Getting Started with Homeschooling
Practical Considerations for Parents of School-Aged Children
© Beverley Paine
Index
Homeschool
Australia
Natural Learning Approach
Natural learning is becoming more popular with home schoolers, and was promoted extensively by the late John Holt, author and educator. In essence, natural learning is simply allowing the process of learning to occur, in a social context where the learner is not isolated from the world of meaningful action, and is allowed to follow the direction, pace and method best suited to his or her individual learning style.
Much of what occurs in the natural learning environment is derived from common sense, and based on the practical, immediate needs of the child or family. Learning becomes a background to daily activity as goals are worked toward and achieved within the framework of everyday happenings. The actual learning process is understated and subtle, but also valued and celebrated in real and meaningful ways.
In some ways natural learning is best described by focussing on what it is not:
It is not allowing the children to choose what, when and how to learn things on their own.
It is, however, allowing the children to democratically participate in decisions made about what they want to do, and how, and when, and it gives them to the opportunity to have greater responsibility within the framework of the family for their own lives. Children are not left to be responsible for themselves, but are encouraged to explore responsibility and to accept self- responsibility gradually according to their overall development.
Children are free to make suggestions and initiate activities, encouraged to develop commitment to tasks and people, and to work co-operatively, making compromises and adjustments to plans as needed. This develops respectful attitudes. In this way, learning always stays meaningful for the children.
It is not exposing children to a plethora of experiences, activities - anything andeverything!
Natural learning is experiencing real life, not contrived ‘educational’ situations. It is recognising the richness of your everyday existence and exploring that. It is building on the curiosity, interests and strengths already present in children. It is selective, temperamental and responsive to individual and family needs, and later on, community and social needs. It is staying interested in what is on offer (as resources and activities), and choosing wisely, matching what is out there to what is needed, not thinking or making up a need to match what is easily available!
It is learning to let go of what you don't need - unhelpful attitudes, experiences, materials, etc., and focussing on what you really want out of each experience. It is staying ‘rooted’ in the real world of everyday existence, not offering unrelated fragments of ‘learning experience’ for the‘sake of learning’.
It is recognising how much learning happens incidentally, unprovoked, unstructured, spontaneously. It is allowing quiet, calm times of solitude or togetherness, and recognising the learning value of them, as well as encouraging a busy and active, productive and reflective life.
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Excerpt from Getting Started with Homeschooling, Practical Considerations
© Beverley Paine, 1997
