People often ask us what “unschooling” is and how we unschool our kids. Well, here are some ideas:
It’s a way of life – We try to go with the flow of the kids and avoid doing things that cause stress to us, like going to shopping malls or thinking about what to eat. In some ways, we live like zen masters: When hungry, eat. When sleepy, sleep! That’s how our kids been growing all these yearsJ
The learning is in the living – When we live well, we learn well. Living the simple life gives us space and time for appreciating what we have, and living in harmony with our environment makes us value life much moreJ
It’s letting kids play – Play is an essential part of growing up and we should allow that in our children wholeheartedly. Imagine kittens not playing, or young chimps sitting quietly to do “homework”. Does not make sense, does it? So why not let kids play?
It’s doing joyful things together – Filling our lives with music & singing, drawing, painting & crafting, running & swimming, moving & dancing……make us happy
It’s taking one step at a time – Success depends on the little steps that we take. So we savour every little effort and enjoy the journey without worrying about the destinationJ
It’s also doing “nothing” – There are days of quiet reflection and contemplation, where the energy levels are low and everyone does not feel like doing anything. So we don’t!
It’s doing things with a purpose – Many people go through life without understanding why they do it. Students study without knowing why. That’s when boredom and dissatisfaction set in. When kids are allowed to think and to set goals for themselves, they will face life with purpose and hope for the future
It’s living a healthy life – That means making educated choices on what we eat, do and create (we definitely do not want to create a bigger mess for the world!). That means, taking what is enough and minimizing on waste. If you do not know where to start, may we suggest you start cutting out buffet lunches & dinners? It’s the most sinful eating on earth!
So, what about homework, exams and college? Oh, sorry but are those more important than doing housework, learning to live responsibly and doing one’s part for society? If not, they don’t figure too much in our livesJ Well, at least not until the kids know what they really want to do!
That’s it. It’s so simple! The challenge is, are YOU brave enough to take the road less traveled? You can take all the expensive highways that everybody else cram into. Or, you could take the free trunk roads that offer better scenic views yet take you to the same destination!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!
Wai Leng & KV Soon
31st December 2009
Learning Beyond Schooling 