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Unschooling Ontario

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The term “unschooling” was coined by John C. Holt, known as the “father” of the modern homeschooling movement. It refers to an approach to homeschooling in which children are allowed to continue (or return to) the natural, curiosity-driven, discovery-mediated learning that all children engage in as babies and toddlers. As such, it is child-led learning rather than teacher- or parent-imposed lessons, although it is parent-stimulated to varying degrees. The role of unschooling parents is that of facilitators of learning rather than taskmasters. Unschooling is therefore not so much a “teaching method” as it is a “learning philosophy” and a lifestyle.

Actually, it might be more accurate to say it is a spectrum of learning philosophies, as different unschooling parents place greater or lesser value and emphasis on the different aspects of early childhood learning that come into play in continuing that type of learning through the school-age years. Some focus on allowing the child to lead, even if it leads to using textbooks and workbooks and other schoolish materials — unschooling as “child-led learning.” Others focus on encouraging the child to learn through real life situations and discoveries rather than textbooks — unschooling as “life learning.” Unschooling is also sometimes known as “natural learning,” “delight-driven learning,” “experience-based learning,” “independent learning,” “non-coercive parenting,” … Each of these phrases has a slightly different nuance and emphasis, confirming that there are as many ways to manifest unschooling as there are families living it.

Here are some resources on unschooling that will help you explore this approach in more detail (this list is far from exhaustive; you can find more by doing an internet search for “unschooling,” “child-led learning,” or any of the other phrases mentioned above):

Articles on unschooling

Definitions
by the Apple Blossom Contemplative Hermitage
Not really about definitions of homeschooling and unschooling, it’s more like a vision of how society could evolve if we start to trust in the learning process of our children and move from schooling past homeschooling to unschooling and beyond…

on other websites

What is Unschooling?
by Earl Stevens, 1994, reprinted on The Natural Child Project website
“Unschooling isn’t a method, it is a way of looking at children and at life.”

Unschooling Undefined
an article by Eric Anderson found at Jon’s Homeschool Resources
The author starts by saying, “Unschooling is a word coined by negating the idea of schooling; it starts off with a negative definition. What, specifically, is it about schools that unschoolers want to do without?” and then proceeds to list the aspects of school that unschoolers find problematic, under the headings of: The School Organization, The De-humanizing Aspects of Schools, Isolation from the Real World, Schedule Rigidity. After saying what unschooling is not, the author talks about what unschooling is in terms of the underlying understanding of how children learn naturally.

Educationalese: the art of reframing everyday life in the jargon of education
by OFTP member Sarah Wall, on her Raising Royalty website.
“If you’ve ever been worried about documenting your unschool lifestyle for nosy neighbours, ignorant family members or intimidating officials, here are some quick tips on translating your everyday life into the jargon that makes you sound like [someone they would recognize as an educator and shows that] you know exactly what you’re doing.”

There are also many articles on the websites listed further down on this page.

In the news

A new chapter in education: unschooling — Controversial home-taught approach lets kids take the lead in learning
MSNBC article by Victoria Clayton, October 6th, 2006, with reader reactions in the form of comments and a poll.

No school, no books, no teacher’s dirty looks
CNN article by Traci Tamura and Thelma Gutierrez, February 3rd, 2006

Magazines about natural learning

Life Learning Magazine
Published 6 times a year by Wendy Priesnitz, author of Challenging Assumptions in Education and other books. Articles to inspire and provide information about self-directed learning and natural parenting.

Books on unschooling

Teach Your Own: A Hopeful Path to Education
Author: John Holt.
Original Publisher: Delacorte, 1981
Revised and updated by Patrick Farenga as
Teach Your Own – The John Holt Book of Homeschooling
Publisher: Perseus
2003, Paper, 334 pages

A classic in the homeschooling literature, by the “father” of modern homeschooling. John C. Holt is the one who coined the phrase “unschooling” and his writing is insightful, common-sense, and easy to understand. The chapter on Common Objections to Homeschooling can be read on the Natural Child website.

Other books by John Holt:

Homeschooling Our Children, Unschooling Ourselves
Author: Alison MacKee
2002

As a schoolteacher, the author experienced many frustrations within the school system. She chose not to send her own children to school. In the book she shares her insights from both her homeschooling and schoolteaching experiences. John Taylor Gatto’s comment on the book: “An unusual and clear-headed examination of what children need?and why even well-meaning schools can’t supply it.”

