Whether unschooling can work with "Special Needs"
[email protected]
In a message dated 4/25/02 8:55:04 AM, rumpleteasermom@... writes:
<< So either unschooling is only about education and is not a total
lifestyle OR unschooling is going to be different for those with
special needs children. >>
The principles of unschooling apply whether a child is "gifted" or slow,
fully balanced as to Gardner's intelligences, or heavy on two and light on
the other five or six.
BECAUSE unschooling is individualized (being about individuals) it is not
"different for those with special needs children"--that would be to say there
is a kind of unschooling which applies to regular/normal/whatever kids, and a
second kind of unschooling which applies to "special" children.
On any imagined continuum there are some needs which would come in FROM
unschooling, without any conflict with unschooling, for individual kids.
Nobody expects a child to learn sign language without seeing it.
Nobody expects a child to figure out how to self-regulate fits of emotional
without advice or assistance.
Nobody expects a child to recognize or get over clinical depression without
some loving support.
But that is not to say that unschooling doesn't work with those kids, or that
it is a whole different kind of thing. It isn't.
Individualizing is individualizing. Living in the moment is living in the
moment.
Justifying a resistence to unschooling by join others to resist isn't
beneficial to the resistent NOR to those coming for ideas and help.
Sandra
<< So either unschooling is only about education and is not a total
lifestyle OR unschooling is going to be different for those with
special needs children. >>
The principles of unschooling apply whether a child is "gifted" or slow,
fully balanced as to Gardner's intelligences, or heavy on two and light on
the other five or six.
BECAUSE unschooling is individualized (being about individuals) it is not
"different for those with special needs children"--that would be to say there
is a kind of unschooling which applies to regular/normal/whatever kids, and a
second kind of unschooling which applies to "special" children.
On any imagined continuum there are some needs which would come in FROM
unschooling, without any conflict with unschooling, for individual kids.
Nobody expects a child to learn sign language without seeing it.
Nobody expects a child to figure out how to self-regulate fits of emotional
without advice or assistance.
Nobody expects a child to recognize or get over clinical depression without
some loving support.
But that is not to say that unschooling doesn't work with those kids, or that
it is a whole different kind of thing. It isn't.
Individualizing is individualizing. Living in the moment is living in the
moment.
Justifying a resistence to unschooling by join others to resist isn't
beneficial to the resistent NOR to those coming for ideas and help.
Sandra