Myths

Eugene de Blaas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Shrouded in near obscurity, lifeschooling can quickly become misunderstood. Let’s peer into this homeschooling style to uncover the truth amid the lies.

Myth #1: Lifeschooling is unschooling, Montessori, roadschooling, etc.

Truth: Lifeschooling does not just share aspects with other homeschooling and parenting styles; it enhances them. It provides the rationale behind each lesson and challenges students both mentally and physically, erasing the line between home and school. Over time, students realize that learning does not end with childhood. It is something they will do for the rest of their lives. Isn’t that what other homeschooling and parenting methods teach? Well, no.

In unschooling, parents guide their children in pursuing their interests. If a child wishes to learn about seasonal differences, the parent may take them outside to gather leaves or read them a book about weather phenomena. (Note: Unschooling is not educational neglect. The parent does not leave the child to their own devices. Instead, the parent maintains an active role in their children’s education, learning alongside them and encouraging them on their path to self-discovery.)

Roadschooling and worldschooling are homeschooling styles that place travel at the core of their educational philosophy (domestic and international travel, respectively). Families visit natural landmarks, historical sites, and educational venues to gain a first-hand understanding of academic concepts. For example, a family may visit the Grand Canyon to study erosion or the Bastille to learn about the French Revolution.

Finally, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf are parenting, not homeschooling, styles. Some facets of these methods can be used with older children, but all three are intended for children under seven years of age, roughly. Furthermore, as I will discuss in the next myth, lifeschooling is about tying academics to real-life situations. In Montessori, children are taught chores at a young age. In lifeschooling, children learn numbers by counting dirty shirts or clean spoons.

If you would like to know the difference between lifeschooling and another homeschooling/parenting style, please comment below.

Myth #2: Lifeschooling is just parenting.

Truth: Lifeschooling is a homeschooling, not just a parenting style. Parenting (when done correctly) does prep children for life. However, lifeschooling takes parenting and adds an academic component. The fusion of life skills learn through parenting and academic knowledge is lifeschooling at its core. Students discover how both are interconnected.

Most parents do not educate their children. They (to varying degrees) teach their child domestic skills, then hand their child over to the government to raise. By sending children to public schools, parents are giving political entities free rein to teach children as they see fit. No wonder many parents choose to homeschool. Lifeschooling is one form of homeschooling. It provides everything children need to reach their highest potential.

Myth #3: Inversely, subjects that teach life skills (Home Economics, Civics, Emotional Regulation, Economics…) are frivolous. Children need to focus on academics.

Truth: Life skills are critical to developing independence. People who are not taught life skills as children often struggle to develop these abilities in later years. When a child is young, their brain is receptive to new information. The older they get, the harder it becomes to learn. Because of this, a strong foundation of life skills early in life can propel a young adult well beyond their peers in all aspects of their life. They know how to take care of themselves and their belongings, maintain a job along with an apartment, manage a budget, and navigate social situations so they can focus on their interests without worrying about the future.

Lifeschooling provides more than domestic and academic prowess. Children learn executive skills like decision-making and time management. So they can build their lives around their interests without worrying about catching up on mastering skills. To follow one’s passions, a person must have a solid base of executive skills. They may love their career, but if they are unable to arrive at work on time or maintain a clean workspace, their occupational prospects will be limited.

Myth #4: Children learn life skills naturally.

Truth: Children can not learn what they are not taught. They are not born knowing how to care for themselves. The skills your child brings with them into adulthood are the ones they learn through repetition in their youth. Few children will go through the hassle of practicing life skills on their own, even if they have the means to do so. They need a caring adult willing to guide them towards proficiency. Most of these tasks get boring quickly, but are essential to master if one is to live independently. Unfortunately, by the time most children want to learn to care for themselves, it becomes much harder to do. The best time to teach life skills is as soon as children are ready. That way, they can develop healthy habits before unproductive ones take root. To do that, they need someone to lead them.

Myth #5: Building a lifeschooling curriculum would take too much time and effort.

Truth: Lifeschooling is about integrating academics into daily tasks, usually by either adding an educational component to children’s chores or a parent/guardian involving their children in their activities (within reason). Whether the child learns colors by sorting laundry or using their parents’/guardians’ cash to buy groceries, the child’s practical and scholarly education is blended, thus they accomplish more in one activity.

Many parents practice some degree of lifeschooling when children are toddlers. These parents point to an object and ask its color, shape, size, etc. Some parents read to their children to promote communication and reading proficiency. As children start school, most of this instruction slowly disappears. Parents concentrate on younger siblings or rebuilding their careers, leaving their children’s education to strangers. Learning becomes a chore to complete before they can relax and lose that sense of wonder they had as toddlers. Lifeschooling is an extension of those younger years, feeding children’s curiosity into adulthood and beyond.

Myth #6: It would also be too expensive.

