http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_191_School_Not.mp3 Laurie Chancey grew up without spending a single day in a traditional classroom. Her mother did not teach her at home. Laurie and her mother, Valerie Fitzenreiter, talk about what made them choose "un-schooling." Plone 2.0 http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_191_School_Not.mp3/logo.jpg http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_191_School_Not.mp3 <h4>SCHOOL? NOT</h4><p>The U.S. Department of Education estimates that over a million children are homeschooled and research shows that number is on the rise.</p><p>Less research has been done on a newer branch of home learning, known as "un-schooling." As many as 20,000 children who do not go to school, and follow no formal curriculum at home, could fall into this group.<br /></p><p class="imageleft"><img class="image-left" src="resolveuid/66442abf2b780170ae154baea31e0056" alt="Unschoolers" height="72" width="100" />Laurie Chancey and her mom, Valerie Fitzenreiter</p><p>Valerie Fitzenreiter's daughter Laurie never spent a day of of her childhood in a traditional classroom. When she was pregnant with Laurie, Valerie read a book called "Summerhill," about a progressive school in England where students were given such a vast amount of freedom they weren't even obligated to go to class. It changed her philosophy on parenting forever.  <br /></p><p>If Laurie wanted to spend the entire day reading a book or playing computer games, Valerie allowed it.</p><blockquote><p>I remember growing up feeling like I could try school if I wanted to. But I never remember wanting to.<br />- Laurie Chancey<br /></p></blockquote><p>Dick talks to Valerie and Laurie about life in an un-schooled household.</p><ul><li>Visit <a href="http://www.chancey.info/" target="_self">Laurie's unschooling website</a><br /></li><li>Find out more about Valeries's book, <a href="http://www.ubpub.com/index.html" target="_self">"The Unprocessed Child"</a><br /></li><li>Learn <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling" target="_self">more about unschooling</a></li></ul><blockquote>Music heard in the program: "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" by Etta Baker for the album "Railroad Bill"<br /><br /></blockquote><a title="Add To This Story" class="addbtn" href="resolveuid/cc2a8297b6c0d5c86538f03c46448d35" target="_self">Add to story</a><br /> un-schooling laurie chancey valerie fitzenreiter Wed, 21 Feb 2007 04:00:00