This point from HowlerKarma's mdc thread sums up my opinion about the problems with unschooling:
But unschooling promotes the notion that if a child is not specifically asking or at least willing to pursue certain subjects/tasks, then it is the *parent* that has the issue, it is the *parent* not trusting/respecting, it is the *parent's* baggage. The parent is too much in the "school" mindset. It's OK to verbalize concerns to the child, but the end decision rests with the child. I did do this.
This is putting ideology in place of thinking, and it's just, well, abdicating your duty to raise a child who becomes a responsible adult. What's saddest about it is that the child is the one who has to suffer the consequences created by the adults he trusts. I see that this woman had seen her mistakes, and was trying to help others avoid them, which I respect. It's not easy to admit you were wrong.
I can see that semi-unschooling (child gets to choose from a menu written by a parent, for example) might be a good experience for a very young HG+ child who's already way ahead of the curve, and can spend time following a non-traditional path. But I'm very dubious about the idea that children can just naturally figure out what they need to know and will just naturally learn to do things they don't like or are hard for them.
Besides, if kids are such natural learners who will do what they need to do, why do adults need mentors and bosses and coaches and other leaders? Does our natural ability to figure out what we need and then just go do it disappear when we turn 18?
