The Independent Learner Podcast by Mosaic

The Independent Learner Podcast by Mosaic

By Mosaic: We Are Born To LearnEducationParentingEducation for Kids
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The Independent Learner Podcast by Mosaic episodes

  • When Parenting Feels Like Too Much
    Choosing self-directed learning for your family is an act of courage. Sustaining it is something else entirely. Amanda Diekman has spent years helping unschooling and self-directed learning families untangle the burnout, pressure, and impossible expectations that can quietly take over - even when you're doing everything right. In this conversation, Amanda and Bonnie talk honestly about what sustainable unschooling actually looks like, why parental wellbeing isn't separate from your child's flourishing, and what it looks like to build a family life that works for everyone in it.
    38 min
  • The Power of Generations Learning Side by Side
    In today’s episode, I sit down with Sari González and Becka Koritz from Radical Learning for a conversation that gets right to the heart of what makes Self-Directed and Consent-Based Learning so powerful: learning together, across ages. We talk about what happens when toddlers, teens, parents, and grandparents learn side by side — not in separate silos, but in shared spaces where curiosity, respect, and autonomy flow between generations. Sari and Becka bring years of experience supporting families in unschooling and self-directed learning environments, and together we explore the real magic that emerges when adults stop “teaching” and start participating, noticing, modeling, and co-learning.
    This episode takes a close look at how multigenerational learning strengthens not only the child’s learning journey but the family as a whole. We explore how an age-diverse learning space can deepen trust, reduce pressure, and build community; how adults can re-enter learning with openness instead of fear; and why collaboration across ages is one of the most underused tools in Independent Meaningful Learning.
    Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, or simply someone curious about more human ways of learning, this conversation offers a grounded, joyful reframe: learning is not a childhood phase — it’s a lifelong, shared experience.
    34 min
  • Neurodivergence Learning: Helping your child with a hypervigilant nervous system to thrive

    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    What if the behaviors we’re most concerned about are actually the most important signals to understand?

    In this conversation, Bonnie sits down with Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman, creator of The PDA Safe Circle® to explore how her framework for supporting hypervigilant nervous systems can support children and teens with a strong autonomic nervous system need for autonomy, control, social status, and co-regulation. Rabbi Shoshana will help us understand how behaviors that are often labeled as oppositional, defiant, avoidant, or “too much” are often expressions of PDA, a physiological disability that requires specific accommodations and supports to help a person feel safe, learn, and thrive.

    Together, Bonnie and Rabbi Shoshana explore:

    • How you can use the safe circle metaphor for nervous systems to support your child and family system

    • Why unschooling works so well for many PDAers, and how to use the safe circle to support your child's learning, play, and discovery at home

    • What PDA and Autistic burnout looks like, and how to support your child if they are in burnout

    • How the safe circle can help neurodivergent people of all ages develop a positive identity and self-understanding

    To find Rabbi Shoshana:

    Community & Coaching: PDASafeCircle.com 

    Download her FREE Safe Circle Coloring Book: PDASafeCircle.kit.com

    Grounded in both practice and deep reflection, this conversation invites families to pause and reconsider what they’re seeing—and how they’re responding.  When we shift how we understand behavior, we create the conditions for self-direction, confidence, and genuine belonging to emerge. For more information on this episode follow the link below: Episode Resources

    47 min
  • Neurodivergent Learning: Are Gaming and Digital Worlds Real Learning Spaces for Neurodivergent Learning?

    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    What if the time many neurodivergent young people spend in digital worlds isn’t a distraction—but a place where real learning is already happening? In this episode, we talk with Jordan Shapiro about gaming, online communities, and digital creation as environments where autonomy, focus, problem-solving, and connection often come more naturally than they do in traditional settings.
    For many families, screen time is a source of tension. But what if we shifted the question—from “How do we limit it?” to “What’s actually happening here?” Through a self-directed learning lens, we explore how deep digital interests can become meaningful pathways—developing strategy, collaboration, storytelling, design, and technical skills in ways that are hard to replicate elsewhere. We also stay grounded in the real concerns: balance, boundaries, and how to ensure digital engagement supports a full and healthy life.
    This conversation offers both perspective and practical guidance for families navigating the intersection of neurodivergence, technology, and learning.
    For more information on this episode follow the link below: Episode Resources
    49 min
  • How Families Navigate the New Learning Landscape

