From the (once lively) Live and Learn Conference list:

Kelly Lovejoy:

I think that, although *I* love the "radical" unschooler label, it can turn folks off just because of the word. It conjures up a wildness and craziness, but that's not what it IS. To me, it means deep, to the core---

Right.

Not the kind of "I was unschooled one summer" or "We unschool science and history, but not math or reading" kind of so-called unschooling.

REAL, deep, committed, clear, purposeful, focussed, heartfelt whole unschooling.

If it moves from the realm of rules to principles, then how could one really compromise without also compromising integrity?

That's where I am with it, and have been for many, many years. I can't NOT unschool because it has become the way we live and think and treat one another.

I hope to add to these links, but my criteria for this is that either the term and idea of "radical unschooling" (distinct from other kinds of homeschooling) is being analyzed, or the link leads to discussions about discussions, and ideas about learning how to unschool.

I don’t mind “radical.” I just hear it as “real” or “actual.”

Radical Unschooling is...
photo by Cass Kotrba

Amy's intro:

The word unschooling: where did it come from and where is it going?

Today we hear thoughts about the words unschooling and radical, and as well as some alternate terms for this educational path, from unschooling enthusiasts Ben Hewitt, Rick Rossing, Robyn Coburn, Sandra Dodd and Sue Patterson.

And thanks go out to Jonny for today’s tunes.

Michelle Burbidge
February 6, 2016

I laughed at Rick Rossing’s use of “autodidact”. My daughter (4.5) is often asked if she’s excited to start school. She either chooses not to answer, or simply states “We’re home schooling”. In either case, the asker typically redirects to me. Initially, I found this uncomfortable. But after stammering around awkwardly the first few times, I once threw out that she won’t be going to school because she’s autodidactic. I got a few kind words of condolence before they quickly changed the subject. It’s a fairly standard response for me now, and the reaction so far has always been the same!

I think there are other factors too, more subtle. Language works with labels. Words are labels. People like to know who they are by what they're called, but they claim not to like it. "I don't like to be labelled" is a form of "I'm an individualistic person too cool to be pegged, and I like to intimidate other people to try make them think I can control how they may refer to me." That's a lot of labelling right there.