The 411 on Unschooling

Don’t let the term “unschooling” fool you. The educational style might be less traditional than other forms of curriculum-based study, but the approach is still focused on learning. The primary philosophy of unschooling is to let the learning be guided by the child’s innate curiosity, interests, and abilities rather than by a set curriculum. Although some students may choose to read textbooks or delve into online courses, most look for learning opportunities in both unique and everyday activities. For example:

• Using a map, rather than GPS, to navigate to an unfamiliar location while running errands
• Doing mental math to tally the sum of groceries while shopping
• Visiting museums, zoos, or aquariums to gain in-person learning
• Learning science, measurements and nutrition while cooking, baking, gardening, or canning
• Studying bugs, plants and animals in their natural habitats
• Learning to repair or service vehicles, appliances, clothing, etc. 

For most families that engage in unschooling, there isn’t formal structure paralleling a classroom (which one might find in homeschooling families) or a set timeline in which certain subjects must be introduced based on the student’s age. Any instruction and learning happens organically as the child interacts with the world and there are no (or few) lesson plans, lectures, or formal grading models.

Pros and cons of unschooling

Although every family is different, unschooling does provide some across-the-board advantages whether you’re exploring the world by RV or educating out of an apartment. 

To start, unschooling can be incredibly inexpensive, save for the costs of activities, such as touring an indoor botanical garden or taking a cooking class. But the educational method is also perfect for teaching students of varying ages, as no age-appropriate curriculum needs to be purchased or taught.

Unschooling can also be incredibly beneficial for gifted kids, who might otherwise be bored in school, or children with lots of social anxiety, who don’t learn well in a classroom environment. But perhaps most important is the bond formed between parent and child as they learn, grow, and have fun together.

As for the disadvantages, there are several to consider. Because unschooling can lack structure, children may not thrive the way they would with a more traditional routine. This is especially true for children with special needs that might require attention from staff members who are more experienced and knowledgeable in autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc.

In addition, students who crave socialization with peers often miss out on those interactions. One major concern for students who want to attend college: they may not be prepared well for testing. Unless parents plan to include SAT and ACT prep in your unschooling during the high school years, it may be necessary to invest in a college prep course.

Getting started in homeschooling

First, the big question: Is unschooling legal? The short answer is “yes,” because unschooling is a form of homeschooling—the latter of which is legal in the United States. But because each state has its own rules about what that looks like, you’ll need to check your specific regulations. Be sure to review the details about recordkeeping, portfolios, and reporting, as well as any set requirements on traditional subjects that must be taught.

Once you fully understand your state’s homeschooling laws you can start researching how other families approach unschooling. Try looking for blogs or social media accounts that profile unschooling families to get a realistic idea of how it works for them. Then your family can decide together if you’d like to integrate any type of formal curricula, what your goals are for unschooling, and what your expectations are.

Supplementing unschooling with cognitive skills training

For families who are considering unschooling, it may be worth investing in cognitive skills training to ensure your child’s brain is maximized for learning.

Much like personal training for your body, one-on-one brain training uses a series of games, drills, and activities designed to strengthen the brain’s learning and thinking skills, regardless of age. These cognitive skills—which include logic & reasoning, processing speed, auditory and visual processing, attention, and memory—work together to take incoming information and move it into the bank of knowledge. But if even one skill is underperforming, it can affect a person’s ability to think, learn, read, or remembering. In fact, more than 80% of learning struggle are caused by one or more weak cognitive skill. 

Here are some of the more common struggles that manifest when a cognitive skill is weak:

Auditory Processing

This skill enables your child to analyze, blend, and segment sounds.

If this skill is weak, you may notice your child struggling with learning to read, reading fluency, or reading comprehension.

Logic & Reasoning

This skill enables your child to reason, form ideas, and solve problems.

If this skill is weak, you may hear your child asking, “What do I do next?” or saying, “I don’t get this.”

Processing Speed

This skill enables your child to perform tasks quickly and accurately.

If this skill is weak, you may notice your child taking a long time to complete tasks or frequently being the last one in a group to finish something.

Long-term Memory

This skill enables your child to recall information stored in the past.

If this skill is weak, you may notice your child forgetting names or things they used to know.

Working (short-term) Memory

This skill enables your child to hang on to information while in the process of using it.

If this skill is weak, you may notice your child rereading direction in the middle of a project, forgetting what was just said in a conversation, or struggling to follow multi-step directions.

Divided Attention

This skill enables your child to remember information while doing two things at once.

If this skill is weak, you may notice your child having difficulty multitasking or they may make frequent mistakes when multitasking.

Selective Attention

This skill enables your child to stay focused on a task despite distractions.

If this skill is weak, you may notice that your child is easily distracted.

Sustained Attention

This skill enables your child to stay focused on a task for a sustained period of time.

If this skill is weak, you may notice that your child jumps from task to task and has a lot of unfinished projects.

Visual Processing

This skill enables your child to think in visual images.

If this skill is weak, you may notice that your child has difficulty understanding what they’ve just read, remembering what they’ve read, reading maps, doing word math problems, or following directions.

Get Started with Cognitive Training Today!

If you think your child may need a cognitive skills boost, start by scheduling a Brain Skills Assessment. It only takes about an hour and the results can be truly eye-opening. Many parents even say it’s an “Aha!” moment, shedding light on some of the specific learning struggles and behaviors they’ve witnessed firsthand.

For families who choose to unschool, you’ll be able to head into new experiences knowing that your child’s brain is primed for learning to help them live up to their fullest potential.