Dr. Monica Burns is a former teacher, Ed-Tech consultant, Apple Distinguished Educator, author and founder of classtechtips.com

Monica is passionate about preparing kids for a future world where they need to think critically. One way she does this is by supporting deeper, more meaningful learning using technology.

In this episode we discussed the technological changes that have happened in schools over the years. What happens when, in less than a decade, the tools that are used change dramatically? How do schools keep up? How can we use technology as a learning tool?

Monica shares a plethora of her favourite digital tools for learning and addresses questions from listeners;

In a world where we are so digitally connected and have so much information at our fingertips, how will this access to information impact the traditional school structure? A structure where school and teachers were previously recognized as the gatekeepers of information?

What does she see for the future of education and learning?

Is there such a thing as too much tech? If so, how much tech is too much?

You can find Monica at her website or through Social Media;

Website https://classtechtips.com/

Monica's Social Media

Twitter.com/classtechtips

Facebook.com/classtechtips

Pinterest.com/classtechtips

Instagram.com/classtechtips

Monica's Books

Books (with affiliate links)

Tasks Before Apps: Designing Rigorous Learning in a Tech-Rich Classroom

http://amzn.to/2vWkjWl

https://classtechtips.com/tasksbeforeapps 

40 Ways to Inject Creativity into Your Classroom with Adobe Spark

https://amzn.to/2NHjFS1

https://classtechtips.com/sparkbook 

#FormativeTech: Meaningful, Sustainable, and Scalable Formative Assessment with Technology​

http://amzn.to/2e8S77j

http://classtechtips.com/formativetech/ 

Deeper Learning with QR Codes and Augmented Reality: A Scannable Solution for Your Classroom

http://amzn.to/1JLYJBe

http://classtechtips.com/scannabletech/

Digital Learning Tools and Resources

Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/

Ted Ed https://ed.ted.com/

Storyline Online https://www.storylineonline.net/

Google Arts and Culture https://artsandculture.google.com/

Creative Tools (Making movies, websites, graphics)

Adobe Spark

Book Creator

Virtual Reality

Google Expeditions https://www.blog.google/products/expeditions/adventures-abound-explore-google-expeditions-your-own/

Oculus https://www.oculus.com/?locale=en_US

Zspace

Using Virtual Reality Without A Headset

Virtual Reality Discussion Prompts

Other Resources and Classes

Creative Live https://www.creativelive.com/

Udemy https://www.udemy.com/

Masterclass https://www.masterclass.com/

Seth Godin: Stop Stealing Dreams https://youtu.be/sXpbONjV1Jc

• https://classtechtips.com/2019/12/10/khan-academy-042/ (podcast episode)
• https://classtechtips.com/2018/05/27/virtual-reality-discussion-prompts/ (blog post)
• https://classtechtips.com/vrbook/ (free download)
• https://classtechtips.com/books/ (Tasks Before Apps)

If you'd like to learn about another Rad Educator, check out my interview with Kate Weber. Kate may not be all about the tech, but her approach to supporting learning stands out. http://imhomeschooling.com/kate-weber-rad-educator/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Music is one of the most powerful developmental activities on the planet."

Inga Hope lives and breathes music and her desire is to make teaching music to kids easier and more accessible. Inga is a trained guitar teacher, singer and songwriter. Her online guitar school, Gentle Guitar, reaches students across the world and her magazine, Music Ed, shares tips, inspiring stories and practical teaching tools for music.

The Power of Learning Music

At age 14 Inga realized music is her calling. But it wasn't until her 20's that she was finally able to connect with the right guitar teacher. The difference this teacher made was tremendous. Through the right teacher Inga began to understand the power of learning music and she became inspired and encouraged to begin teaching and sharing this gift with others.

Are you a parent that loves music? Or did you have an unhappy experience with music lessons when you were young? Are you unsure about how you can encourage music in your child? Do you want to know how to best support your child in learning music?

Episode Highlights

In this episode Inga walks us through her personal journey around music and how this shaped what she does now. Her stories and examples help to answer many of the questions that parents have around supporting their child in music. We talked about;

When to introduce your child to music lessons

The challenge of finding the right teacher and program

What kind of music lessons are right for your child

How to support your child's music learning at home

Why it's a good idea for parents to participate in their child's music lesson

The importance of music for kids

Why is repetition important in music

What inspires Inga as a musician

I love how Inga has found her passion and through it, her voice which she is using to reach people across the world. Inga understands that along with mentorship, it was her self direction and personal driving force that led her on the right path. Do you believe there is power in learning music?

