What is Self-Directed Schooling?
School is an institution, a place where individuals go to be educated. Schooling is the process of receiving an education. It is important that these two words are seen as distinctly different from each other.
When the traditional public school is closed or is not presenting individuals with the education they may be seeking, alternatives to schooling are explored.
Alternatives often include:
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Charter school: teacher-led/public-funded
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Private school: teacher-led/private-funded
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Military school: teacher-led/military-funded
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Montessori: teacher-guided
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Waldorf: teacher-guided
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Homeschool: parent-led
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Online school: company-led education
However, each one of these alternatives carry with it the philosophy of schooling that places the direction of education in the control of external factors. For many, the desire to develop intrinsic value toward education brings them to discover "unschooling". This particular alternative is rooted in the belief that the individual is naturally curious and will seek out mastery of skill and knowledge based on their interest.
Self-Directed Schooling is more closely aligned with the alternative "unschooling" approach toward education, however the approach being described here seeks to be a bit different. What we are seeking to create is a means for providing an education of skills and knowledge focused less on *what* people must learn and more on *how* people can learn.
By providing explicit guidance in how we learn as people, specific to our developmental needs throughout our lives, we have a better chance of developing habits that (1) align with an appreciation toward learning for the sake of learning, and (2) align with the skills and knowledge available throughout human history to better prepare individuals for innovative solutions in the future.
This illustration below highlights the work of Stephen Downes who has spent many years developing ideas behind what he refers to as a "self organized learning" philosophy. There are many educators with similar ideas that have seen the need to shift the institution of education away from its traditional models. We are living in a new industrial/technological revolution and our education institutions need to adjust for our changing present and future.
PILOT PROJECT
The goal of this project is to help people see the benefits of a Self-Directed Schooling approach so that, whether schools are offering the education you are seeking or not, individuals can learn to focus on the knowledge and skills that promote learning for the sake of learning anything, anywhere, anytime.
CLICK ON THIS LINK BELOW TO LEARN MORE!
Click on this link to learn more!
You'll be taken to a Google Site which is being used to host this pilot project
so be sure to have a Google account to access all of the features!
