Unit Studies vs. Textbooks

 

 

To investigate this topic, we need to take a close look at what we are trying to accomplish as we homeschool. Here are two key concepts and definitions from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:

 

Educate:  To bring up, as a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind principles of arts, science, morals, religion and behavior. To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.

 

Learn:  To gain knowledge of; to acquire knowledge or ideas of something before unknown. We learn the use of letters, the meaning of words and the principles of science. We learn things by instruction, by study, and by experience and observation. It is much easier to learn what is right, than to unlearn what is wrong.

 

            Interesting definitions and just how and where do they apply to what you are trying to do for your children? Everywhere! You are trying to find the best way to educate your children, instilling principles of arts, science, morals, religion and behavior – and you are considering unit studies as an effective way of doing just these things. You want your children to learn in a meaningful way, enjoying the process instead of dreading it and creating strife as the days go by during the school year. Using unit studies, you can do this, by providing a balanced learning experience, where the students learn by instruction, by study, and by experience and observation. Unit studies are a hands-on type of curriculum, providing a well-rounded educational opportunity to the students.

 

            One of the things that I feel is missing in a textbook-only type of curriculum is the development of that precious and priceless mental ability called “creativity” or “imagination.” Creativity and imagination – slowly but surely squashed down into a box, a very small box, and shoved to the very bottom of the pile of “important things to use” as we obtain an education. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate this is when a child is handed a coloring page in kindergarten and told to color the picture using specific colors. Well, as a parent, you know how each child has different ideas and abilities at this age. Some children can color fairly well at this age, while others love to scribble all over the page or freely draw their own picture. And yet, they are corrected or even laughed at if they color outside of the lines, or scrawl on the paper instead of coloring the picture the “right” way. So, imagination is set aside, conformity begins.

 

            With a textbook curriculum, the students are all to learn the same material, in the same way – forcing an artificial uniformity on the students. While one child might be fascinated with whales, precious little space is allotted them in most textbooks. And yet, if you use unit studies, you can learn all about whales, why they are classified as mammals, gain a better understanding of the food chain, read “Moby Dick” together, investigate the whaling industry of the nineteenth century, sketch several kinds of whales, and perhaps visit a zoo or large aquarium to learn more. I’ll never forget the time that we paced off and sketched several different kinds of whales in a parking lot so that the children could get a feel for the size of these animals! Their imagination soared as we did all of these things, from what it would be like to have been Jonah in a whale for three days to picturing life on a whaling ship as a family. Unfortunately, in most textbooks you will not find much coverage of whales that will hold many children’s interest or attention for very long.

 

It is so important for a child to be able to use their imagination as part of the learning process. Can you imagine what Monet’s art might have been like if he had been forced to color inside the lines as a child? I wonder if he would have become a painter at all, or been as curious about light and color, and on and on. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that Edison was labeled as “addled” at the ripe age of six years old – I can’t imagine that he was a follower at all. He had an active imagination and was so creative. Can you imagine trying to get him to read a science textbook?

 

From the time of my early childhood, I have enjoyed the art and stories of Beatrix Potter. Here is a favorite insight from this very creative lady:

 

“Thank goodness I was never sent to school;

it would have rubbed off some of the originality.”

Beatrix Potter

 

Until next time,

Amanda B.

www.unitstudy.com