[Website manager’s note: I am including this book in the Unschooling section but am unsure whether or not it is specifically about unschooling. It may be that the word “unschooling” in the title is actually referring to what others call “deschooling”: letting go of old, school-based ways of thinking about learning. If you have read the book, please let me know if it should remain listed in the Unschooling section. Thank you!]

The Unschooling Handbook
Author: Mary Griffith
1998; Paper, 230 pages.

Lots of information, including resources for different subjects, real-life examples of what people do, and lots of explanations. The book can help non-unschoolers understand the idea of unschooling, and perhaps give its philosophy and practice a try for themselves, while those who are already unschooling will find tips and insights into what other unschoolers are doing, as well as information that can help them explain and defend their unschooling choices.

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
Author: Grace Llewelyn
1998; Paper, 443 pages.

This book is highly recommended in unschooling circles and provides a good explanation of the unschooling approach to learning. Although written especially for teenagers, it is also helpful for anyone who has ever gone to school and wants to know how to regain the natural ability to learn and be excited about it. Information includes ways of going to college, volunteering, apprenticeships, and more.

Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling
by John Taylor Gatto
New Society Publishers
106 pages, paperback
ISBN 0-86571-448-7

Adventure by Chicken Bus: An Unschooling Odyssey through Central America
by Janet LoSole (2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1532684869
Resource Publications
“Helping children learn without school is always an adventure. Doing it while backpacking and adjusting to and respecting foreign cultures makes it an epic adventure. This family’s story will keep you spellbound. It will make you laugh, cry, and hold your breath in fear, and help you appreciate both the value and joy of learning from life.” — Wendy Priesnitz, editor of Life Learning Magazine

Unschooling to University
by Judy Arnall (2018)
ISBN-13: 978-0978050993
Professional Parenting
“Concise parenting advice that presents alternative ways to help children grow, learn, and get into college or work. Arnall’s stage-by-stage descriptions, supporting documentation, and personal stories create a useful handbook for families interested in self-directed education.” — Patrick Farenga, John Holt/Growing Without Schooling

Websites dedicated to unschooling

Alternative Learning

Holt Associates/ Growing Without Schooling
information on John Holt, the now defunct Growing Without Schooling magazine he started in 1977, and the seminars and writings of Patrick Farenga of Holt Associates.

Radical Unschooling
lots of articles by unschooling parent Sandra Dodd

Living Joyfully
OFTP member Pam Laricchia has contributed articles to Life Learning Magazine, has given a presentation at the Live and Learn conference, and was the organizer of the 2006 Toronto Unschooling Conference. Her website includes her own articles, information about unschooling, and also plays host to the writings of Anne Ohman until Anne has her own site up and running.

The Natural Child Project
articles by Jan Hunt, M.Sc. (author of The Natural Child: Parenting From the Heart and A Gift for Baby) and guest authors, on attachment parenting and unschooling. Jan also offers telephone counseling in these areas

Freeschoolin’
A radical unschooling website by Wendy Elizabeth Hart, Author, Illustrator and OFTP member, that regularly features her family’s radical unschooling life in Ontario, Canada through blogs, vlogs and more. You can also find the first book in the children’s series, “Freeschoolin’: Life Is My School!”, other helpful unschooling publications and free resources.

I’m Unschooled. Yes, I Can Write.
Idzie Desmarais grew up unschooled in Quebec. Now a young adult, she writes about unschooling.

Unschooling conferences and events

Toronto Unschooling Conference
The first conference was organized in 2006. Its success has led to the possibility of it being organized again, so check out the website of the organizer to find out if anything has yet been planned.

Websites, books and projects by unschoolers

Grown Without Schooling
Video documentary in which ten grown homeschoolers (ages 19 to 31) discuss the influence home education has had on their lives. Produced by unschooler Peter Kowalke.

www.peterkowalke.com
Peter Kowalke is the unschooler who produced the Grown Without Schooling video documentary on grown homeschoolers. His website includes interviews with unschooling proponents like Grace Llewellyn.

