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The Concept of Catholic Unschooling Author Interview with Suzie
Andres, Homeschooling with Gentleness: A Catholic Discovers
Unschooling by Lisa M. Hendey
Whether you are a homeschooling parent or simply a parent
concerned with the quality of your children’s faith formation
and education, you owe it to yourself and your family to learn a
bit about the concept of “unschooling”. In her new book
Homeschooling with Gentleness: A Catholic Discovers Unschooling
(Christendom Press, October 1004, paperback, 132 pages) takes a
look at this “gentle” variation to the traditional homeschooling
path. As a mother of two Catholic school students, I must admit
that I initially approached Andres’ book from a perspective of
suspicion. My reading of this book, however, produced much fruit
in the form of an enhanced appreciation for my own role, and
especially that of my children themselves, in their own
educations. In his comments on the book, noted author and
professor Ralph McInerny reminds us that "The Church has always
insisted that the parents are the primary educators of their
children." Far from being critical of formal education, Andres
book is a positive and uplifting commentary on the concept of
"unschooling" and shares ideas and suggestions that will be of
value to any family, regardless of your educational preferences.
Suzie Andres, wife and mother of two, shared the following
comments on Homeschooling with Gentleness.
Q: I’m amazed that a homeschooling mom can make time to write
and publish a book! What motivated you to write this book and
how did you accomplish your goal?
A: I have always loved reading. One of the things that I enjoy
most about reading is that sense of connection with an author
when we think along the same lines, sharing the same opinions
about human nature. Often my own opinions are not clearly
thought out, but there is a resonance with something I read
which helps me to clarify my thoughts. Perhaps you have
experienced that “Aha!” when you read something true that you
had not heard expressed just that way before, or which you had
not been able to express yourself.
Like many homeschooling mothers, I read books on homeschooling
hoping to experience that resonance. I had always wanted to find
a homeschooling book in which the author shared my opinions
about children and education, and mapped out an approach that
matched what we were doing in our own home. Not that I knew
exactly what I thought about children and education; in fact, I
often am not sure what we are actually doing in our home! But I
realized that I was reading homeschooling books not only to find
new methods and materials, but more often to find a name for
what we were already doing.
When I began to read about unschooling, it felt very familiar.
I recognized that what went on in our home looked a lot like
unschooling, but I worried that unschooling was not quite a
Catholic approach. None of its main proponents were Catholic,
very few were Christian, and many espoused a very secular
outlook. My husband Tony was able to reassure me that we could
be Catholic unschoolers, and he had many compelling arguments
explaining the fittingness of this combination. However, I have
a horrible memory, and so I’d return to him often to hear his
explanations. I realized that if I wrote a book on the subject,
I could give the poor man a rest!
In fact, writing about Catholic unschooling really appealed to
me for three reasons. First, I could get down on paper Tony’s
explanations to reassure myself; second, for anyone else who was
interested, I could express in writing our thoughts about
homeschooling; and third, if my writing became a book, then I
would have the perfect homeschooling book to read when I wanted
to know what I was doing!
As to how a homeschooling mom finds time to write a book...I
think there was a small window of opportunity that I crawled
through in the early summer of 2003. My husband liked to study
and write in the evenings, and our older son Joseph was usually
busy playing with kids in the neighborhood or reading. Dominic,
our then 8 month old, went to bed at 8 p.m., but I had to stay
nearby to keep him from rolling off our bed, where he slept. Had
I thought of putting our mattress on the floor, Homeschooling
with Gentleness would never have been written! But as it was, I
needed something quiet to do from 8 to 11, and I had just bought
a used laptop from a pawnshop. I love to write, and so I would
write during this time. The next thing I knew, I had somehow
written a book. Just at this time Christendom Press had a new
director who wanted to publish a book on homeschooling. God
brought it all together, and now I too am amazed that a
homeschooling mom can make time to write and publish a book!
God’s plans are really mysterious and beautiful.
Q: Please share your thoughts on the concept of Catholic
“unschooling” and how this relates to the theories of John Holt.
A: In my reading about homeschooling, I eventually came upon the
books of John Holt, a former teacher, educational reformer, and
one of the first advocates of homeschooling. He has a
wonderfully clear writing style and I profoundly agreed with
many of his observations about children and education. Over the
course of two summers, I read his books Teach Your Own, How
Children Fail, How Children Learn, and Learning all the Time,
and also copies of his magazine “Growing without Schooling.”
When John Holt coined the term “unschooling,” he used it to mean
learning outside of school. He began a newsletter in the
mid-1970s to help those who had taken their children out of
school to educate them at home and in the wider world. At that
time it was an incredibly courageous and mostly illegal act to
keep your school-aged children out of school. Holt encouraged
parents and children to find new ways to learn, to enjoy each
other’s company, and to follow their convictions. His experience
as a teacher had shown him that often schools are places where
learning does not, perhaps cannot happen. Over the years his
further observations of children and adults led him to believe
that learning happens best when it is initiated by the learner.
Unschooling thus came to refer more specifically to child led
education.
