Unschooling Unpopular, But It's A Growing Trend | Teachers College Columbia University

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Unschooling Unpopular, But It's A Growing Trend

Nothing elucidates the benefits of allowing kids "to be themselves" or "unschooled" better than the recent Republic article on the topic. "The idea behind unschooling is that children will learn faster if they choose what they learn instead of a teacher choosing for them. . . . The theory behind unschooling is that it builds on a child's natural abilities, which helps them develop intrinsic motivation."
Nothing elucidates the benefits of allowing kids "to be themselves" or "unschooled" better than the recent Republic article on the topic. "The idea behind unschooling is that children will learn faster if they choose what they learn instead of a teacher choosing for them. . . . The theory behind unschooling is that it builds on a child's natural abilities, which helps them develop intrinsic motivation."

Thomas Hatch, associate professor at Columbia University's Teachers College, says, "Children who aren't self-motivated may not function well because no one makes them do the work. Likewise, students who flit from topic to topic within a few minutes won't benefit as much as those who focus and are persistent."

This article, written by Hans Knight, appeared in the June 8th, 2006 online publication of The Arizona Central.

Published Tuesday, Jun. 13, 2006

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