Homeschool.com's Interview with
Mary Griffith
Author of "The Unschooling Handbook:
How to use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom"

Mary Griffith and thousands of other unschooling parents believe that learning is as natural to children as breathing. If children are allowed to pursue their own interests, they will more than cover all the subjects taught in school. And, more importantly they will develop a life-long love of learning as they explore their world. "The Unschooling Handbook" is filled with moving stories and advice that will give all homeschooling families, not just unschoolers, inspiration to help their children discover the world--learning as they live each day.

Editor: How do unschooling children cover the basics, like reading, writing and math?

Griffith: That such "basics" can only be learned by being explicitly taught is perhaps the most damaging legacy of our century-long experience with conventional schooling. Unschooled kids learn the basics by using them: They learn to read by being read to and discovering what reading is and how its symbols work. They learn to write by writing, by learning the letters in their name, by writing letters and thank you notes and stories and journals--anything and everything they have to say. They learn about numbers and how to manipulate them by using them--countinarticles/interviews/griffith/default.aspg, measuring, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing in cooking, sewing, building, gardening--all sorts of everyday projects. As they grow, unschooled children take on more deliberate and involved projects.

Editor: What do you believe is the biggest benefit of unschooling?

Griffith: Undoubtedly, the biggest benefit is learning how to learn, learning that one *can* learn.

Editor: Given your experience with and observations of other unschoolers, when unschoolers move into a structured environment, like college or employment, are they successful?

Griffith: Absolutely. College admissions people tell us that unschooled students tend to be focused, know how to ask questions and how to prioritize their time and energy--in short, how to direct their own learning. Employers also value those same skills, and are usually thrilled to find employees with initiative.

Editor: In your book you state that when children are allowed to pursue their interests, and learning is not separated from living, there is a "spill over effect." Can you explain what this is?

Griffith: Simply that when learning is pursued as a normal component of being alive--like breathing--it happens all the time, in most cases effortlessly. When learning is seen as something that happens at a specific time, in a specific place, as in conventional schooling, it tends to be limited to those precincts. Indulging our curiosity is how we learn, but curiosity is a habit--the more we allow ourselves to indulge our curiosity, the more we learn.

Editor: What characteristics do unschooling families have in common?

Griffith: Every unschooling family is different, because all our interests and needs vary, but there are some elements we have in common:

• An environment that encourages exploration and experimentation. In other words, we have lots of stuff around to learn from. For some families, this means lots of toys and games and art supplies. For others, it may mean a rural location, with lots of plants and animals to work and play with, or a city to explore. Whatever the specifics, unschooled kids are welcome to explore and interact with their surroundings.
• Models to learn from. Unschooled kids need adults and older kids around who demonstrate curiosity and learning in their own lives. If we want our kids to read, they'd better see us reading, and more importantly, *enjoying* our reading. Telling our kids what they should be doing is futile; they need to see us living in the ways we want them to learn.
• Trust that children will learn. This is the hardest component of unschooling for most of us. We need to believe that our kids will learn and be able to let it happen without trying to force it. Sometimes, especially with kids who've spent several years in conventional classrooms, trust is something they have to learn for themselves, too--if they've been taught that they need to be taught in order to learn anything, it can be a long process for them to learn how to learn for themselves again.

Editor: Thank you Mary for talking about a vital ingredient in all styles of homeschooling--trust in our children--a trust that they will learn what they need to know when the time is right for them.

This book is available for purchase at Amazon.com