Why we Unschool
"If a child is to keep alive their inborn sense of wonder, they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with them the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson
I suppose it’s very unschooly of me to say that I don’t know what your definition of unschooling is or if it’s correct. My definition is that how school looks for me and my family doesn’t have to fit into anyone else’s boxes or meet anyone else’s approval. I’ve been told since Sawyer was a toddler that if I unschool, then my kid won’t ever learn how to read or participate in society. He was reading at 5, without a single formal lesson, so…
And part of me welcomes, and is actually encouraged, by the thought of my children not fitting into society at large. Our patriarchal, consumption-focused society needs more children who know how to do better to create change. I want my kids to be truly themselves and welcome others who society casts out.
On the practical side, my family lives in the middle of nowhere and it would be a one hour drive ONE WAY to get to the school district for which we are zoned. We can pay to send him to the school that is geographically closer to our home, even though it’s literally in different state but even then, we’ll be driving a half an hour one way. I’ve become such a feral housewife that the logistics of school drop off make my brain malfunction.
There’s a mishmash of reasons why we homeschool and why we call ourselves unschoolers. Sometimes I think “hodgepodge homeschool” is a more accurate description of what we do. I’m guessing that my urge to come up with a tagline to describe our homeschooling style has far more to do with social media than it does with any sort of necessary piece to successful homeschooling recipe.
The one thing I know for sure is that community is a necessity. Raising my children within a supportive community of like-minded folks is far more important to our success than any curriculum or accurate labeling of our style. So Grubby and Co was born. Thanks for being along for the journey!