Truth: Most supplies needed to homeschool using the lifeschooling method can be found around the house or in the community. Children learn through daily activities. Instead of expensive math manipulatives, students learn fractions by measuring ingredients in a recipe or using a measuring tape while building a birdhouse. They write letters to practice penmanship and observe natural phenomena at their local park. Overpriced textbooks are replaced by nonfiction books from the local library or used bookstore. Perhaps the largest expense is extracurricular activities (dance, karate, sewing…) or field trips (museums, zoos, plays, etc.), at the parents’ discretion. These can be adjusted to fit the budget.

Plenty of information can be obtained online. Blogs such as this span almost any topic imaginable. Some blogs are instructional (how-to). Others focus on informative content. Many blogs use text-to-speech, which can benefit struggling readers. The same can be said of video-sharing sites like YouTube. While more passive than blogs, these sites may be better for some concepts. A word of caution: Misinformation runs rampant throughout the internet. Supervision is critical to ensure students consume accurate data. In the end, lifeschooling is about using what is available to teach. All you need is around you.

Myth #7: A public education is sufficient.

Truth: The United States public education system is appalling. Teachers are quitting in unprecedented numbers. Students are falling further behind with each passing year. Parents are spending more for less actual education. Unless the American public education system is completely redesigned, it will not survive the coming decades. Lifeschooling, meanwhile, teaches using real-world skills. It connects what students are learning with why they are learning it, for a vault of knowledge they can invest in for the rest of their lives. The choice is yours.

Myth #8: Lifeschooling is for hippies/too radical. It is just too new.

Truth: Lifeschooling is not new. The nineteenth century brought a push for publicly funded schools. Although wealthy parents could afford a formal education for their children, most other parents only taught their children the skills necessary to survive. Any necessary academic knowledge was likely taught through practical application (e.g., children learning to read the Bible) or apprenticeships (e.g., a carpenter’s apprentice adding mixed fractions while measuring). Lifeschooling also teaches through practical application.

However, even if lifeschooling was new, that does not mean it is bad. Humanity is always changing, keeping what works and discarding what doesn’t. Sometimes, what seems radical is merely unfamiliar. With time and an open mind, you become accustomed to it. It feels increasingly natural as you let go of the old ways. Similarly, lifeschooling feels extreme to most Americans because they were taught either in public schools or by other homeschooling methods. In the future, perhaps lifeschooling will be the norm. Until that day, embrace the unfamiliar. Who knows what you will find?

Myth #9: Lifeschooling cannot be combined with other homeschooling styles.

Truth: One of the greatest advantages of every homeschooling method is its adaptability. Each homeschooling family designs or modifies its curriculum to fit its needs. Some families might use lifeschooling alone, while others may integrate it with another homeschooling style. It all depends on what works best for the individual family. Moreover, every homeschooling method contains aspects of lifeschooling. The Charlotte Mason method encourages adherents to visit local parks for nature study. The classical method promotes frequent debates where students can practice critical thinking and articulation. The unschooling method guides students in pursuing their goals. Traditional homeschooling relies on schedules to run smoothly. Unit studies venture into the interconnected nature of different subjects. Finally, methods like roadschooling and worldschooling expand students’ perspectives beyond the familiar. Each of these goals is expressed in lifeschooling.

Lifeschooling is not just a homeschooling method. It is the ribbon that ties scholarly and practical skills together. It similarly enhances other homeschooling styles by binding them to everyday tasks. It provides reasoning behind students’ education. What does nature study have to do with lawn care? What does salt do to meat, and how much is too much? How does one debate constructively on a social media site? How can mastering organization at a young age aid lifelong goals? Learning does not end at graduation. I truly believe a quality homeschool method is one that students practice throughout their lives. They take a nature journal on their daily walks. They examine their political beliefs regularly. They keep a daily planner to track progress on their occupational goals. They read to unwind after a hard day. They see how crucial academics are to their daily lives. Lifeschooling lasts, well, a lifetime.

Myth #10: Lifeschooling is boring!

Truth: For most students, lifeschooling is much more interesting than public education. American public education still relies on rote memorization (memorization through repetition) as its primary teaching method. Students practice written drills until an arbitrary limit is reached (time, number of problems, etc) rather than mastery. The goal is to check each lesson off the list. Learning is isolated from reality. Lifeschooling, on the other hand, requires a more hands-on approach. Students’ lessons are embedded in real-life scenarios. They conceptualize how these lessons fit into their daily lives. They don’t just learn the information; they live it.

Generally speaking, the younger a child is, the more concrete their thinking is. Young children struggle to visualize ideas. This is why math manipulatives, bright colors, and worksheets with simple pictures are often used to teach early elementary math concepts, because most of it is too abstract and seemingly irrelevant to their lives. The problem only worsens as children grow older, and these aids are systematically stripped away. Children, especially younger ones, need to move as well. They need to handle physical replicas to truly understand what is being taught on a deeper and more permanent level. Lifeschooling allows students to learn naturally. Children do not have to be confined to their desks, writing meaningless essays or solving random math problems. They can learn through concrete examples that matter to them. Learning doesn’t stop at the end of class. It is woven into their lives.

These are a few examples of arguments others may have against lifeschooling. Please comment below if you have some lifeschooling myths you would like me to debunk!