The following is a continuation of an interview with Sonita Lewis, who blogs at Cows Don’t Moo. Part I is here. My post about traditional homeschooling vs. unschooling might also be of interest. I’ll be jumping in with my own thoughts in separate posts so we can all focus on what Sonita is saying–and not saying.
GAH: One difference I’m finding between unschooling and homeschooling is that traditional homeschools rely more on a curriculum, while you put together your own plans and follow the child’s interest. I see from your blog, though, that you use several tools that I would call curricula, such as All About Spelling. I also use the best of several different approaches, picking and choosing curricula as I see fit. How is lesson planning different in your homeschool?
Sonita: Most likely it’s different in that you probably require your kids do 1 lesson each week in this subject or 5 lessons each week in that subject, or 3 lessons each week in…. We have lots of curriculum and living books here and probably use the textbook stuff more sporadically than most other methods would. My 1st grader did devour Apologia Zoology 1 cover-to-cover in 6 months time. He’s VERY into science so we do a LOT of science here. Whatever they are into, we do. My 1st grader thinks he can’t read, and though not very fluent, he can read, because we’ve worked on phonics a lot this year. (He thinks because he can’t read as fluently as Mama that he can’t read.)
There are a few staunch radical unschoolers who are very adamantly against ever using a textbook, workbook, or taking your child to a formal class. But for the most part, even the radical unschoolers I know are open to using, and often do use, a curriculum or workbook or taking a ‘traditional’ class for a subject a child is interested in learning. Some radical unschoolers even allow their children to attend public school by choice and still claim the unschooling label.
GAH: As Christians, you have rules and standards for your children. You are giving your child the best moral education you can because the Christian understands that human nature doesn’t incline toward moral good (Jeremiah 17:9). If children need rules and discipline (force) in moral matters because of their fallen nature, why don’t they also need rules and discipline (force) in matters of “education”? Can you really separate book learning from moral education in this way?
Sonita: I think so. I mean don’t Christian parents of public school kids separate book learning from moral education all the time? The public school system certainly isn’t teaching Christian morals to the kids. (That is a whole ‘nother post! –ed)
God is our parenting example right? The perfect Father. What we are to strive to be as parents to our own children? My Heavenly Father gave me free will.
Also, most verses in the Bible that deal with ‘teaching’ are about teaching God’s Word, God’s Law, etc. Most of the verses people throw out at me to show me how unChristian unschooling is, don’t refer to academic education at all but rather moral/Biblical education. Wisdom and knowledge isn’t always about grammar and algebra, especially when mentioned in the Bible. Most often when I see the word ‘wisdom’ in the Bible I interpret it more as discernment between right and wrong and choosing the right path that academics. I think it’s much more important to have Biblical knowledge and Godly wisdom than an academic education.
That doesn’t mean I think academic education is not important, I think it is very important. It is more likely that our children will have difficulty in life because of a lack of character rather than a lack of knowledge.
I often hear about a lack of discipline, etc. But by encouraging them, but not forcing them, wouldn’t that teach them self-discipline? Which to me, in a Biblical sense, seems much more important than following someone else’s rules and calling it discipline.
I talk to my kids and tell them why they should do this or that. I always try that first before force in any area. (Okay-not always, I’m not perfect 
but I strive to try and talk to them and teach them the whys as we go along rather than using force for anything as a first option.)
GAH: Is there any scenario where you could envision yourself needing to put your foot down and insist that your child take up a particular subject?
Sonita: So long as we are within the state homeschool law, I’m good. (Unschooling is legal in all 50 states, by the way.) So far, it hasn’t been an issue at all for us. Of course, I can not predict the future. None of us know what the future holds. But I certainly hope we will continue to homeschool and unschool our children through high school.
Part III will be published when the comments on this post slow down. Please read my comment policy, then say whatever you like.
{ 4 comments }
OK, don’t even get me started on free will!!!!
God takes a newly created, completely innocent man and woman, places them in the perfect environment; a lovely, peaceful garden with no death, no pain, and no heart-ache. But He gives them ONE RULE! (Yes, the ugly “R” word!) Did they obey Him? No.
This proves that, even in the perfect environment, we WILL NOT choose the right thing! If Adam and Eve chose poorly, what makes your kids (or anyone else) superior to them? Scripture is very plain in teaching that the natural man is at enmity against God, our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and that none of us would choose good unless God was working in us to will and to do His good pleasure.
God is a loving, Heavenly Father and because of that, He does not leave us to our own devices, but chastens and reproves His children that He may mold them into the image of His Son. If we are to model God’s parenting of us, to our children, it will not be with permissiveness or consenting to let them exclusively seek their own desire and interests. But we will mold and shape them (morally and academically) even when they resist our guidance and correction. A faithful parent does not give their child what they want, but what they need. Sometimes the two are as diametrically opposed as an angel and an ape.
Twitter: BohemianBowman
April 1, 2011 at 5:08 am
I think what you’ve just proven is that God gives his children guidance and parameters for wisdom (by literally, verbally, lovingly, sharing them with them in a relationship). And then gives them a loving, comfortable, interesting environment and sets them free to choose…without forcing anything on them.
Yes, God works through us (in as much as we ALLOW him) but it isn’t forced upon us. Just as his will wasn’t forced upon Adam not to choose his own way. Frankly, I don’t know if I have it in me right now to give my children as much freedom as God gave his!
Twitter: DressingMyTruth
April 2, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Awesome points you made! And I don’t either. Nor am I as gracious when my son makes the wrong choice.
Jeanine
I think what the first poster should have learned (ha! the irony of that statement) from the Genesis story is that God gave us free will *knowing* that we would make wrong choices. If we truly believe that God knows best, we ought to follow his example. We give our children some immovable boundaries for their own safety, offer our own wisdom and guidance (and God’s! SO important), and then we step back and let them have free rein to make mistakes. I know from experience within my own family that we learn best from our own mistakes, rather than the mistakes of others who have gone before us. Of course, like our Heavenly Father, we can and ought to step in and exercise our parental authority if our children are getting too far off course and endangering themselves. God wanted us to learn how to stand on our own (using the resources He has made available to us) and to seek Him on our own initiative, responding to his *invitation*. (By the way, if the _Church_ would really get this, we would see a whole lot less churchianity and a whole lot more hands and feet of Jesus… but that’s a blog post of its own.)