[j_baker]

I think you're thinking about the parents when you should be thinking about the kids. Let me explain.

As a kid, I spent all my free time reading the encyclopedia. I'm naturally curious, and could probably have learned more researching on my own than going to school. Of course, I'm atypical, but the point is that I didn't so much need instruction as I needed guidance. There are many kids who are like that and will even be held back by traditional methods of education. These kinds of kids deserve a different approach that our current educational system simply doesn't provide.

[Retric]

Yep, I was "homeschooled" from 4th through 8th grade. I don’t think the term “unschooled” really applied to me, but I was under minimal direction.

From what I can remember, I generally read the required textbooks, fill out the workbooks, and by mid December and was left to my own devices the rest of the time. I suspect things where slightly more structured than that, but my mother has a double doctorate in education and was more than willing to let me be most of the time.

I suspect the second half of the year was probably more productive, I generally watched MPT (Maryland Public Television) all day until cartoons started at 3pm. After that I would read books or do some computer programming. Toss in some trips to DC area museums / area historical sites and I learned a lot while having fun.

PS: The other option would have been to accelerate things and finish HS by 14 etc, but I don't think there is much value in that path. So, once a homeschooled child is ahead of the curve, letting them explore their interests seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

[pbhjpbhj]

>From what I can remember, I generally read the required textbooks, fill out the workbooks, and by mid December and was left to my own devices the rest of the time.

Required by whom?

[Retric]

The state, we got a free copy of the same textbooks used in each grade level. The only real limitation on homeschooler was continuing to score at or above grade level on the standardized tests at the end of the year. So it was recommended that I read them in order to cover the "appropriate" material. As this only took 2-3 hours a day for 3 months there was little reason to fight it. Afterward I found out that most students never finished these textbooks and reading 2/3 of them would have been plenty, which is just sad IMO.

Edit: I also had the teacher’s editions so it was easy to self test on most of the material. I don't think most students would have been as successful with a minimally structured environment, but the standard approach is incredibly inefficient for the top 1%. I can easily see those more capable and motivated benefitting from even less structure, also for the less capable or motivated there is still plenty of room before you hit the standard top down classroom.

PS: Apparently it is fairly common for above average homeschoolers to finish by January, and for those behind the curve to spend all year "in school".