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What is Deschooling?
Deschooling is the process of adjusting to a learning environment outside of traditional schooling. It involves both children and parents transitioning from the structured and conventional methods of traditional education to the more flexible and personalized approach of homeschooling. This period allows for the unlearning of school-based habits and the development of new ways to learn and engage with knowledge. Deschooling helps families adapt to the differences and challenges of homeschooling, promoting a mindset shift towards more self-directed and exploratory learning.
For many students, attending school daily is a routine. They know their designated classroom, their specific desk, and the teacher's expectations upon arrival. Teachers direct the class, organize group projects, call on students for answers, and have students' complete worksheets during class. In elementary school, students have one or two brief recesses, with younger students having a single teacher all day and older students having different teachers for each subject, structured in periods. Homework is assigned to be completed and submitted the next day.
When families transition to homeschooling, they may attempt to replicate this traditional school structure. While some families succeed with a school-at-home approach, many find it difficult. This is where deschooling becomes essential. Deschooling involves a period of adjustment where families move away from ingrained school habits, adapting to the more flexible and individualized nature of homeschooling.
Deschooling eliminates time constraints, proving that learning extends beyond classroom walls. It encourages students and parents to move away from the conventional school mindset, allowing them to tap into the broader opportunities offered by homeschooling.
It's important to verify with your state the specific time frame you have to begin homeschooling. Each state has different regulations and requirements for starting the homeschooling process.
Once you unenroll your child from school consider these activities and ideas before you start to homeschool.
Deschooling Activities for Younger Children:
Deschooling Ideas for Middle School/High School Students:
This adjustment period will allow you and your child to bond. You will begin to discover your child's interest, likes and dislikes. Which will help you to begin to plan your homeschooling. Read this blog on Homeschooling 101 to help you get starting planning.
Determining the duration of deschooling involves patience and trust in the process. The timeframe varies among families—some complete deschooling in a few months, while others spend their entire first homeschool year deschooling. Comparing experiences isn't fruitful; deschooling takes the time it needs, whether weeks or a full year. Transitioning from deschooling to regular homeschooling becomes apparent when certain signs of homeschool readiness emerge:
If these signs resonate with your experience, congratulations on your homeschooling journey!
Quotes from homeschoolers.