Unschooling sometimes feels like a lonely road. As Lynda Altman, Little Rock Homeschooling Examiner, suggests, misinformation puts people off. She states that the National Education Association (NEA) circulates misinformation about unschooling and homeschooling in general.
Although a search of the NEA website does not turn up any results for homeschooling, an MSNBC article, A new chapter in education: unschooling, states that the organization opposes homeschooling.
Child-Directed Learning
In her article, Unschooling is an effective form of education, Ms. Altman points to similarities between the child-directed aspects of unschooling (John Holt's philosophy) and the Montessori method.
Opposition to Unschooling
Common misperceptions of unschooling can deter people from even considering the unschooling approach for a child who might otherwise greatly benefit from it. Unschooling as educational neglect clarifies several common assumptions about the unschooling lifestyle.