How do children learn math without lessons, textbooks, or worksheets?

Sandra Dodd, Sue Elvis, and Cecilie Conrad talk about the ways kids pick up mathematical thinking—through games, shared meals, money management, and real-world problem-solving.

They discuss what happens when learning is driven by curiosity rather than instruction, sharing stories of children who mastered math in unexpected ways. Their experiences with unschooling reveal how learning develops naturally, often outside the structures designed to teach it.

Meanwhile, schools—with their insistence on rigid, standardized learning—often disconnect children from their natural curiosity, sometimes to the point where they avoid learning altogether after being pushed too hard.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Sandra Dodd’s Website: SandraDodd.com – Explore Sandra’s favorite unschooling definitions and in-depth discussions.
• Sue Elvis’ Blog: Stories of an Unschooling Family – Practical advice and insights into Sue’s unschooling journey.
• Cecilie Conrad’s Website: CecilieConrad.com – Learn about Cecilie’s experiences with unschooling, worldschooling, and a life of freedom and curiosity.
• Connections: Connect the Dots: https://sandradodd.com/connections/
• How Elvis Appears to Unschoolers: https://sandradodd.com/dot/elvis.html 

🗓️ Recorded December 5, 2024. 📍  Whityham, United Kingdom

Support the show

In season 3 of Ladies Fixing the World, host Cecilie Conrad is joined by longtime unschooling voices Sandra Dodd and Sue Elvis to explore unschooling as a lifestyle.