There is no science underpinning the methods or results of institutional pedagogy--no actual proof. We have been brought up (within the system) to assume science proved the system's methods and results first. But there are no studies to which we can point. Because they don't exist. Valuable science is based on a system of experimentation proved against controls. You can not study the efficacy of learning in a classroom without also studying the efficacy of innate learning. Which has never formally happened. To that end, unschoolers are offering the science of pedagogy an opportunity of immeasurable value and depth--the study of innate learning.
Pedagogy is a school of fish living in a fishbowl, teaching that their bowl is the best bowl, the most efficient bowl, the most valuable bowl. Pedagogy is dedicated to refining methods for teaching within the bowl. But this school of fish has never been to a lake, river, or ocean. The school never left its bowl. Can everyone see this clearly?
University level teaching, I think, feels valuable. You can feel yourself getting smarter when you go to college as an adult and study. I am not suggesting there is anything wrong with studying in a university or college in the traditional way. However, as children we (if we are honest, at least nearly all of us) felt the stultification of school. I suggest there is an appropriate age for institutional pedagogy and science should figure out what it is. I suggest that age is not 1, 2, 5, 6, or even 10. Certainly by 15 for most folks. Definitely by 18 almost everyone should be neurologically and emotionally mature enough to study in a formal setting for six hours everyday. But there is no proven value to forcing it on little children. No. No proof, not anywhere. None. Not because your mother made you do it. Not because the local Principal wishes there was. Not because society enjoys free babysitting.
Which is shocking, difficult to grasp, and an emotional a slap in the face. Not to mention how sad it is, all that wasted time. And lets not even think about what harm the institutionalization of childhood causes. Wait, maybe that deserves some study...ya think?
Rob Reich over at Stanford says we don't have enough conclusive evidence about the efficacy of homeschool. He couldn't be more right. However, he hasn't yet figured out we don't have any conclusive evidence about the efficacy of institutional school either. If confronted, I am guessing he might say that proving the efficacy of institutional pedagogy for elementary school is too big. It can't be done. So he might simply dismiss it as impossible. Well, academics might have such luxury to choose what they will be paid to study, conscious parents do not. Furthermore, one can not insist on proof for homeschooling but not institutional schooling. That doesn't make sense.
One might suggest that children can not successfully enter college or university without 13 years of prior institutionalization. Of course unschoolers, in fact, are.
Pedagogy is a school of fish living in a fishbowl, teaching that their bowl is the best bowl, the most efficient bowl, the most valuable bowl. Pedagogy is dedicated to refining methods for teaching within the bowl. But this school of fish has never been to a lake, river, or ocean. The school never left its bowl. Can everyone see this clearly?
University level teaching, I think, feels valuable. You can feel yourself getting smarter when you go to college as an adult and study. I am not suggesting there is anything wrong with studying in a university or college in the traditional way. However, as children we (if we are honest, at least nearly all of us) felt the stultification of school. I suggest there is an appropriate age for institutional pedagogy and science should figure out what it is. I suggest that age is not 1, 2, 5, 6, or even 10. Certainly by 15 for most folks. Definitely by 18 almost everyone should be neurologically and emotionally mature enough to study in a formal setting for six hours everyday. But there is no proven value to forcing it on little children. No. No proof, not anywhere. None. Not because your mother made you do it. Not because the local Principal wishes there was. Not because society enjoys free babysitting.
Which is shocking, difficult to grasp, and an emotional a slap in the face. Not to mention how sad it is, all that wasted time. And lets not even think about what harm the institutionalization of childhood causes. Wait, maybe that deserves some study...ya think?
Rob Reich over at Stanford says we don't have enough conclusive evidence about the efficacy of homeschool. He couldn't be more right. However, he hasn't yet figured out we don't have any conclusive evidence about the efficacy of institutional school either. If confronted, I am guessing he might say that proving the efficacy of institutional pedagogy for elementary school is too big. It can't be done. So he might simply dismiss it as impossible. Well, academics might have such luxury to choose what they will be paid to study, conscious parents do not. Furthermore, one can not insist on proof for homeschooling but not institutional schooling. That doesn't make sense.
One might suggest that children can not successfully enter college or university without 13 years of prior institutionalization. Of course unschoolers, in fact, are.
Well said, once again. I realize we represent a tiny sample of only ten people. But so far seven have been able to integrate into formal school at age 15, having done mostly whatever they wanted for the entire previous years. And not much time has been spent on exotic, impressive educational activities either, unless you want to count Simpsons and softball, and splashing around at the lake. We work a lot. This is a busy house. How can this possibly work better than school?? It has. Crazy, I know. Possibly revolutionary in some strange little way. love you, Girl. Val
ReplyDeletekeeping the faith, glad for the company.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, outside the mold, we do in fact ask them to do on-line math once a day: one skill a day, for 5 to 15 minutes generally, or however long it takes. They happily comply with this small request; it helps them say they are home schooled rather than the usual replies they would give, "We don't go to school" or "We're supposedly home-schooled, only we don't really do any schooling."
There really is no mold for unschooling. Its a self defined thing. I require certain things from my children. They were required to learn to swim, bike, memorize our home information, and read. They are required to participate in the Teen Volunteer thing. And they are required to proceed. Which is esoteric and exists in my mind, rather than as a spoken requirement. But its there all the same. They are required to understand the basic principals of citizenship. These are my own requirements for my children. They, of course, will have different requirements for themselves. Those, I think, are most important.
ReplyDeleteOther parents will have different requirements. Its not like asking your kids to spend 15 minutes with math is significant either way. It doesn't disqualify you as unschoolers nor qualify you as official homeschoolers. kwim? I think every family creates their own blend. Which is lovely. :o)
"We're supposedly home-schooled, only we don't really do any schooling" has a condescending tone. It suggests a kid (or adult) who neither respects nor understands learning in a non institutional setting. The "supposedly" speaks volumes. And the "really".
How about: We are homeschooled. We don't study the institutional techniques of pedagogy. Or we are homeschooled. We don't reproduce school at home. Or simply: We are homeschooled.
In my family my kids say what's honest and comes naturally to them: We are homeschooled. If there are further questions I jump in with: We are unschoolers, which is unusual and different. The kids really aren't aware of which grade they are in because we do grades. I could explain it to you, if you like. Its complicated and its also pretty radical. I use the word radical as a sort of apology. It is hard for people to understand. And I don't expect the average Grandparent to take it all in in a second. I expect them to be a bit confused.
what strikes me is how the kids have internalized this message, from somewhere...apologizing that they do not fit in...which is what concerns me. it's the kids talking about themselves because they compare themselves to kids who go to school. they are asked all the time about their status of course, the "what grade are you in?" question. more later.
ReplyDelete