Moving from full time school to homeschooling is a major transition. It can be compared to moving to a new state, getting married (or rather, getting divorced?), having a baby or giving up french fries.
There is a term that shuffles itself around, particularly during the September and October months, and that is “deschooling”. The general advice is to take time off from “school”; one month for every year a child is in school. Ideally, that means not touching one school book and just living life – whatever that is – and slowly moving back into a schedule after a given “rest” period.
This entry has been moved. Read the rest of this article at the new location: Deschooling Gently at the Just Enough Blog
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October 9, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Tammy,
You make excellent points! I wish I had had this list when I took my son out of fifth grade and started homeschooling. Thank you!
November 15, 2006 at 11:30 am
Tammy,
I am glad I got to read this now, before we take our kids out of school. This gives me real confidence. Thanks!
January 14, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Tammy, I think I may be in love with you. You have put my mind at ease and made me understand how I want to go about homeschool and just well given me hope that I am doing the right thing. Thank you. You are my angel.
May 16, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Tammy — thank you so much for these words of wisdom! I am so glad to have found this before starting homeschooling my 13 year old. She has had such a horrible time in school that the deschooling is exactly what we both need! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
June 3, 2007 at 4:54 pm
[…] is where deschooling is important. Deschooling isn’t taking a break – it’s recreating a life. Many people […]
December 6, 2007 at 11:41 am
[…] from the tightly structured school day to a looser homeschool day to give your kids time to unwind. Deschooling is letting them get it out of their system, to unlearn that learning is a chore to be avoided but […]
January 8, 2008 at 7:58 am
[…] Read more Deschooling Gently […]
January 14, 2008 at 8:55 pm
De-schooling: I LOVE IT!! I just pulled my 13 yr. old out of public school to homeschool. He suffered from depression, anxiety, etc. After he went back to school from being gone for 2 months, we told the school that he shouldn’t be pressured. My son is probably 2 yrs. ahead anyway. Well, they couldn’t leave it alone! So…..we pulled him out after much praying and thought. We are now De-schooling. You are right, it is hard, but his mind needs a rest.
Thank you for your words of wisdom.
March 10, 2008 at 7:59 am
I know this is an old post but I wanted to let you know how much it has helped. This is week three of my soon to be thirteen year old no longer attending ‘public’ school.
March 22, 2008 at 7:41 am
[…] reinvigorating self-confidence, self-esteem and an enjoyment of learning is through a process of deschooling. Or, essentially taking time off from school. Recommended: one month for every year a child […]
June 2, 2008 at 11:14 am
[…] all started with this post, called Deschooling Gently. Then I added the “fearless homeschooling” to the title. From there, it all came […]
October 11, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to find your post. I’m in week 6 of homeschooling my 5th and 6th graders, and to say it’s been difficult is an understatement. I keep reading about deschooling, but I just can’t do it! You really put things into perspective for me. Thanks a million!
May 16, 2011 at 1:32 pm
[…] every year in school and longer for the adults. ) A great article on deschooling can be found here. When we deschooled we focused only on the Bible– that was it as far as curriculum […]