Resources

Music Education Magazine https://www.gentleguitar.com/music-education-magazine/

Gentle Guitar https://www.gentleguitar.com/

Enjoy Inga's music https://ingahope.com/

If you would like to hear more about the power of joy and creativity, listen to my interview with Roya Dedeaux http://imhomeschooling.com/play-purpose-unschooling/

Support me through Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Po Tim King is a homeschooling mom to 4 kids. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Po majored in Linguistics in the US. She is a former Cantonese and Mandarin teacher and private piano teacher. Po and her American husband are raising multilingual kids and homeschooling in Hong Kong.

In this episode we talked about what it's like to homeschool in Hong Kong. Po explains why the challenges they face have helped them get clear on what is important to them.

In This Episode: Homeschooling in Hong Kong

Homeschooling is a rare practice in Hong Kong. There are currently 18 registered homeschool families in Hong Kong, although many go unregistered and homeschool within a "grey area".

So why would the King family choose to homeschool in a place where it is unusual or even difficult to do so? In this episode we talked about why Po's family decided to move back to Hong Kong and homeschool. Po is very aware of how different their life is by choosing to homeschool. We discussed;

• The pressure of education in Hong Kong

• Why homeschooling has shifted her beliefs around education and learning

• Why the opposition they face has helped their family to be clear on what they want and don't want

• Life as a homeschooler in Hong Kong

• Why starting a blog has helped her connect to community

• Tips on raising bilingual children

• The cultural differences in discipline and raising your kids with autonomy

• Current life in Hong Kong through its political transition

• Chinese language and math

Po, I admire your tenacity and resilience.

Are you living in a country where homeschooling is a rare opportunity? Are there unique challenges that you face because of this? Were you able to connect with some of the challenges that Po faces? I would love to hear more about that.

Resources

Fortune Cookie Mom

https://www.fortunecookiemom.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids/ Go to this link to find Po's website fortunecookiemom.com and to join her challenge to start learning the Chinese language

A brief history of Hong Kong: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topics/reference/hong-kong-history-explain-relationship-china/

Connect with Po on Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/fortunecookiemom/ https://www.instagram.com/fortunecookiemom/ https://www.pinterest.ca/fortunecookiem/ https://twitter.com/fortunecookieMs

Teru Clavel's interview http://imhomeschooling.com/global-mom-teru-clavel/

And if you would like to hear more about raising kids in Hong Kong, check out my interview with Queenie Tan http://imhomeschooling.com/hihtk-episode-009/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Play, purpose and unschooling. Roya Dedeaux is a licensed marriage and family therapist, professor and grown unschooler. She and her husband also homeschool their 2 children.

Roya believes in the importance of play for all ages. Through her work, she inspires others to become more playful and create stronger connection.

She doesn't just talk about it, she lives it. Her expertise and hobbies are many but they all intersect to make a beautiful, meaningful life. Roya credits this to growing up unschooled. She also credits her parents for supporting her interests, passions and play. By doing this, she says, they were a large part in helping her reach her greater purpose.

Play, Purpose and Unschooling

In this episode we talked about:

Growing up Unschooled

Why her parents chose the unschooling life for their family. The benefits and challenges that growing up unschooled brought. The joy and creativity. Being able to do all the things with a large amount of time. Friendships with varied ages and entire families. What has changed in the homeschooling community. The reasons why Roya's family is creating their own unschooling path.

The Importance of Play, Mental Health and Relationships

The greatest impacts on a child's development, success and resilience; the relationships that surround them. The benefits of free play. Gamefulness (the feeling of being able to take things on as a challenge as opposed to a threat). Why having trust in your child helps them to learn to have trust in themselves. Neural pruning. Video games and why playing violent video games and watching violent shows are not the same.

Her Advice To Parents That Are Trying To Do It All

In Roya's practice she works with many families that are juggling the pressures of the world. She helps families reconnect. Roya talked about choosing what is important and helping your child feel supported. Relationships and mental health. Homework and how to deal with it. How important is high school? The Pressure of High School and The Changing Face of College. Her life mission.