    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    In this episode, Mosaic will be joined by Eric Wearne, Director of the National Hybrid Schools Project at Kennesaw State University, for a conversation about the changing learning landscape across the United States. Families today are navigating a growing range of options – conventional schools, homeschooling, hybrid schools, microschools, and self-directed learning environments - and many are moving among these models over time rather than following a single path. What is driving these shifts? What are families seeking that they feel they cannot find in conventional systems? And how are new learning models emerging in response? Together, we’ll explore what is happening across the country as families rethink how, where, and why young people learn.
    For more information on this episode follow the link below: Episode Resources
    22 min
  • Why Unschooling May Be a Great Option for Neurodivergent Children
    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    What helps neurodivergent young people thrive—and why unschooling may open doors traditional schools can’t.
    Krystal Dillard, Executive Director of Natural Creativity, joins unschooling parent Jessica Hoffman for a grounded conversation about why unschooling can support neurodivergent young people in ways conventional systems often cannot. Together, they reflect on what works in practice, where challenges still arise, how families can approach this path with clarity, and what helps young people truly thrive. This episode offers honest reflections, real stories, and supportive guidance for anyone considering a self-directed approach.
    Episode Resources
    0 min
  • When You're Navigating Self-Directed Learning On Your Own
    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    Today’s episode with Meghan Davies shares her lived experience of supporting self-directed learning as a single parent, where trust, agency, and flexibility aren’t abstract ideals but daily, practical choices. Meghan speaks candidly about the emotional and logistical realities of parenting solo while honoring a child’s curiosity, needs, and autonomy. We talk about letting go of external expectations, building confidence without a co-pilot, and finding steadiness amid uncertainty.
    This discussion explores how self-directed learning can become not just an educational approach, but a stabilizing framework when time, energy, and resources feel stretched. Meghan reflects on decision-making, boundaries, resilience, and the quiet strength that comes from listening closely to both yourself and your child.
    This episode is for single parents, caregivers navigating change, and anyone wondering how learning can remain humane, responsive, and grounded even when the path isn’t simple. It’s an honest, affirming conversation about trust, courage, and building a learning life that works in the real world.
    For more information on this episode follow the link below:
    Episode Resources
    20 min
  • Making the College Process Human Again

    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    A values-driven look at how teens can choose a next step that truly fits who they are.
    With Jen Vallieres and Jared Eplet.
    In this conversation, the founders of Forget the Rankings and Pathway Forward talk about helping teens choose a next step that feels aligned with who they are—whether that’s a four-year college, a two-year program, or a technical path. We focus on values, clarity, creativity, and the emotional side of decision-making. You’ll also hear grounded advice on using summers, internships, and short-term experiences to explore interests and build confidence about what comes next.
    For more information on this episode follow the link below: Episode Resources
    0 min
  • Affording a Different Path: The Economics of Self-Directed Learning

    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    Self-directed learning offers flexibility and freedom, but it also comes with real financial questions that families have to navigate every day. In this episode, we chat with unschooling mom and author, June Duran to take a practical look at the economics of learning outside conventional systems.
    We talk openly about what families are actually paying for, including time, childcare, learning spaces, materials, and lost or flexible income. We explore common models families use to make self-directed learning more affordable, from shared childcare and cooperatives to microschools, part-time work, and creative scheduling. We also discuss how families weigh tradeoffs, plan for uncertainty, and adjust expectations without abandoning their values.
    This conversation offers clear examples, honest reflections, and concrete considerations for families trying to make learner-led education work within real financial constraints. It’s especially relevant for parents and caregivers who are weighing options, transitioning out of school, or looking for ways to sustain self-directed learning over time.
    If you’re seeking realistic insight rather than idealized narratives, this episode is designed to help you think through what’s possible — one practical step at a time.
    For more information on this episode follow the link below: Episode Resources
    31 min
  • Unschooler Edition: Navigating the College Application Process
    The Mosaic Collective is an online membership for families creating learner-led paths outside conventional school. Members access practical resources, live events, thoughtful discussion, and personalized guidance in a welcoming, supportive community.

    Clear, practical advice on how non-traditional learners can shine in the college admissions process. With Wade Arave and Michele Evard.
    Admissions officer Wade Arave and homeschool specialist Michele Evard join us to break down what colleges actually look for from non-traditional applicants. They offer clear, practical guidance on how to present portfolios, essays, recommendations, and lived learning experiences in ways admissions teams can understand. This conversation takes the mystery out of the application process and helps families craft authentic materials that reflect who their young person truly is.
    For more information on this episode follow the link below:
    Episode Resources
    35 min

About The Independent Learner Podcast by Mosaic

From the publisher's feed

The Independent Learner Podcast by Mosaic is a space for honest conversations about how learning actually happens when families step outside conventional school. Hosted by Mosaic’s Executive Director, the show explores self-directed learning through lived experience, not theory.