Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom

Name: Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom
SKU: 59412
Availability: InStock

4.7 | 412 ratings

Price: 7.99

Last update: 09-09-2024

Top reviews from the United States

Abby

This book is a GEM!

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019

After six years of homeschooling my kids, I've finally come to the conclusion that we are probably better off unschooling! Here is just one example. My second oldest has struggled with learning how to read for years. He resisted with every fiber of his being. I would back off for a while and then try again. Same response. He just couldn't be pushed. The anxiety and tears he experienced was just too much for him. I finally decided that it wasn't worth the fight. I couldn't force him to learn something he wasn't ready for. I let go and tried to trust that he would read when he was ready. He is nine, almost ten, now and is just barely starting to read. He is showing interest in early readers and will actually willingly read to me as long as I'm not the one that suggests it. This is a huge milestone for him.

After reading "Unschooling", I am convinced that unschooling can work. Kerry is extremely knowledgable and has provided ample research to support her claims. She provides an overview of how the compulsory education (schooling) system began in the United States and includes how it is failing children today. Over and over she iterates that education and schooling are NOT synonymous. I agree 1000%. She talks about how our "schooled" mindset leads us to think that children need to be taught in order to learn. But this is simply not true! She provides copious examples that illustrate just how much children can learn when given the freedom to follow their own specific interests. When left to their own devices, children will constantly be learning and exploring because it is important to them!

There is so much I wish I could share from this book, but you just need to read it yourself. It is SO. GOOD. I wish I could give a copy of this book to all parents, not just homeschooling ones! I know that unschooling has formerly been a radical idea, but when you break it down and look at the research and success stories, I think it should be considered by more parents, families, and educators. We can't change anything unless we challenge the norm. If you are wanting to learn more about unschooling, or how child-led learning works, you need to read this book!

John Martin

An excellent and important book about education

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019

In Unschooled Kerry McDonald presents the case against traditional schooling and for unschooling, which is a form of homeschooling. In traditional schooling she says, “The most important lesson for children to learn is obedience and memorization.” It is a product of the industrial age and no longer relevant in what she terms the “Imagination Age.” Schooling she says, “results in a pattern of conformity, obedience and authoritarianism and prevents the development of creativity, exuberance, natural curiosity and inventiveness that are the hallmarks of the Imagination Age.” She distinguishes unschooling from homeschooling in that the latter is more structured and typically includes a curriculum, whereas unschooling is more self-directed learning in which the child decides what he or she wants to learn. Moreover, unschooling is “a moral choice” that “gives children more freedom and control over their lives by letting them learn instead of being schooled.” Ms. McDonald also provides numerous examples of unschooling choices and each chapter includes several unschooling tips.

I think this book is extremely important reading for parents, teachers and anyone who is concerned with education. At the same time there are considerations that Ms. McDonald does not really address. For one ,not every parent can engage in unschooling, either because he or she has to work to earn income needed just to live or because the parent lacks the qualifications to unschool the child (McDonald unschooled her children, but she has a masters in education from the Harvard School of Education. Other mothers who unschool their children have similar degrees.) Secondly, one of the most important features of school is that it is a certificating system—the goal is to get a formal recognition that the student has competed a certain degree of education, i.e. a diploma. In my case for example, I have several such diplomas including a doctoral degree and while I believe that I have learned a lot more outside of school than inside, this formal piece of paper is what has enabled me to get many of the jobs I have gotten. The author states that many students who are unschooled do get into universities, but at that point their education becomes “schooled.” Finally the author does not address the question of how school can be made more like unschool, since it is not likely that the entrenched education establishment will convert the present system to one that is like the unschooled model.
This book should be required reading for all members of that establishment.

Amazon Customer

Rethinking education

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2020

This book is filled with lots of great information. So much to think about in the way of education, it's purpose and how kids learn. I really enjoyed it!

Ryan

Excellent book!

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2019

I have enjoyed following Kerry McDonald's blog for several years, so I was thrilled when I learned that she was writing a book! It has far exceeded my expectations. A wonderful balance between researched-based evidence in favor of unschooling as well as captivating stories from families who have chosen the unschooling path, this book provides excellent food for thought for any parent looking at alternative forms of education for their children. Kerry also thoroughly describes the plethora of resources, learning centers, alternative schools, community groups, and more that are available to families looking to explore this lifestyle. In addition to her excellent writing, I appreciate the helpful "unschooling tips," highlighted at the end of each chapter. She has also included an extensive book/film/website list at the end of the book, which I am eager to explore further. As a homeschooling mom who has always leaned toward self-directed learning, this book has encouraged and inspired me to take further steps to embrace unschooling in our home. I encourage every parent, homeschooling or not, to read this book.

Leana Killpack

Questioning the school system? Read this!

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2024

So much truth that really resonates with me. I pulled my kids from school almost 4 years ago and every year I feel I need reassurance that I am doing the right thing and I choose this book for encouragement…. It really did the job.

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