Unschooling vs. Homeschooling - What's the Difference?

Let's Start at Square One

What’s the difference between Unschooling and Homeschooling?  Sometimes we see them used interchangeably.
But from a Real Life viewpoint- when someone asks what’s the difference between home schoolers and Unschoolers?
The answer is...lots.

Is Unschooling Legal?

From a legal standpoint... and I just learned last week that’s one of the top reasons people come to my Unschooling Mom2Mom.com website - to find out if unschooling is legal.

It is. 

As far as the government is concerned, unschooling is simply a home educating method.
When you look up the laws, you won’t see unschooling written out as a term - but it will fall under the overarching umbrella of homeschooling or home education... if you live in the United States.

So from a legal standpoint, if you’ve taken on the education of your own kids (even if you sign up for classes here and there with other teachers) you, we, are all homeschoolers.

One reason I wanted to talk about this with you is because you may not have accurate information. Some very well-meaning moms out there often describe unschooling incorrectly. So you may choose it - or RUN FROM IT - because of information that’s not right. 

Understanding Unschooling - Communication Matters

I can’t tell you how many times someone talks with me about practical ways to unschool, and they say,

“Ohhh! I didn’t realize it’s like that. I thought it was more..."

 ...and then they give something they’ve heard that isn’t really true at all.

I did a Podcast a while back called, “Unschooling - Ohhh! That Word!” - that might be a good follow up podcast after this one. 
The Word itself makes a lot of people hesitate….so I’ll link to that podcast.

So here’s the difference.

Homeschoolers are still using the school’s approach to learning as their model.

They may find ways to teach that are more engaging.
They may create ways to sparkle it all up a little more more for the kids...but it’s still teacher-driven with students waiting to be told what the topic is going to be. It’s still using the standard subjects as the threads that weave through it all.
They usually still stick with grade level learning...very linear, one block on top of another - because that’s how the curriculum company has laid it all out. And they shell out a lot of money on curriculum, as they try to do a better job at teaching than the schools have been doing.

There’s still quizzes and grades, testing and evaluations. Time for learning and time for playing - clearly separated. 

I think of it as more like school in that the learner has to conform to the system the parents have chosen - whatever curriculum they’re using.

Unschoolers are in this admittedly unconventional lane, living as if the school approach to learning doesn’t even matter.

• Unschoolers believe that learning is hard-wired into all humans and that we are curious beings.
  And THAT is the catalyst to drive us to learn more.
  We don’t need anyone to “make us learn” - we do it naturally. Not a curriculum company predetermining that a particular topic is taught at 7 but not at 10...in that very linear and orderly way. Instead, the path is learner-driven - not teacher-driven.
  And it’s  a totally individualized approach.
  
  
• Unschoolers don’t separate learning time from living - it’s all wrapped up together.
  They don’t postpone looking something up because it’s after school hours...if they want to know, they want to know.
  They find a rhythm in their day - again with that individualizing instead of separating learning from what’s happening in Life.
  Unschooling parents are available to help kids dive into these interests and curiosities, at whatever depth the child wants to go. Not turning things into a lesson plan, but offering resources (because we do have more life experiences and may know about something cool that is similar to what they’re looking into, or maybe simply more resources to get answers.)
  
  
• Unschoolers let the questions drive the boat as opposed to telling the kids what the questions or focus should be. And, unschoolers are much more open to there being multiple answers to the questions - whereas the more traditional homeschoolers are looking for that one right answer that’s in the back of the book or the teacher’s manual like they do in school.
  
  Since a child might be really into volcanos but not seeing a need for long division, the knowledge accumulation won’t be as uniform as it is with homeschoolers. Since interests and curiosities are what lead the way, the concept of learning something in 4th grade or 9th grade is really irrelevant. Parents who unschool recognize that a lot of what people accept as truth, like that you have to learn one thing before you start to learn another - that everything has to be in that linear path - was a function of how curriculum companies presented the information - not because that’s how brains learn or life operates. Nschoolers don’t use grade levels to approach learning the way homeschoolers do - it doesn’t work.
  
  So the question comes up...

How Will I know What They Know?

Unschooling Parents Talk with Their Kids - a lot.

While traditional homeschoolers are still using quizzes and testing to assess what learning is happening, unschoolers use conversations. Parents are involved in the child’s life, actively engaging so everyday conversations reveal what a child knows or doesn’t know. No predetermined test could really assess the knowledge that the unschooled learner is gathering.

Who knew there’s be a storm and we’d learn to use the radar at Weather.com or look up the different types of clouds to see if what kind of weather those predict or indicate is on the way?

Who knew that there someone in the family would get the flu and we’d all be learning about dehydration and intestines and food and sleep?

See what I mean?

Life really does bring all sorts of RELEVANT opportunities to learn more.
Unschooling parents have learned to SEE this - and value it. That relevance is what makes the information “stick.”                                     

I have other podcasts and blogposts that can help you with the next steps...if you want more information about

• Reframing Teacher-Driven to Learner-Driven
• Research that supports this approach to learning
• How playing more is a GOOD thing
• How unschoolers have no problem getting into colleges or universities.

Final Thoughts

But one more thing I want to add before we go - this is a process.

We don’t flip some switch and all of our past ways of learning are tossed out the window and we full-on embrace this new way. Y
es, I believe Unschooling is a better way to learn - and a better way to connect with our kids. But we all have a lot to unpack - a lot of conditioned ideas of what’s needed, how kids learn, and even how we’re affected by what others will think if we do something so...weird.

And, as always, I want to give you more support so you don’t make decisions out of fear or just because it’s familiar.

That’s never a good enough reason - or at least it isn’t for those who are interested in unschooling or listening to this podcast.

Some of you may have already BOUGHT curriculum or you’re still knee-deep in the power struggles that come from forcing a kid through all those hoops. Remember that layering coercion on top of the learning is going to cause more problems than it’s worth.
You just don’t have to do that - and they’ll still be prepared for adulthood!

Bring your questions tomorrow to my Ultimate Unschooling Q & A! And I’ll walk you through this.

That’s really how I visualize all of this...you and me, chatting as we walk around the park while the kids play.

That would be nice, right?

Well, you can walk around the park, and put the earbuds in...then it’ll be like I’m right there walking with you, helping you unpack all of this. Like the differences between Unschooling and Homeschooling. I hope this helped.