HOMESCHOOLING

A New-to-Homeschooling Parent asks: What’s the difference between homeschooling and unschooling?

Also: Will my child miss out on life long experiences if we homeschool them?

Homeschooling (Home Education) is a form of education that is legal in many places (Do your own research.) and viable where the parents take on the responsibility of ensuring their children have a wide range of opportunities to learn across all subjects. The exact requirements vary from state to state, country to country. To learn the regulations and registration requirements for your state or country, search “your state or country” + “homeschool or home education” in your internet browser and read them from the government website.

Unschooling is one of many styles/philosophies of homeschooling. The term was coined by homeschooling advocate John Holt to differentiate between what happens at home and what happens in the classrooms of the institutions called schools. His books “Teach Your Own” and “Learning Happens All the Time” are found in most library systems and are worth spending the time to read.

Homeschooling is the big picture of basing your children’s education from home. Unschooling is a child-led or interest-led style.

Generally, mainstream parents don’t support homeschooling because they don’t know enough about it to have an opinion. Often they are misinformed and believe things to be true because they heard them, but can’t cite the source and don’t take the time to learn the truth. The best way to find out about homeschooling is to go to the homeschooling community and talk with homeschoolers, read the blogs and books they’ve written, listen to podcasts, and watch videos and films.

Literally, thousands of families choose to educate their children from home. They have each been through the decision-making process. They have faced their fears and have jumped through the hoops to get registered and now are enjoying a level of freedom they never imagined.

When we choose to homeschool our children, we are choosing a different path than mainstreamers are on. Our children will miss out on mainstream experiences, but we more than makeup for those losses with the many varied homeschool experiences. They’re not necessarily the same, but equally enriching and rewarding.

The homeschooling community is the most welcoming and supportive community I’ve ever had the privilege of being part of.

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