What Is Unschooling?
Unschooling is the most fluid style of homeschooling. There is no curriculum and no set boundaries. Many parents feel a bit apprehensive about such freedom. However, even unschooling has certain guidelines that make it a great method of homeschooling.
Guidelines for Effective Unschooling
1. Allow Your Child to Express Interests
Firstly, allow your child to express interests. Let her select the topic. If she wants to learn about flowers, tell her about the various flowers, their functions, parts of the flower, rare flowers, etc. But don’t go overboard. Allow her the freedom to stop when she has had enough. This process of learning may take a month or a day. It is up to the child to decide how much she wants to learn.
2. Expand Your Child’s Interests
Expand your child’s areas of interest using videos, books, magazines, puzzles, and games. Go to a museum or take her to a library. Simultaneously, broaden your own interests. The more you know, the more the child gets to learn.
3. Notice Opportunities for Learning
Notice all opportunities for learning. When in the kitchen, point out the vitamins in fruits and vegetables. What makes tomatoes red, and why are leafy vegetables good? If you don’t know the answers, don’t worry. Look them up.
4. Be Patient and Encouraging
Lastly, don’t worry if the progress seems slow. This is just the way kids learn. Give them time and lots of encouragement.
By following these guidelines, unschooling can become a rewarding and effective way to nurture your child’s natural curiosity and love for learning.