How Easy Was Unschooling?Heather Callaghan For various reasons, my parents were not heavily involved in my unschool. We didnt have curriculum. I want to emphasize this no guidance, no curriculum. I felt embarrassed at the time because I was still trapped in comparisons and my homeschool friends had curriculum. I didnt know it would turn out awesome. I didnt know that resting from public school would bring peace and true desire for knowledge, understanding and wisdom (Trivium). The institution break served as a sling shot and there was no going back after launch. Seek and ye shall find. Before my reading took off, I tried practicing with SAT and ACT test books. I couldnt answer much and forgot about it. Just by reading tons of classic literature (my main interest) and discussing them with my homeschool friends at our book club, coming back to the test books was completely different. I got a great score and read a couple math books to bring that score up. I found my own learning technique to soar past years of text work. As it turns out, I never had to take those tests to start college. The undue pressure on students is really ridiculous once you see past it. Here are a few core books I read. The valuable information got me through college as well: Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis The Elements of Style The Well Educated Mind (which leads through classical texts) The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy Math Smart Junior II (advanced levels available) Writing Smart Junior (advanced levels available) A book about an unschool family that let their childrens interests guide them demonstrated the point of non-force, non-pressure education. The parents did not force reading or math at any point, believing as I believe, that math doesnt really click until about age 12 anyway. Reading, too, was unforced. One of the boys was into dinosaurs the obstacle for him became getting through the desire to learn more. This propelled him into reading until he was reading college level materials as a pre-teen to get his dinosaur fix. Their children became Harvard graduates. Public school did nothing to help with life or social skills. It did drill to follow orders, and all students sensed the constant insecurity and fear of a authority. This fear of authority, even parents could be the biggest inhibitor toward real lasting education. I still had and do have a lot to learn about life, communications, where I stand in this world and what my purpose is here. Unschooling catapulted me into a huge leap in that direction. There are some things I would go back and do differently if I could but I didnt know any better. I would have taken even more structure out and stopped going by the standards. If I could do it, with relatively little guidance and support, I believe anyone can if this is their desire. Either way, no one should have to justify their chosen form of education. Some resources from selfnews Post: The Homeschooling Revolution Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work atNaturalBlaze.com and selfnewsPost.com. Like at Facebook. 