Just living and learning
Whenever I chat with other unschooling parents, we almost always end up talking about community. It’s a peculiar paradox that one of the values that many unschooling families hold most dear can also be the most elusive. Of course, all human beings are hardwired to seek out community—social connection with others makes us feel safer... Continue Reading →
Today, I was reminded of some years ago when all of this was still so new. I had only recently stopped pushing a maths exercise book at my eldest son every morning, and perhaps I had just come across the term unschooling. There had been a lot of tension in my days as I oscillated... Continue Reading →
Something I've noticed over the years is that even when other adults can appreciate the depth of a self-directed child's learning, they can rarely hold back their questions about how the child will turn this learning into something demonstrable, i.e. an exam score or a job. It is extremely hard for them to separate the... Continue Reading →
It seems like a lot of parenting fears around screens come from the idea that there is ‘real, meaningful life’ and then there are screens, which somehow lure children away from their real, meaningful lives. ‘Screen time’ has become equated with wasted time, no matter what the activity is that’s actually taking place, and all... Continue Reading →
Our society celebrates compliant children. Every parent knows this, particularly if their own child doesn't rate compliance highly (and I speak from experience). Despite their best efforts, these parents are likely to have felt the critical gaze of people who thought their child was being disrespectful or "naughty". Even the most generous among us can... Continue Reading →
A parent recently asked me what kind of online resources I would suggest they get for their 11-year old son. Their child has been out of school for only a few weeks and, in the spirit of embracing self-directed learning, they are keen to make sure he has everything he needs to stay engaged. I... Continue Reading →
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A PLACE ON A HILL 