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Jan 24

Just a Trade

Categories:

unschooling

by jen

spencerlawnmower

I recently saw a thread on someone’s Facebook page about unschoolers’ future prospects.  They wanted reassurance that unschoolers could in fact go on to lead useful, productive lives.  One question read,

“Will they JUST be able to go to a trade school, or will they be able to go to a university?”  (Emphasis is hers)

This bothers me.  Both because it strikes a personal chord (my father is an electrician;  15-year-old Spencer is studying to repair small engines) but also because there is no “just” about it.  The world NEEDS people with those skills!  The world needs electricians, plumbers and repairmen… just as it needs doctors, lawyers, and engineers… and artists, poets, and musicians.  It is not only snobbish, but also categorically unfair, to imply that any one type of path is somehow more desirable than the other.

The status of someone’s job or place of higher learning is not indicative of his, or of unschooling’s success.  Do some unschoolers go on to big universities?  Sure.  And some are entrepreneurs.  Some start their own businesses.  Some travel.  Some become stay at home parents and raise the next generation of free thinkers.  And yes, some go into trades.  The common thread between all of the above is that because they are free to choose they are likely to seek out careers and futures that they are passionate about…. jobs that they will do well, and do admirably, because they are intrinsically motivated to do so.

Your fancy college degree in and of itself does not impress me.  I’m sorry, but it doesn’t.  Working hard, playing hard, living a life of passion and purpose and JOY – whether you’re a CEO or the guy that works at the fix-it shop on the corner – now that is impressive.

“If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelango painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.  He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.’” ~Martin Luther King


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  • Talia B.

    So true and so important! It took me a while and the ability to release self guilt before I gave up on the idea that I *had* to continue in graduate school (everyone expected me to). I just was not happy and my heart was calling me to be at home with my kids.
    Finally I did what was right for me. I still get the “so you going back to school anytime soon?” questions, but I don’t feel pressured anymore. I am much more successful in life if I listen to MY heart instead of society’s

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      It’s amazing how much pressure we can put on ourselves (not to mention how much time we waste!) if we listen to others’ ideas of what we “should” do. Looking back, I never really wanted to go to college. I wanted to write, and later, be a mom. I went to college – mostly unhappily – for far too long before I finally said, “This isn’t for me.” I never did earn a college degree, but I LOVE taking classes as an adult! I earned a nutritional consultant certificate, I became a registered yoga teacher, I started doing things because I loved them and felt called to them – NOT because it was expected of me. And I’m so much happier as a result. :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/Miller.Rach Rachel Miller

    Jen ~ I think Mike Rowe’s testimony speaks volumes to this as well. :-)

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      LOVE THIS! Thanks.

  • Katie Kearns

    Ok, you can’t outsource plumbing. It’s a good job to have. Most “white collar” jobs can be sent anywhere. Plumbing? Not so much. ;)

    I worked with a woman who was unschooled. I’m glad she told me about it, it sure helped my decision to homeschool.

  • mindy

    absolutely love it. and agree. well-said.

  • mette

    heh heh :)

    my husband was a product of total traditional
    thinking, grew up in very elitist society as well and did what all “good
    students” did – went to college and became a civil engineer.

    fast
    forward 8 years and he actually decided to quit his job, move to
    another country and go back to school – he did an apprenticeship and
    became….a plumber!!!

    he has worked happily in that field for 8 years now :)

    currently
    he is looking to go back into engineering, but not because it’s any
    better or more “prestigeous” (which he doesn’t think, obviously) but
    only because he’s a bit worn out by the very physical side to plumbing,
    now that he’s in his forties ;-)

    I love that he did this. I
    always tell our kids that it doesn’t matter WHAT you do, as long as your
    heart is in it and it’s what you’ve chosen to do. I’ve chosen to be a
    SAHM. Got lots of comments about “wasting a good head on that”…but hey
    – I know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, so I’m all good :)

    cheers from Europe

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      I love that! Thanks for sharing his story.

  • mette

    oh and I forgot to say – You put it very well, Jennifer and I wish more people would realise the fondamental truth in this. What might our society look like, if people were brought up encouraged in what they like to do and with the general paradigm that we’re all valuable instead of the “get-rich-be-someone-and-be-succesful” idea that permeates the world today….just thinking ;-)

  • sistasage

    awesome. i have sincerely enjoyed this post and the last one. just taking a moment to say so.

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      Thank you!

  • Jade Kent

    I can’t tell you how much it disgusts me to hear someone judge another’s worth or value because of their occupation or what they decided to do with their life. If no one became a plumber, who’d unclog our drains? So frustratingly elitest.

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      Agreed.

  • Priscilla S.

    Great post! I’m involved in the UnCollege movement and also College Reality Chat. I talk and think every day about college NOT being “the only path to success”. Will share this post around. Thanks!

  • http://www.facebook.com/JW1.Jason.Waldron Jason Waldron

    Great article. I am a self taught, an unschooled auto mechanic. I did this for 24 years. I am now a self taught, unschooled business owner, in a different field. I have been doing this for almost 4 years now. I learned my trades by doing, tearing things apart to find out how they work and by making mistakes. In my mind, “blue collar” trades are a necessity to have and learn. Simply because things will break and there will be a need for someone to repair them. One of the best things about most trades is if you want to start your own business, there can be generally low start up costs. Some more than others, but generally less than $5k. And the turn around for profit can be pretty quick. There is generally not a lot of need for school. Just an apprenticeship. A wanting to learn. After a few years of ground-up hard work, you can easily learn how to run you own business, and be less in debt that a college degree. Personally, I wouldn’t trade my knowledge for any type of “higher learning” degree. I can fix and/or improve damn near anything.

    Spencer, keep doing what you’re doing. You have a knack for it and obviously you like what you are doing and learning. Keep tearing stuff apart to find out what makes it tick, and maybe, find a way to improve it.

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      Thanks for this, Jason. And I made sure Spencer read it! :)

  • Amy

    All I need to say is a great big A.M.E.N. Loving your blog!!

    • http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/ pathlesstaken

      Thanks for reading. :)