i find labeling to be restricting
it does not give a full picture
it can lead to stereotyping, pigeon-holing, judgement and narrow mindedness
it doesn't allow for growth or embodiment of the whole
even to label ourselves as 'unschoolers' is potentially detrimental
to ourselves
and to the 'movement'
because the term does not send a complete message
sometimes, it can be perceived rather negatively, just by way of its terminology
its 'anti-establishment' - 'anti-school' vibe
and that's not to say that people who consider themselves 'unschoolers' are not anti-establishment
i'm just saying it doesn't fully describe what it is we do everyday either
i know that when we try to find other ways to explain it or define it
it's difficult
because what we do has no boundaries, does not follow a straight/mapped out line
how can you define something that lacks definition and is unique to each individual?
if we use labels, we tend to subscribe to them
which is limiting
we tend to reinforce generalizations
which can promote awareness of alternatives
but to what end?
what would happen if we didn't define what we do or who we are in one word at all?
can one word really illustrate the what, the why, the how, the who?
2 comments:
great post. i don't like labels either. the only way i describe ourselves, for homeschooling, is "eclectic" because we are such a mixture of styles, and that way it's loose enough to include all our ways of learning :)
So, so true! No, I don't think one word can even begin to to describe how we live our lives. Especially when it is one that begins with "un" which only implies what we are not. I like Austin's word for it which is "freeschooling"...but it doesn't really describe it all either. To us, it simply means we are free to "do school" in the manner that suits us well. Works for me, for now. =)
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