Ann Leach

Deschooling - What is it? Who should do it? How long does it take? How to do it? Deschooling is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked and least talked about steps of beginning the homeschooling lifestyle. And it is one of the most important. So, what IS deschooling? Deschooling is the mindshift away from a set of beliefs including:  learning only happens in the classroom; only certified teachers can teach; learning is the transfer of knowledge from one brain to another; generally kids hate learning; kids have to be forced and/or rewarded to learn; and more. All of this untrue. Learning is as natural as breathing. And we saw it happening naturally in our infants and preschoolers, before our kids became school age and our perception of learning changed. We celebrated as our infants imitated us, experimented with sounds and movements, and achieved their successes. We encouraged, supported, and facilitated their learning. That is the mindset we adults have to get back to through desch