Roya's passion and excitement for life and helping others is clear. I can hear it in her voice. Her dedication to her family and to the families that she supports are evident. I see the connection between the trust her parents gave her and how that has helped develop her life today. It's an encouragement for many of us that may doubt this natural learning path.

Resources

https://www.royadedeaux.com/

Connect With Courage

Protect Their Passions Workbook

Free To Be Unschooling Conference

Jane McGonigal Ted Talk

Jane McGonigal Website

Reality is Broken

Super Better

Peter Gray

Peter Gray episode on Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids

The Decline of Play and Rise in Children's Mental Disorders- Peter Gray

Pam Sorooshian on Unschooling

Support me through Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Top 5 questions that I get asked about homeschooling and unschooling

Not sure what the term 'Unschooling' really means or how it differs from traditional homeschool? Are you uncertain how kids can actually learn if life looks nothing like the traditional schooling structure? Would you love to homeschool or unschool but you just don't know how you can afford it? Would you love to homeschool but your life partner is not on the same page? What do you do then?

These are questions that I receive often from listeners of the podcast. Questions and fears are natural, especially if you are creating a life of your own design that doesn't follow the normal routine of others around you.

As much as I try to address these questions in interviews with my guests, there are times when it seems best to answer them directly. Which is what I am doing with this episode. So grab a cup of your choice and listen in on the top 5 questions that I receive on homeschooling and unschooling. Throughout the episode I reference many others, including past episodes and resources. All of those I have included at the bottom of this page.

Question 1: What is unschooling?

Question 2: Why did we move from traditional homeschooling to unschooling?

Question 3: If we unschool how do we know if our children are actually learning?

Question 4: How do parents afford to stay home and homeschool or unschool?

Question 5: What happens when you want to homeschool but your spouse or partner is not on the same page?

What did you think about the top 5 questions about homeschooling and unschooling that I receive? Do you need more explanation on a few things? If you do, write me and let me know. If there are other top 5 questions that you have about homeschooling and unschooling, let me know those too!

For Show notes go to~ http://imhomeschooling.com/?p=3464

Support me through Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Resources For Parents ~ http://imhomeschooling.com/homeschool-resources/

Pat Farenga~ https://www.johnholtgws.com/pat-farengas-blog/

John Holt~ Website https://www.johnholtgws.com/

Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids Episode with Pat: http://imhomeschooling.com/pat-farenga-on-homeschooling-and-education/

Leah Mcdermott~ http://www.yournaturallearner.com/

Rachel Rainbolt~ http://www.sageparenting.com/shop/

MicroSchool Builders Facebook Group~ https://www.facebook.com/groups/622539617933686/

MicroSchool Builders Website

Past Episodes that I mentioned:

Ranan Lachman~http://imhomeschooling.com/life-of-their-own-design-ranan-lachman/

Jaime Salonen~http://imhomeschooling.com/hihtk-episode-7-jaime-salonen-escaping-the-rat-race-and-worldschooling/

Leah McDermott~ http://imhomeschooling.com/natural-learning-leah-mcdermott/

Rachel Rainbolt~ http://imhomeschooling.com/natural-learning/

Mara Linaberger~ http://imhomeschooling.com/micro-schools-mara-linaberger/

Michelle Goulet~ http://imhomeschooling.com/wild-child-forest-school/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ranan Lachman's wife, Michelle, was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer. After a tortuous year of medical treatments this near-death experience transformed their views on life. It created a sense of urgency to focus on purpose and dedicate the time they have with the people they love. Today Ranan and his family live in Bali, Indonesia where he helps other families escape the "rat race" and live a healthier, more balanced life.

Life Of Their Own Design

Ranan's family were living out the "American Dream". He worked on Wall Street, created a few start-ups and moved to Silicon Valley to chase the tech boom and...money. Ranan worked long hours, coming home after the kids were already in bed. But life took a turn when his wife became diagnosed with late stage breast cancer. After surviving a year of aggressive medical treatments they questioned everything. What they were doing and what they were living for. They came to realize the values they were living and the values they believed in did not match. So here's what they did; sold their belongings, quit the office work setting, and set out to travel the world for a year.

Lesson #1 Making The First Decision Can Be The Hardest

"We haven't done anything special, we just made the decision to leave." After researching and planning their adventure for 6 months they decided to get on the road. Life centred around learning and travel. They purchased an RV and headed south to the tip of South America. On this journey they experienced things they would have never done if they were still living in the US. They roadschooled (learning and homeschooling as they traveled), volunteered, learned a new language and got to know each other better as a family. They experienced things together. Experiences of joy but also challenging experiences. A life of their own design.