Unschoolers’ Facebook groups, forums, message boards and e-mail lists

Ontario Unschooling Families
https://www.facebook.com/groups/326997164778186/
“***SAFE ZONE for all races, identities, genders and sexual preferences. Zero Tolerance for Bullying of any kind. Secular Group***
WELCOME to the Unschooling Hub of Ontario, Canada! Freely share your unschooling adventures, plan meet ups, post resources and gain support in this local Unschooling community. Ontario is a great place to Unschool with so many attractions and so much nature to explore. We are #NeverNotLearning!
RESPECT IS KEY. Please be mindful this is a Non- Religious group so please keep posts clear of such content to ensure a respectful environment for all. Please keep advertising to no more than once per week for your Unschooling related business/ items to sell, or service you offer.”

Ontario Radical Unschoolers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/374673806327880/
“The purpose of this group is to bring together a community of unschooling parents who are geographically close to one another thereby making it easier to connect with one another on-line and IRL.
▪️ The group isn’t intended to define something as black and white. My intention is to create a SAFE space for people to share thoughts and opinions without feeling like they have to be held to some else’s standard.
▪️ This is a space for growth, sharing, authenticity and honesty.
▪️ I love what Courtney added “a place where we tell the mother she is doing such a great job asking these questions and reaching out, while also providing resources and our own experiences so they she can make informed decisions for her family.” And “Like children, adults don’t like being told what to do and what is right, they like to be shown information in a non-judgmental way so they can make their own conclusions. I feel so much joy when I see people start this journey and start to ask the questions I did in the beginning because it means that the spark inside is starting and you just know that in their own time it is going to be a wild fire.”
▪️ And Monica “For those who are reading, try not to take it personally. If you have a choice, choose to believe that a response is coming from a place of being helpful. And people are trying to be helpful based on what information they can glean from a post. For those who are responding, try to remember that the reader is working towards being a better radical unschooler. And that means each person is moving along in their journey at a different pace, and very likely, we have delved into unschooling differently. Some are farther along in some ways and not so much in others. What may seem obvious to one person isn’t obvious to another.”
▪️ Thanks Courtney & Monica for sharing.
▪️ My hope is that we all post questions, share divine inspiration and small moments of JOY. Let this be a place that we come to when we’re feeling overwhelmed but also when we’re feeling like we’ve come to an epiphany about something, knowing that we are all a playdate away if needed. Let’s hold one another up instead of judging, belittling and stepping on top of one another.
Peace ✌?& Love”

Ontario Unschoolers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/449068978484008
“This is a secular group for parents with children living in Ontario who are Unschooling or curious about learning more about Unschooling. Why did we decide to open up the group also to those who are curious about Unschooling? Because we believe that exposing more people who are interested to this lifestyle is beneficial for them. We wish to provide support and encouragement for all families in Ontario who are interested in Unschooling and peaceful/respectful parenting. The purpose of this group is to provide a safe haven of positivity, connection, encouragement and support for all parents who are interested in Unschooling in Ontario. This means that there are people here who have only pre-school age kids, people who are Homeschooling but not Unschooling, people who are just beginning to Unschool their kids, as well people who identify as seasoned Unschoolers, Radical Unschoolers and Whole-Life Unschoolers. This group is for ALL parents who are interested in Unschooling. In particular, it’s for people who want to be part of a more inclusive culture and who believe it’s ok to do things a little differently. We don’t believe in telling people that they aren’t Unschooling right, we believe in simply sharing our own experiences, and allowing others to learn at their own pace.”

Unschooling Canada Association
https://www.facebook.com/groups/unschoolingcanada/
“Welcome to Unschooling Canada Association. We are a non-profit society dedicated to supporting, informing and advocating for unschooling, free learning and freedom in education. Join us in the discussions about self-directed education. Please be respectful and kind and seek to understand and learn more. Please do not advertise used curriculum, lessons, or new curriculum items. There are many other homeschooling forums for seeking out those resources. Please do post about conferences, information and events about unschooling and self-directed education. Also please visit our website and become a member of UCA for only $11 per year at http://www.unschoolingcanada.ca Help keep our website and webinars going. Thank you and Welcome to the wonderful world of unschooling!”

Unschooling video clips and channels

Unschooling Channel on YouTube 
This Unchooling channel is run by Dr. Carlo Ricci, a professor in the Education department of Nippissing University. He is also an OFTP member, currently volunteering as OFTP liaison with government officials and school board /school authorities.

Art celebrating learning in freedom

Live Free Learn Free
by Marian Buchanan
available through Zoetic Endeavours as an art card or letter-size print.