Free Schooling... Isn't that ILLEGAL?

I respect and support parents who home school their children, if its done right. In your case it was not. But i know a couple who home schools there kids. They have regular school days and homework, it just all done at home. They attend regular activities with kids their own age, and attend activities in the community specifically for other kids that are homeschooled. However what you are talking about is insane and should be illegal. Kids need routines. Thats just not from experience but i was also taught that in my early childhood development class in college. I also believe not everyone can learn the same, and certain things have to be taught differently to certain students...but for free schooling i just think its totally insane.

I've heard of this...someone said it was called 'unschooling'(I had earlier thought unschooling was getting the rules of regular school out of one's head before starting proper homeschooling). In India, there are various schools of thought on alternative schooling..there are schools which follow alternative methods of schooling. We have started homeschooling our 9 year old (it's been more than 6 months now) which isn't even as structured as it is in the US. It's just the family's choice and might become illegal in a month's time (though a few homeschoolers have written to the Minister of Education to make it legal). Coming back to Free schooling, I feel the kids are too young to know how and what to learn. Having said that, I also believe that each child learn differently (I've been a teacher and come across many learning styles). My husband and I were just discussing this morning how our younger son (who is 3 now) learns more from the things around him (which are not exactly being taught to him)than from us sitting him and teaching him. Till a few months back, he went to the same school that I taught at and his teacher said the same. He would refuse to sit with the group to learn on some days and would prefer to do his own stuff quietly in a corner. She assumed at first he was doing that because he wasn't interested in what they were doing at the time. But while he was playing with his blocks, he was able to grasp everything that was being taught (being a pre-school, it wasn't really 'taught')...and his cognition was much higher than the kids who were sitting in the group! He was able to relate the concepts taught to other things around him. Now that he has been home with me for the past few months and I have the time to really observe him, I've seen that. He doesn't like being 'taught' or being asked to do something. But he's learning a lot more by observing on his own. I'm not sure about these free schoolers you mentioned....but they probably are the same. I have to say I am worried about my little one at the back of my head...he might be smart but how do we prove that to others if he is not going to take his tests? Anyways, he's too young for me to be worried and I'm still trying to slowly get him into a routine atleast. I've not met anyone who is free schooling and I've met many homeschoolers (even in India where it's not common and there are no laws governing it) and they have done quite well...and maybe even a better job than if the child went to school.

in my state it's very illegal-although i think there is some variances for certain religions.the only options you have other than that are homeschooling and private tutor. you have to submit proof of teaching to the local school departments every so often to prove you're teaching them something. i guess it depends on the child,but i don't think it's a good idea.in some cases you might end up with a borderline feral child who won't do anything you ask it after awhile.

I know this is illegal and have to wonder where anyone would live that would endorse this kind of 'schooling'. I don't see it as any benefit to any child or parent for that matter. As a parent you have to teach your child structure and responsibility. Structure as far as how the world works and how we work within the world. Responsibility is a never ending learning experience because there is responsiblity with a job, maintaining yourself, your home, your acctions and even how your actions effect those around us. How in the world is anyone going to learn that if they aren't given the basic tools when they are younger? I'm sure there are self starters out there, but I think if I were living in a home that didn't provide me any learning tools, I would be pretty lost in the adult world.

I have never heard of this concept before. And no wonder - it's crazy! No structure at all is not good for anyone. How do the parents afford to pay the bills? If they don't teach their kids structure they won't have the discipline to take on a job later in life. They are not even learning the most basic of life skills. There is no respect taught or modeled. It seems they are damaging their kids by all this.. How do the kids learn to read? How do they do math and other skills they will need to live?

Well, we do have a lot of those here in the Philippines - and i'm not berating my country here, i love it here - it's just a fact of life :) and that fact is us being a 3rd world country. :) Sorry, just putting some soft humor into such sensitive conversation. Anyway, back to topic - although school is indeed VERY important, because the idea of it is passing compiled / gathered information to the new generation -- some "Experiences" and "Teachings" may not necessary limit itself inside the four walls of the room -- which is why life experience may also be necessary.

home schooling is not illegal. I worked at an unschool. It was a very good environment for some of them. These were kids who didn't fit in well at school, often they were bullied.

hi moonlitmagikchild wow maybe those parents are just too lazy to take on the roles of real parents, the idea of college trained parents just letting the kids run wild.to me that stupid and horrible and I hope it its illegal. They will not have discipline, and will not know how to act if they can get into college. or working in jobs as they have been left to do whatever they want when they want to.Working for someone else requires a bit of restraint on ones part and some sort of cultural training which they are not getting.I cannot image letting children of that age just run wild without any training or discipline.what you could have is children dirty and wearing filthy clothes, eating fast food, and getting obese and acting little better than wild animals. I really do not like the sound of this free schooling myself. I am going to mylot this and see if I can learn more about it.

Well this is off topic, but I have to ask... Most of the girls and guys I know that are home schooled, loved being home schooled. And turned out very well. You would be the first home schooled girl I've met who said it screwed up your life. I'm just curious, do you suppose that your home schooling is what helped you succeed in relationships with your husband? Is it possible what you lacked in career training, you gained in social and relational stability? That seems a pretty good trade in my opinion. I'd rather be broke with a loving wife, than rich and divorced. It's ironic really. I'm the opposite. I went to an upper middle class high school, and went to college, and what I learned from both, hasn't helped me at all. I work temp jobs, and minimum wage jobs. I have always wished that my parents had home schooled me. I always envied those that were home schooled. I trace all my problems, back to public schooling. My hatred of people. My dislike of those my own age. My distrust of anyone. My mother to this day tells me that the day when she dropped me off at school, was the last time I smiled for almost 14 years. What do you think?

I'm a conservative type of person. And for me the only way to have education is to enroll in good school like normal kids do. And take a degree in college. How can you learn if your not expose. I never heard of such type of schooling. But for me its not even schooling. For me social welfare must act on this. Poor children.

yes free schooling is illegal.i hope devolve it