What would happen if you let your child stay out of school to explore whatever she is most interested in doing for as long as she wanted to do it? It’s not as outlandish as it might sound. It’s called “unschooling” and thousands of families find it just the ticket to a creative, individualized education. Hundreds of unschoolers from all over the country will converge at the Marriott Solana Hotel & Spa in Westlake Sept. 4-8 for Rethinking Education, an international confluence for unschooling families.
The 13th annual event, founded and produced by unschooling parent and Colleyville resident Barb Lundgren, features nonstop workshops, activities and fellowship for parents, teens and children alike.
- Freedom and education
- Parenting and community
- Entrepreneuring
- Alternative therapies for well-being
- Sustainability
- Retirement
- Spirit
- Gobs of cool sessions and activities for kids, teens and young adults
- “One Big Apartment” for teens and young adults
- Art, music, dance
Also known as “child-led,” “interest-led” or “inquiry-based” learning, unschooling is a style of home educating that follows a child’s individual and developmental passions. “Interest-initiated learning works well for children with a deep, abiding interest or hobby, as well as for students with clearly delineated goals,” writes Karen Taylor in the California Home School Network’s The California Home School Guide. On the flip side, she admits, “Some say that unschooling results in educational gaps, holes in a student’s knowledge.”
Gaps? Many unschoolers worry about those later, rather than sooner. Unschooling is more a whole-family lifestyle than an educational approach or curriculum. Unschooling parents strive to deluge their families in a rich stream of educational opportunities and “real life” experiences. The aim is to give kids not only the space to discover their own interests but also the tools to dive in when they’re ready to “fill the gaps” with gusto.
For more questions about unschooling or the conference, visit Rethinking Education for details on its array of programs and to register for the conference.