Lesson #2 The Challenges Stretch You

After a year traveling South America the family moved on to Australia. They traveled Australia for a few months, then headed to Bali with plans to move throughout Asia. But once they got to Bali, their travel stopped. In this episode Ranan talks about why Bali is the right place for them to be. How it offers a healing space for his wife, the low cost of living suits their family, and the value in minimalism reflects their lifestyle. They decided to stay.

Lesson #3 Saving Money Through Travel

Ranan has found the cost of living in Bali to be a small percentage of the cost of living in the United States. The climate is beautiful, amenities are many and accessible and there is a large like-minded community. It is a growing hub for Worldschoolers and those seeking a slower, simpler life. Since being in Bali, Ranan and another business partner have started helping other families relocate and create a life of their own design. They provide information, mentoring and relocation services. Listen in near the end of the episode where we share tips on different things you can do to get started on your travel or relocation .

Where will they go from here?

What would you do if life suddenly shifted for you? If it caused you to take a look at your values and what you were actually living for? Would you make a change? If not, what do you think would be your biggest hold back? I appreciate the honesty Ranan spoke with and the joy that you can hear in his voice for the life they have now. And it sounds like his wife is back to good health, enjoying their terrific lifestyle in Bali. Recently Ranan and his family had a chance to return to the US for a visit. During their stay, he and his wife saw life in North America again through new eyes. The pace was fast, life was nonstop and it was really apparent that their values have now changed.

Resources

TerrificLifestyle.com

Tips to leaving the rat race as Ranan mentioned in the episode;
https://www.terrificlifestyle.com/resources

Deep Work: Cal Newport

If you would like to listen to other episodes of families that have chosen to leave the rat race and explore the world together, check out my interview with Rozanne Dioso Lopez: Slow Learning and Living or with Jaime Salonen: Escaping The Rat Race and Worldschooling

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sudbury Valley School

"For us it made no sense at all to think that you could create citizens of the United States of America - adults who understand the country and respect what it's about - if you place them for the first 12, 16 or 20 years of their lives in a completely autocratic setting. Schools are run like a monarchy...The monarchy decides the rules, the monarchy meets out punishments, the monarchy decides whatever it says is right and you have to conform to it. If you are going to make a school that is appropriate for children to grow into (American) society, it has to give every single child the same rights as adults. It cannot distinguish between children and adults."

Daniel Greenberg, Sudbury Valley School

No Classes, Curriculum or Grades?

Picture this:

Your child has started a new school and you're excited because you have found a school that isn't like the others. A school that offers the freedom for your child to pursue their passions. To make mistakes. A place to mix with various ages and ask questions. A school that your child is excited to be at everyday.

There are no end of the year exams to be anxious about, no essays to write or grades to tirelessly maintain. No curriculum to follow, classes to attend or subjects required. And no teachers or principals imposing rules or punishment.

Does a school like this actually exist? 

If there are no classes, teachers, curriculum or grades, what do kids do all day? What would be the purpose of this school? How would they learn to read and write with out classes, curriculum and teachers? Would they ever have a chance at finding a job or getting into college? How would they survive in society if they spent their childhood doing what they wanted all day long?

At times I have heard these concerns raised about unschooling. But this is not unschooling. In fact, this is not even a school for unschoolers.

Democratic School

What if I told you that there are schools whose sole purpose is to provide a place for kids to be truly free and flourish, uninterrupted.

Where kids are free to do as they wish the entire day. This means playing in puddles outside, climbing or building forts. Painting, reading, playing music or even playing video games all day long.

What would happen if a school ran as a democracy? Where every child and staff member at the school has an equal role managing the school. Where everything is done at the school meeting;  the school budget, rules of behaviour, facilities, and hiring of staff. And it's at the school meeting that every member of the school has an equal role and vote. As well, every member of the school community, from the 4 year old students to 70 year old staff members, play an equal part in the school's judicial system.

This all sounds so idealized but can it actually work?

Daniel Greenberg says YES, it can work and it has been for over 51 years.

Sudbury Valley School

Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Massachusetts has been in existence since 1968. The school began with about 60 students and around 20 founding members, of which Daniel Greenberg was one of. He remains a staff member to this day.

