If Homeschooling Is Ice Cream

Summary

The article discusses the spectrum of home education methods in Australia, emphasizing the distinction between homeschooling and unschooling, with a focus on the child-led approach of unschooling.

Abstract

The text outlines various approaches to home education, including Unschooling, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Waldorf/Steiner, Classical, and eclectic methods. It highlights that while some families adhere strictly to a specific educational philosophy, others combine elements from different methods to suit their needs. The concept of unschooling, a child-led learning approach, is credited to John Holt, who sought to differentiate it from the traditional school-at-home model. Unschooling is described as a natural way of learning, similar to how infants learn through observation and imitation without formal instruction. The article clarifies that unschooling is legal in Australia and that regulatory bodies are more concerned with the child's educational progress than the specific method used. Homeschooling is presented as a broader term that can encompass various styles, including unschooling, and is legal across Australia, though registration requirements vary by state.

Opinions

The author suggests that defining a home education style is important for some families, while others prefer a more flexible, personalized approach.
John Holt's frustration with the perception of home education as merely school at home is mentioned, indicating the author's agreement with the need to distinguish between different home education methods.
The article conveys that unschooling is a valid and legal educational approach in Australia, with the author implying support for its principles and effectiveness.
The role of parents in unschooling is seen as supportive and facilitative rather than directive, which reflects a positive opinion on the parent's role in child-led learning.
By encouraging readers to consider Medium membership and providing affiliate links, the author expresses a desire for community support and engagement with their work.

Then Unschooling is Chocolate.

My partner and daughter were at the dinosaur display at Healesville Sanctuary. Learning happening in the field. Photo by Ann Leach

There are many flavours of home education to choose from. Unschooling, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Waldorf/Steiner, Classical, and eclectic are just some of them. For some families, choosing a style or philosophy of home education is important. They define themselves by the style they choose. For other families, they cherry-pick what they see as the best from each, and create their own style.

Home education advocate John Holt coined the term unschooling. He was frustrated with the perception that home education often called homeschooling is just school at home. Just a change in location. It isn’t.

Child-led learning, interest-led learning, and autonomous learning and all synonymous with unschooling. We know that in classrooms, which are adult-led, the focus is on the teacher’s teaching. In unschooling, the focus is on the child’s learning. The best example is with infants who learn to sit up, walk, talk, etc. just by observing the world and imitating what they see and hear. No textbook or curriculum is required. The parent’s role is to support, encourage, and facilitate.

Unschooling is legal all across Australia under the banner of home education. The regulatory bodies in each state don’t actually care which style of education is happening in the home. At review time, the parents just need to have something to show their child’s progress.

Homeschooling and Unschooling

They are different in that homeschooling is the more general term. It can mean school at home but is more commonly used interchangeably with Home education. Unschooling is a specific style of home education.

Both are legal. All school-aged children in Australia are required to be either enrolled at a school or registered for home education. States differ though in the exact requirements for home education registration.

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Originally published at https://letstalkabout.com.au on September 12, 2021.