Unschooled - Criticisms

Criticisms

See also: Homeschooling#Controversies and criticism

• Children won't learn what they need to know in their adult lives.
• A child may not learn the same things a regular-schooling peer does, unless an educational professional controls what material is covered. Unschooling children ages 5-10 scored significantly below traditionally educated children and academically oriented home schooled children. Most unschooling parents are unfazed by this criticism, believing that their children need not know or study for the things on standardized tests. Their long-term goal is to make their children productive caring citizens of the community, not perform well on tests. Moore argued that many subjects have been taught too early to students and this has helped cause burnout in school children.
• Because schools provide a ready-made group of peers, unschooled children need other ways to make friends in their age group.
• A child might not encounter people of other cultures, worldviews and socioeconomic groups if they are not enrolled in a school.
• A child could be completely unmotivated and never learn anything on their own. This can be especially true when one encounters a teenager recently removed from traditional school. Some unschooling blogs are fond of repeating the saying, "It takes one month of recovery for every one year of school, before a child is ready to lead their own learning."
• Some parents may not have the skills required to guide and advise their children in life skills or help them pursue their own interests.