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Deschooling of a Parent by Sandy Keane |
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I am learning a lot about learning from watching my kids. They both have very different styles, but the one thing they have in common is that they don't wait for anybody to teach them. If they are interested in something they just go after it, asking for help along the way if they feel that they need it. I'm quite sure that they don't give a moment's consideration to whether they are learning something or not. They just do it.
I, on the other hand, am a product of the public school system, and although I learn things fairly quickly, my approach to how to learn is only beginning to come around to the style more prevalent among homelearners. A graphic example of this can be shown by describing our initiation to computers. Several years ago I started thinking that it would be interesting and helpful to learn about computers as they seemed to be here to stay. However, at the time I had a pre-schooler and a nursing infant and couldn't see how I could fit in a continuing education course to learn how to buy a PC and then follow that up with the Introductory PC and word-processing, etc. courses. So we lived without a computer. Over the years we have been gradually exposed to computers. The north shore libraries installed on-line catalogues. Various friends began to have computers in their homes and seemed to think that it was OK to let their kids (and mine) use the machines without undue fear that they would fry everything on them. Hmmmm. I noticed that the kids would just try something and if it didn't work they would try something else. But they must be terribly difficult to operate, no? Otherwise why would the School Board and Community Colleges charge big bucks for evening courses to introduce you to the basics? We finally got around to purchasing a second hand computer , and armed with some of the "Dummies" references from the library I got up the courage to plug the thing in, turn it on and take a look around. I found it incredibly intimidating for the first few weeks and was once again looking for the time and money to sign up for the courses. My kids, however, shared none of my lack of confidence and just took the machine on. Within days they had found, figured out and mastered the paintbrush program in Windows and then discovered that there were some games in there too. Again, the difference in approach was dramatic. My first inclination was to open the help section on every screen before trying anything, where the boys would go for an explore, and if they came up against something they didn't understand but wanted to, they would then ask for help, otherwise they just clicked on something else and carried on. Gradually I began to realize that I too could explore and if the screen froze on me all I had to do was turn it off. I drew inspiration and confidence from watching the kids, and never did get around to signing up for any courses. With the occasional phone call to more experienced computer folk, and the "Dummies" books, we managed to install a printer and get the modem connected to the library and a couple of bulletin Boards, and eventually the internet. I've even managed to write a few basic web documents. We have all (except Michael who doesn't want to) managed to attain a level of computer literacy that enables us to use the machine for all the things that we bought it for and a lot more. While the kids just take it for granted that they can do all this stuff, I am still amazed that I can almost keep up with them without the continuing ed classes. When I think carefully about it , I realize that I have learned a great many things in my life without having had someone "teach" them to me. The difference is that I have been so thoroughly indoctrinated by "schooling" that I have been dismissing the things that I have learned on my own as somehow not really counting. I have a way to go, but being part of the kids' unschooling is helping me to overcome this handicap. © 2001 Sandy Keane. All rights reserved. Re-printed with permission. Originally published in Home Education News |
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Sandy Keane Sandy Keane is a learning parent of two teenagers who have never been to school. A few more of her articles on homeschooling can be found here and in various print publications all over the place. Sandy thinks it's a good idea to try something new every day. Please contact her for permission to further disseminate any of this stuff | ||
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