09/20/2021
In this sharply focused memoir, Obiols, a former elementary school teacher, demonstrates what an “unschooling” education looks like for her particular family and its particular needs—and why this unorthodox form of teaching children has, in her experience, proven so fruitful. Unschooling, of course, is a form of curriculum-free home school education tailored to a child’s interests. On the occasion of her oldest child (and student) turning 18, Obiols has penned this inviting account of what she’s learned about guiding her children toward what they most wanted to learn.
“Basically, Konji learned and is still learning when he wants to learn,” Obiols writes of her younger son, whose passions have led him to geography, especially atlases and tall buildings, studies that have led to learning about architecture, government, and other countries. Reading about topics that stir their passions is supplemented with stimulating play and organized activities in the community, such as soccer, track, and free classes at a local arts center. Obiols sees unschooling as a route to letting kids discover what they want and need to know, without bureaucracy or the misery that Obiols and her older kids so often experienced in schools. Whether her kids want to go to college she leaves up to them, though she’s eager to help them either way.
18 addresses the most pressing question that people have when they first learn about the unschooling concept. “But how do you know they’re learning?” Obiols writes, “There is no need for testing. The children passionately tell you all about what they’ve learned.” She has composed this book more as a reflection than as a guide or example for how readers should unschool themselves. Occasionally, more detail might make her case for unschooling more persuasive: how exactly is a scavenger hunt at Costco an educational opportunity? But mostly this inviting memoir makes this unorthodox approach to learning sound natural, humane, and promising.
Takeaway: Readers interested in radically student-focused home schooling will find inspiration in this reflective memoir.
Great for fans of: Peter Gray’s Free to Learn , Rachel Rainbolt’s Sage Home Schooling .
Production grades Cover: A- Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A- Marketing copy: A
What do you think of when you hear the word "homeschool"? Prepare to change your thoughts. Marta Obiols Llistar is an unschooling mom and shares her experiences in the book 18: An Unschooling Experience . For anyone considering keeping their child(ren) at home for their education, this book is a must. Many parents desire to homeschool but are afraid. This book will calm their fears and give them a myriad of ideas on making it work. Marta lives in Georgia and explains what it takes to remove your child(ren) from public school and register as a homeschooler. Research shows that homeschooled children tend to excel and do better in socialization. Marta shares the many adventures that she and her children share while homeschooling. This book will help explain to others what homeschooling is, and why it is a viable alternative to the traditional approach to schooling.
Marta Obiols Llistar has written an encouraging and motivating book for those who homeschool or desire to homeschool. In 18: An Unschooling Experience , even those who do not wish to homeschool will find the stories and memories in this book heartwarming. The writing is simple to understand and folksy. Reading this book is like sitting down with the author and learning how she accomplished what seems to many to be an impossible task. Marta gently guides the reader through the minefields of homeschooling. Many fear starting to homeschool, but reading this book will lay your fears to rest. Even though Marta has a degree in education and taught in public school, she does not come across as a teacher giving lectures. Instead, she writes with compassion and understanding. 5 stars.
Readers' Favorite - Daniel D. Staats
2021-08-21
In this debut memoir, Obiols Llistar recounts her experience home schooling her three children, the oldest of whom recently reached adulthood. She explains that her dissatisfaction with her two older kids’ experiences in traditional public schools, along with her work as an early childhood educator, led her to remove them from that system to see if they could learn more in a different environment. The author began with a traditional academic curriculum, stocking up on workbooks and turning the dining room table into a workspace. Over time, however, her approach changed (“It’s just that every moment in life is a teachable moment. There’s no need to have it all crammed in one room”), and she allowed her children’s interests to drive their studies, supporting their learning without dictating it—a philosophy known as “unschooling.” The book describes how the family relied on a supportive community, which included a co-op of fellow home-schoolers. She also discusses finding extracurricular activities on a limited budget; the use of outside tutors when the children required specialized expertise; and how a rotating collection of pets kept everyone engaged. In addition, the author writes about how unschooling gave her American children time and space for extended visits with her family in Spain, where they connected to their Catalan heritage and developed relationships with far-flung relatives. Obiols Llistar’s passion for her family’s education strategy is evident throughout the book, and she presents her and her kids’ experience as enjoyable, if occasionally challenging. The book’s prose is clear and easy to follow, and the overall story is engaging. However, the structure of this remembrance has its weaknesses; in particular, several of its chapters, including a short one about educational theorist and unschooling advocate John Holt, are entirely disconnected from the surrounding text, which makes for choppy, disjointed reading. Readers may appreciate its lighthearted look into one family’s life, however, and home schooling and unschooling families will likely pick up inspirational ideas for their own learning activities.
A solid memoir about working outside the traditional educational system.
