Deschooling: What Is It, And How Do I Do It?
"Deschooling" is a word you'll hear bandied about the homeschool lists and groups from time to time. It's a simple concept, really, but not particularly easy to figure out from the name alone. What is it?
Simply put, "deschooling" is taking time to divorce yourself and your children from the standard school mentality after they have been in school for a while before you make the decision to homeschool instead.
Whether your child has been in school for half a year of kindergarten, or is all the way in junior high or high school, you and they will find that homeschooling is a different animal altogether, and you need to take some time to get used to a new way of life. Deschooling is especially helpful for preventing immediate burnout as you try to emulate all aspects of school and try to recreate it at home, which is almost always a recipe for disaster, because your home is not a large facility with dozens or hundreds of children in attendance.
How do you do it? Well, how do you take a vacation? Take a nap? There is no set formula, it's just a time for rest and relaxation. Some people will completely set aside anything even remotely educational and just let their children be children for a while — no limits on TV, video games, outside play, etc. Others will not do anything formally educational, but make sure that there are plenty of enriching activities going on that are at the same time fun; for example, trips to the zoo and the museum, field trips, educational games, etc. The goal in deschooling is not to run amok, but to take time to regroup and stop feeling like your life is ruled by school bells and arbitrary rules.
What is accomplished by deschooling? A lot, actually. Not only is it a time for your child to destress from his or her time in school, it is a time for you to study your child up close and learn what makes them tick, what turns them on, and how best to approach learning when you're ready to start formally homeschooling. It's a time for you to get back to the relationship that you had before you sent them off to school, that closeness and rich family love that you (hopefully) enjoyed.
How long to deschool is a matter of some slight debate. A general rule of thumb that I've seen promoted is one month off per year that the child was in school. For some, that would probably be too long while for others it would be just right. Everyone would have to take this one on a case by case basis, of course. Other factors to consider would be other things that are happening in your family's life, especially if they had anything to do with the decision to homeschool. A death or divorce in the immediate family would probably dictate a longer break from schooling, as everyone just needs time to heal from the family stresses. A severe illness would be another factor. How long you take a break is up to you.
Should you deschool? That's up to you, but if your child has been in school for more than a few months, the answer is likely "yes". It's good all around, for both the children and you the teacher. Catching up after a break is not hard to do with homeschooling, and the break will be much appreciated.