Dan says that although each founding member came with their own reason for starting the school, they all shared the same belief; that "human creatures are unique, diverse and have the insatiable desire to figure out the world and what they want to be. Kids are fully formed people...and there is no reason to treat them differently." Sudbury Valley is framed on this belief and the founding principals of the United States. That each individual has the undeniable rights to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The right to pursue a meaningful existence. 

That is why students at Sudbury Valley School are free to explore the world. Why there are no grades, subjects or curriculum. Why the student decides mastery.

Sudbury Valley School~Kids Are People

In this episode Dan shares;

I also asked Dan to address a common misconception that unschoolers seem to have about Sudbury Valley School; that it is the perfect school for unschoolers. We discuss why Sudbury Valley School and Unschooling have NOTHING in common. (Yes, sorry to burst any bubbles) And why Sudbury Valley School creates the most natural way to help a child become fully independent.

I would love to hear what you think of this episode. Are you familiar with democratic schools? Do you agree that every child must be given the same rights and freedoms as adults? In order to be part of a true democracy we must be an active part of one growing up?

Let the thirst for independence and self expression continue.

If you would like to hear from a parent of Sudbury Valley School, listen to my episode with Dr. Peter Gray:

https://imhomeschooling.com/free-to-learn-peter-gray/

Resources

Essay:Let's Be Clear: Sudbury Valley School and "Un-schooling" Have NOTHING in Common 

Sudbury Valley School Website 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Call Of The Wild + Free

Ainsley Arment is the founder of Wild + Free, a community of mothers that are changing the preconceived notion of what it means to homeschool. Ainsley is also co-founder of Wild Explorers Club and the Wild + Free Farm Village, and host of the Wild + Free podcast. Her new book, The Call of the Wild + Free: Reclaiming Wonder in Your Child's Education was published in September. She and her husband Ben homeschool their five children; Wyatt, Dylan, Cody, Annie, and Millie, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

When Ainsley began her motherhood journey, homeschooling was not something she ever considered.  It wasn't until her oldest began school that she started to reconsider. She noticed as he spent more time in school he started to become distant and began to care more about what the other kids thought of him. And his desire and innate curiosity to learn started to dim. Ainsley decided that instead of letting his light dim she wanted to give him wonder, freedom and curiosity. She wanted him to have his childhood back and homeschooling looked like the best option to do that.
"It's less about the childishness, and more about the child-likeness. It's about that natural born wonder."

How They Became Wild + Free

Ainsley shares how the first few years of homeschool unfolded for them. The joys they experienced, the wonder and their early concerns.

The joy came from doing life together at home and in nature. Ainsley saw her son's love for learning ignite again and wonder began to form his education. She saw his childhood coming back.

At the same time Ainsley also understood the loneliness that arrives when you feel like you are the only one doing what you do. When you don't have your tribe. Or the uncertainty that you feel when you want to keep going but feel like you are fading out. It was the joys and the concerns that led to the creation of the vibrant Wild + Free community.

In This Episode

In this episode Ainsley shares how the Wild + Free community that began as a space on Instagram quickly spread to other parents throughout the world that wanted to reclaim the wonder of childhood. Wild + Free offers a common language for a certain set of values that many parents share; the wonder of learning, being out in nature, and the joy of living in the freedom of homeschooling. It also provides a place to hear from other moms in the trenches that are doing the hard work everyday.

Ainsley's beautiful new book, The Call of The Wild + Free is an extension of this life. She gets into the why, the myths, and the how.

How do you set up a rhythm in your home?

How is the wild + free way different?

I found Ainsley to be another kindred spirit and we chatted well past the time we stopped recording. Her passion is evident and the love for her family and the values she sees in giving kids freedom is clear.

As for her challenges, they are similar to what many of us face; trying to juggle it all with a growing family, making room for quality time and quality education. But her advice is simple but powerful~ find what works for you in each season and embrace it.

If you would like to learn more about the Wild + Free community or order the book go to:

Wild + Free Website: bewildandfree.org

On Instagram

instagram.com/ainsl3y

instagram.com/wildandfree.co

 If you would like to hear more about families that are reclaiming childhood and finding freedom through homeschool check out my episode with Rachel Rainbolt http://imhomeschooling.com/natural-learning/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samantha Peterson is determined to Raise a Little Wonder.  She is a mom of three and a former teacher turned travel-schooler. Samantha's family is also part of the .9% of the American population that serves in the military. Their travel-schooling nomadic lifestyle is both by default as a military family, but also by choice. "When we were faced with all the challenges that come with uprooting every 2 years, we decided to fully embrace it."

