful delicacies. This morning, I helped her put signs in her shops. These signs mostly say, 'Cats for … Continue reading Learning to read #2
