Unschool Parent Resources

Unschooling:
An educational philosophy and practice that rejects traditional school instruction. Instead, unschooling encourages learners to explore their interests and learn through real-life experiences. This can include play, household responsibilities, personal projects, travel, books, elective classes, work experiences, and social interactions. Unschooling is based on the belief that children are naturally curious and will learn what they need to know when they are ready and in ways that work best for them. It emphasizes learning as a natural, self-directed process.

The "Unschool Discoveries" book series follows the adventures of two children who learn through exploring the world around them, rather than in a traditional classroom setting. The series highlights their journey of self-directed learning, emphasizing the richness and variety of experiences they encounter. Through their adventures, readers get a glimpse into the world of unschooling, homeschooling, and worldschooling, showcasing the endless opportunities and joys of learning outside the confines of a typical school environment. Each story celebrates exploration, growth, curiosity, and the boundless potential of learning through real-world experiences.

The 5 Ease Methodology is a unique approach to learning that I’ve developed, which focuses on natural, self-directed education. It consists of five phases: Environment, Exposure, Engagement, Experimentation, and Endeavor. Here’s a brief overview of each phase:

1. Environment: 

This is the phase where a child masters everything in their immediate surroundings. As they grow, their environment expands to include a broader frame of reference and exposure to new environments. For example: a baby initially knows only the room they’re in; as they grow, they are exposed to other rooms and the outdoors. Parents help them learn, know and be familiar with all they see or are curious about.

2. Exposure: 

In this phase, children are introduced to things they knew nothing about and do not have direct access to without external resources or expertise. Exposure requires a secondary party or a change of environment, adding to the child’s environment or known universe and broadening their horizons. For example: taking them out to new places, spaces, towns, states, countries.

3. Engagement: 

This phase involves kids actively exploring and understanding what they have been exposed to. It transitions learning from passive intake during exposure to active navigation, research, and deeper exploration. It’s driven by interest and curiosity and is self-driven. Theories and hypotheses are formulated during this phase. They will question, ponder and allow thoughts and ideas to go down rabbit holes. The very natural thinking Rockefeller did not want schooled kids to do.

4. Experimentation: 

Here, kids apply their ideas, make mistakes, building confidence, and push their theories to their limits. Theories and hypotheses are tested, and plans are formulated to utilize the newfound knowledge.

5. Endeavor: 

This phase is about action and graduation. It involves doing something with the knowledge gained, getting answers, or completing the learning of a topic to the fullest extent at the time. Endeavors can lead to profitable projects or products, books, courses, teams, or sets of relationships.

These phases are cyclical and not meant for grading or judgment. They serve as assessments of one’s state of mind, aiding in overcoming challenges or boredom. The progression through these phases can vary based on the topic, and each phase can be revisited multiple times during the learning journey. The completion of the experimentation phase signifies a complete endeavor, leading to potential creations or the acquisition of knowledge to be applied to new topics.