Some of the principles that underlie this theory are: children
(in fact all of us) are natural learners; learning can happen at
any age; a person will be most motivated to learn when he needs
to know or use what he’s learning; and fear is a bad incentive
for learning, while love is the best incentive of all. I saw
these ideas in John Holt’s writing, and I had seen them before
in Catholic philosophy and theology. Since grace builds on
nature, what is true in nature provides a firm foundation for
our life as Catholics. In a nutshell, I argue in the book that
unschooling is an option for Catholics.
Q: I enjoyed discussing your book and its ideas with my own
thirteen year old son (who is a eighth grader in a Catholic
school) and was interested in his reaction to “unschooling.” One
question we both have is how you deal with overcoming issues
like lack of motivation, distractions, and laziness (this from
the seventh grader...) to keep on target with work flow?
A: Lisa, that is an excellent question. I think our family has
dealt with these obstacles in a twofold manner. First, we have
rules limiting our older son’s use of computer games and video
watching. Although these activities can be fun, they can also be
addictive, and for us their overuse tends to squelch creativity
and motivation. Secondly, each school year we decide on the type
and amount of school-type work we want Joseph to accomplish.
This year, for example, we agreed that Joseph would complete a
set of algebra workbooks and learn typing with a computer
program. Since the amount of assigned work was fairly small,
keeping up with “work flow” was not difficult. At the same time,
Joseph had a wide range of other activities and interests that
rounded out his learning through work he chose himself. He
continued piano lessons and practice, and began composing his
own pieces. He began reading a series of college level history
books. He participated in church-league basketball and Jr.
Legion of Mary. Sometime in the middle of the school year,
Joseph decided he wanted to write a science fiction novel. This
prompted him to pick up some grammar books we had, and borrow
books on writing. The novel got set aside, but only after
providing some self-motivated learning in grammar and
composition. For next year I’m sure we’ll continue with some
formal math, and Joseph is planning to take an introductory
college Latin class. With all these interests and projects, and
a quite limited amount of traditional schoolwork, the issues you
mention have resolved themselves.
Finally, when I asked Joseph his opinion about this question, he
suggested I mention another house rule that he finds provides
plenty of motivation. He is not allowed to get together with
friends until after he does basic schoolwork (math and typing)
and chores each day. Since he has friends in the neighborhood,
some of whom also homeschool, he has a daily spur to get his
official work done in a fairly timely manner.
Q: What factors should a family consider before committing to
this type of a lifestyle?
A: I think the main factors a family should consider are the
temperaments of the children and parents. I have heard (although
it’s not an experience in my home!) of children who thrive on
structure and clear assignments, who want to know exactly what
is expected of them, and who enjoy plowing through their work in
a methodical way. I think this type of child would feel very
uncomfortable with the relaxed approach of unschooling, and the
child’s desire for the parents to provide structure and
curriculum ought to be respected.
As for the parents’ temperaments, I would like to quote a
passage from John Holt’s book Teach Your Own, in which he
addresses this question. Let me qualify that I don’t think many
parents start out with all the attributes and virtues that he
lists. A desire for these virtues would be enough, I think, to
indicate unschooling as a viable option. Holt writes:
We can sum up very quickly what people need to teach their own
children. First of all, they have to like them, enjoy their
company, their physical presence, their energy, foolishness, and
passion. They have to enjoy all their talk and questions, and
enjoy equally trying to answer those questions. They have to
think of their children as friends, indeed very close friends,
have to feel happier when they are near and miss them when they
are away. They have to trust them as people, respect their
fragile dignity, treat them with courtesy, take them seriously.
They have to feel in their own hearts some of their children’s
wonder, curiosity, and excitement about the world. But that is
about all that parents need.
Q: Suzie, as a voracious reader I loved your section of “Books
as Friends” – what have been some of your family’s favorites?
A: Hmmm....how to limit myself here, and where to begin? Some
children’s books that we have loved are: Follow my Leader by
James Garfield, The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill, The Phantom
Tollbooth, by Norton Juster, and the books of Edward Eager. Some
of our favorite read-alouds have been: Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory by Roald Dahl, Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner,
and The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber. All time favorites are
Leave it to Psmith by P.G.Wodehouse, and Penrod by Booth
Tarkington. Joseph has really enjoyed the Redwall series by
Brian Jacques, and the Star Wars novels of Timothy Zahn; his
ultimate favorites are Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein. Tony
and I share the same favorite novelist, Jane Austen. My other
favorites are E.F. Benson (who wrote the Mapp and Lucia series)
and Elizabeth Goudge. And I think Tony would want me to mention
that Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope is not to be missed!
Q: Suzie Andres, Catholic mom and author of Homeschooling with
Gentleness, congratulations on this wonderful resource. Are
there any closing thoughts or ideas you’d like to share?
A: Lisa, thank you again for your kind interest in my book. In
closing I’d like to borrow the words from a favorite spiritual
book, I Believe in Love. “I assure you, we are bathed in love
and mercy.” I send my best wishes to you and all your readers;
may we remember that we are bathed in love and mercy, as we
enjoy these years at home with our children.
For more information on Homeschooling with Gentleness: A
Catholic Discovers Unschooling visit
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0931888794/catholicmomcom
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous
web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and
http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic
literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more
information.
About the author:
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous
web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and
http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic
literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more
information.
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