Towards a Definition of Catholic Unschooling

At the Unschooling Catholics email list, we are working on personal definitions of unschooling.

Unschooling can be as simple as not doing school.

It can be as complex as treating each family member with respect, respecting personal choices, education and food and TV and other choices.

While the term unschooling can seem rather nebulous, there is a common thread in all the lives of Catholic unschoolers.

Trust.

Trust in God and His Church.

Trust in the family.

Trusting that the child is born with a desire to learn. And that he/she will learn. Will know what he/she needs and wants to learn.

Trust that learning is everywhere, all the time, that one never stops learning.

Those personal definitions ~

Unschooling is...

To me it is real, natural learning and all encompassing. Ideas, concepts, subjects, etc are learned as they arise in a natural way. Toni

We don’t really do school, and we try to live with respect for kids and interests . Leonie

My quick answer is Child-led learning. We don't use curriculum. Elaine

I explain that we don't need a school room as we don't really sit down to do written bookwork, and though books are a big part of our life, we learn as we live, in a very organic sort of way, and most of what would be covered in school gets learned in living real life. Our children are driven to learn, and we don't interfere with that, but simply let them discover their own answers, and are available to give guidance, answers and mentoring along the way as they seek it, they mostly seem to be happy and confident in their learning. Lorna

I think most of us who are attracted to the term or who would apply it to ourselves, tend to be those whose entirely different manner of education involves at its heart, rather than at its periphery, the belief in the natural desire to learn, natural as well as individual development, and hence the freedom of action which is necessary for a good education. I agree with what others have said; this means "natural", "child-led". Rebecca

I guess for me unschooling is looking at the kids for who they are, and using any and all resrouces they need at any particular time. Trusting them to learn. Providing an atmsphere that encourages learning and discussion. When they need something formal to reach a goal or open a door, use it. But not be bound by a definition such as 'school' and waste time meeting other's goals or definitions. Cindy

Learning through life. Real learning happens in real, everyday life. Sarah

This is a work-in-progress. Please feel free to add your own definition of Catholic unschooling....