Wow a little sad at the lack of respect of choice in this thread, something I haven't missed while being off Bellybelly!

JF you explain yourself very well, I've been informed and inspired by your words. My family has had some huge ups and downs with schooling. I have often thought that I'd like to homeschool but m DH doesn't agree. Does that mean he can't see it's value no way. I feel that we unschooled the children until they were of school age and we use a lot of those principles you mentioned to guild and enable their interests as much as possible outside of school. We are so beautifully fortunate that our school is a pilot school for a new teaching system. And from what you have said it uses a lot of the I unschooling approaches. We call it discovery learning. Where the children are given an exciting box of information and they take from it what they want and take their learning In whatever direction they want. This term was 'out of space" and wow the different places the kids have ended up is amazing. And best thing they share they info with each other so they are learning the skills of how important their peers are as well as adults!

ANY ANY ANY way a child is raised, happily, engaged and excited to learn works for me!