I try to keep jargon out of unschooling discussions I'm in. When a new term is proposed, I rush to be the first to say "Use plain English, please." Some people are using "RU" and pronouncing it "ARE YOU" or "RUE" and some people are "Ruing," and I don't like it. It's a bad idea.

When other people ask me I say "We homeschool." (Soon, "We homeschooled," because Holly is nearly eighteen.) When other homeschoolers ask me, I say "We're unschoolers." When other unschoolers ask me, I might say "We're radical unschoolers."

What are ways we can miss the mark of learning being the focus?

Using expressions like "RU'ing" is a good example ;) Really, any time you find yourself thinking "is this an unschooling thing to do?" or something along those lines, its good to step back from the idea of "unschooling" and get back to the idea of learning.

"RU" is a bad thing. Write out "unschooling." If you don't have time or energy to write that word out, you don't have enough time to post. (The problem is people try to pronounce it, and "are you" and "rue" are both already in use, in English.)

Terminology (Unschooling jargon?) Phrases to Hear and Avoid Words and words and words

Negative words that get in the way Clarity of thought, and in writing