In this episode Samantha shares some wonderful insight on travel with young kids, military life, family culture, authentic learning and how to embrace instead of escape.

Travel Schooling~Experiences Over Things

Samantha is no stranger to going against the grain. Living a life in the military really challenged her to step up and live like no one else. Being a military family already puts them in .9% of the US population. Her family has also chosen to homeschool and travel school. On top of that, in order to do this on a single income, they live simply. Their family focus is on making memories, not on accumulating material things.

They travel often, almost every weekend, but they keep it local to their area. As Samantha says, "you don't have to travel to far, expensive destinations to be a travel family". Keeping it local can be just as rewarding, fun and even more flexible.

I loved how Samantha explained how travel schooling impacts their learning life and why this can look different from the formal classroom environment. In a world of comparison it can be hard not to question our education choice when it can look so different from the norm of school. Using her experience, Samantha lays out why it looks different, and why it is just as valuable, if not more so. She lays out why it's important to encourage our kids to explore, how we can cultivate curiosity and why it's all about experiencing things together in real time.

Samantha asks what I feel is one of the most simple, yet foundational questions in learning and parenting. A question that gets lost in all of the talk of grades, scores and success. The real question she asks is this; How do we raise good humans?

If you would like to learn more about

Listen to this episode.

If you would like to reach out to Samantha, you can find her on Instagram @Raise A Little Wonder or her blog raisealittlewonder.com Love stories of travel and simplicity? Check out another episode: Choosing Experiences Over Things

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can homeschoolers get "real" socialization?

What happens when your spouse no longer supports your choice to homeschool?

Is University one of the best measures of a successful homeschooler?

Milva McDonald joins me on this episode. She shares her homeschool experience and knowledge.

Milva is the mother of four adult children and proud grandma of one. She said goodbye to school and the PTA and began homeschooling in 1991.

For three decades she worked for The Boston Globe and boston.com writing and reporting about arts and cultural events in the Boston area. She is a founder of Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts (AHEM) and served on its Board of Directors for more than a decade. Milva has two books, Unschoolers and Slow Homeschooling. She blogs at www.apotlucklife.com

Homeschool Fears

In this episode Milva tackled some of the biggest homeschool fears and criticisms. An unsupportive spouse, socialization, community and getting into college. Milva brings to this discussion her 21 years of experience homeschooling and raising a family. She shares her own personal stories of  how she worked through her obstacles and fears.

What happens when your spouse no longer supports the choice to homeschool? Milva's family changed after she and her husband divorced. How did their family and homeschool adjust?

Socialization~ Is this a real issue for homeschoolers? Or does the question of socialization border on intolerance? Milva references her own blog post that she felt compelled to write~ Is Socialization Overrated?  Well? Is it?

Community was extremely important for Milva's family, especially because their homeschool journey began soon after homeschooling was legalized in the US. Is community still as important today?  How does community help us to flourish?

Slow Homeschooling~Making conscious choices about how you spend your time. What does this mean to Milva and her family? How did they focus on relationships and pursue their passions?

Unschooling~ Does the current meaning of unschooling reflect its original use? We have a vast amount of choice for home education and alternative learning now. How is this effecting the legal and political realm in her state?

Success~What does it mean to be a successful homeschooling family? Because her children attended college and one graduated from Harvard, does Milva feel they have reached success? Is graduation from a top university the best measure? Do you need to go to college to lead a fulfilling life?

"One of the great things about homeschooling is that it opens you up to the idea that you can do things differently"

Milva ends with advice for parents that want to try homeschooling but are scared to take the leap. She encourages us to prioritize what's important. She says "homeschooling was successful for us because it's a great lifestyle. That spirit of curiosity and excitement that pervaded their childhood, continues."

Resources

Milva's blog: www.apotlucklife.com

Milva's books, Unschoolers and Slow Homeschooling

Boston Magazine~ Our Kids Don't Belong In School

Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts (AHEM)

John Holt

John Taylor Gatto

Interested in John Holt? Listen to my interview with Pat Farenga, writer and education activist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.