Editing Unschooling (section)

==History==

The term ''unschooling'' probably derives from [[Ivan Illich]]'s term ''[[deschooling]]''. It was popularized through [[John Holt (educator)|John Holt's]] newsletter ''[[Growing Without Schooling]]'' (''GWS''). Holt is also widely regarded as the father of unschooling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greer |first=Billy |title=Unschooling or homeschooling? |url=http://www.unschooling.org/fun12_unschooling.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115060121/http://unschooling.org/fun12_unschooling.htm |archive-date=2013-11-15 |access-date=2008-09-04}}</ref> In an early essay, Holt contrasted the two terms:

<blockquote>GWS will say "unschooling" when we mean taking children out of school, and "deschooling" when we mean changing the laws to make schools non-compulsory...<ref>{{Citation |last=Holt, J |title=Growing Without Schooling |year=1977}}</ref></blockquote>

At the time, the term was equivalent to ''home schooling''. Subsequently, [[home-schoolers]] began to differentiate between various educational philosophies within home schooling. The term ''unschooling'' became used to contrast versions of home schooling that were perceived as politically and pedagogically "school-like," in that they used textbooks and exercises at home in the same way they would be used at school.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearce |first=Kyle |date=2017-11-21 |title=Why The Future of Education Is Unschooling |url=https://www.diygenius.com/unschooling-is-21st-century-education/ |access-date=2024-12-17 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2003, in Holt's book ''Teach Your Own'' (originally published in 1981), [[Pat Farenga]], co-author of the new edition, provided a definition:

<blockquote>When pressed, I define unschooling as allowing children as much freedom to learn in the world as their parents can comfortably bear. It allows children to develop knowledge and skills based on their own personal passions and life situations.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Holt |first=J. |title=Teach Your Own |year=2003}}</ref></blockquote>

In the same passage Holt stated that he was not entirely comfortable with this term, and would have preferred the term ''living''. Holt's use of the term emphasizes learning as a natural process, integrated into the spaces and activities of everyday life, and not benefiting from adult manipulation. It follows closely on the themes of educational philosophies proposed by [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]], [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]], [[Paul Goodman (writer)|Paul Goodman]], and [[A.S. Neill]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Petrovic |first1=John E |last2=Rolstad |first2=Kellie |date=November 2017 |title=Educating for autonomy: Reading Rousseau and Freire toward a philosophy of unschooling |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1478210316681204 |journal=Policy Futures in Education |language=en |volume=15 |issue=7–8 |pages=817–833 |doi=10.1177/1478210316681204 |s2cid=152256452 |issn=1478-2103}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

After Holt's death a range of unschooling practitioners and observers defined the term in various ways. For instance, the [[Freechild Project]] defines unschooling as:

<blockquote>[T]he process of learning through life, without formalized or institutionalized classrooms or schoolwork.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unschooling & Self-Education |url=http://www.freechild.org/unschooling.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011160704/http://www.freechild.org:80/unschooling.htm |archive-date=2015-10-11 |access-date=2008-07-15}}</ref></blockquote>

American homeschooling parent Sandra Dodd proposed the term ''radical'' ''unschooling'' to emphasize the complete rejection of any distinction between educational and non-educational activities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Is there a difference between a radical unschooler and just an unschooler? |url=http://sandradodd.com/unschool/radical |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627220327/https://sandradodd.com/unschool/radical |archive-date=2023-06-27 |access-date=2008-07-15}}</ref> Radical unschooling emphasizes that unschooling is a non-coercive, cooperative practice, and seeks to promote those values in all areas of life. These philosophies share an opposition to traditional schooling techniques and the social structure of schools. Most emphasize the integration of learning into the everyday life of the family and wider community. Points of disagreement include whether unschooling is primarily defined by the initiative of the learner and their control over the curriculum, or by the techniques, methods, and spaces used.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} [[Peter Gray (psychologist)|Peter Gray]] suggested the term ''[[self-directed education]]'', which has fewer negative connotations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Differences Between Self-Directed and Progressive Education |url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201706/differences-between-self-directed-and-progressive-education |access-date=2020-07-13 |website=Psychology Today |language=en-GB}}</ref>