Is it ever too late to start unschooling?

Question

: (

Answer 1

I don't know, but "graduation" might be a little late to start! LOL  Usually, unschoolers tend to start unschooling from the beginning, or nearer the beginning than the end.  If you have a self-motivated learner, you could probably let them learn on their own, but I don't know any kids who are that motivated.  Of course, there's always "after you do what I want you to do, you're free to do what you want to do" so kids who learn on their own after homeschool or public school or private school are done for the day would be "unschooilng" after school.  KWIM?

Answer 2

Nope.  You might say I started "unschooling" myself four years after I got my bachelor's degree.  Before that I wouldn't touch a book if I didn't have to because I was so burnt out "working for the grade".  After that I started reading some historical fiction which brought to mind some things I hadn't really grasped about history when I was in school.  Then I looked up some nonfiction at the library to answer my questions about the history of slavery for one example.

Answer 3

No it is not ever too late to start unschooling.  Unschooling is basically learning by the natural rythmns everyone instinctively has.  Like learning to walk, no one taught you how to do it except yourself. Giving a  child the opportunity to learn is obsviously easier when they are younger because they are not as brainwashed by the school system as someone who is older.  And by the way homeschoolers and unschoolers are far ahead of their peer groups academically and socially(studies recently done to verify this).  So go for it and unschool yourself, you will be glad you did.

Answer 4

I don't think that it is EVER too late to start "Unschooling", even as an adult who has been out of school for over 30 years.  Unschooling is simply a term that is used to describe learning that is self-motivated rather than forced on someone.  It applies equally to a toddler, child, teenager or adult.  

How many people, of all ages, have set out to learn something that they became interested in, and wanted to persue?  They either obtained books, took classes, or found other ways to learn about the subject of their interest.  That is unschooling.  

To all of the people out there who think that this is not a viable learning method, please consider the following.  Of all the things that you have learned in your lifetime, which ones do you really remember and care about?  If you are not into math, do you REALLY remember all of that algebra, etc. that you were forced to learn for an exam in school?  Or do you cherish and remember everything that you have learned as a self-taught artist, for example?  You had a strong desire to learn to paint so you went out and learned on your own.  I took Latin in school, and passed with 95%.  I don't remember one word of the language.  I remembered it only long enough to pass the exam.  If you were to ask most people, the things that they remember are the things that they truly wanted to learn.

I am a home schooling parent who started out using traditional methods of home education.  Over the last 5 years, we found ourselves  gradually adopting more "unschooling" methods, almost naturally.  It hasn't even been a conscious choice.  We are simply evolving in that direction.  This results in a student who is often passionate about the things that they are learning.  This also results in the older student choosing to learn things that they might not necessarily like that much, but know that they need to learn, in order to succeed with something that they love and want to learn.  

The student who loves to draw animations realizes that they must learn to write and communicate properly (eg. essays) if their wish to get into college to study animation.  The science lover (like my dd) realizes that she must study math, even though she hates it, if she wants to go further in science.

I know several families with teens who "unschooled" for high school.  They are now in university and doing very well.  One boy didn't open a math book until he was in Grade 12.  That was when he decided that he needed math for his studies.  He is doing very well.  

To me, as a parent and for myself, unschooling is looking better and better all of the time.

Answer 5

I agree with the above people who say it is never too late, with the caveat that if your children have been in conventional school, you may need to give them a year or so of decompression.  I received this advice from an experienced friend when I brought my 4th, 5th, and 1st graders home last year, and it was so true.  I was all excited about all the stuff we could learn, and they learned the most when they were just playing and not paying attention to where I was trying to guide them.  By the end of the year, they were so much more relaxed and receptive to the various subjects I was trying to teach them,  reading ahead and doing further research into topics on their own.   I guess I am more of a homeschooler than unschooler, but somewhere in the middle.

That time was really difficult for me, even though I was pretty sure I was doing the right thing, there was a little doubting voice telling me that I was being neglectful of their education.  

It is never too late, but there may be a transition period.  It helps if you have a good support group of other unschoolers in your area.

I hope you have a great year!

Answer 6

Never, ever too late. Get yourself a copy of the book The Teenage Liberation Handbook. It is a book for teens about educating themselves. There is no limit.

And I agree with the other person who said that you can even start unschooling as an adult. It's never too late.

Answer 7

If you mean home schooling, then yes there is a time when it is too late. Once you let them go to public schools, they are used to being around different people and that excites them. Children need to learn to socialize and home schooling might take away that skill from them and will probably make a child shy or timid.