Consider all options. That has become our mantra when it comes to our sons’ education. There was a time, many years ago, when we fully expected that our sons would follow the standard path through school. We figured they would go through elementary, middle, and high school just like millions of other kids do. And [...]
Tag Archives | unschooling
Redefining Education: My take-away
I’ve enjoyed putting together my Redefining Education series of articles and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them. It’s been an interesting journey. There have been some articles I wanted to jump up and down and shout “READ THIS!” from the rooftops and then there were others where I was stunned and dismayed that anybody could [...]
How to Use Parental Mentoring as a Solution for ‘Educational Reform’
I think there is a general consensus that our systems of education need improvement – whether it’s government, private or home school. There are multiple solutions for reaching this end of ‘educational reformation’, and each begins with more parental involvement. Although not the answer for every family, leadership education is one solution that can work [...]
Schools & Jails: What’s the difference?
In our 22 months of full time rving we have passed thousands of schools. We’ve also passed hundreds of jails, and I’m always struck by how similar they look. Have you noticed this too? Bland concrete walls, small windows, tall chain link fences. Both institutions reek of, well… Institution! The only main difference I can [...]
‘Learning’ is the New Paradigm of Education
If we give kids the foundation to dream, they will figure out the grammar and the history the minute it helps them to reach their goals and make a difference. ~Seth Godin from ‘Stop Stealing Dreams’ I am an unschooling parent. There is no doubt our approach to education falls on the outside of the [...]
Thinking out loud, Outside the box
The most remarkable thing about the technique of thinking out loud is that every parent can do it every day while going about the business of life with her child(ren). Thinking out loud is yet another interesting, fun non-time-consuming way for children to learn, no complicated educational formula necessary. At the very same time you [...]
Is our education system built on miracle teachers?
All of my life I’ve maintained an interest in public policy and I’ve been no stranger to strong opinions. Taxes, healthcare, energy, foreign policy. If you want an opinion I’ve got one for you. Yet there’s been one area of public policy that I’ve had very little interest in: education. Until now. Lately, I find [...]
Imagine Something Better Than School
On Community learning and a world without school Imagine what it could be, what it should be, what is will be… Imagine a life that is not prescribed, predetermined or prearranged in any way. This means a child will not automatically be bused away from his parents, at the tender age of four years [...]
You Can’t Reform An Education System Built on Oppression
Talk of “education reform” is viral all over the internet. Despite multiple failed attempts at “reform” over the past decades, society refuses to think outside the “box” of schooling and consider a radical return to how children learned for millennia- By playing, living and doing! Teachers and others in the field of education continue to [...]
Why the School System Isn’t Educating Your Children (And What to Do About It)
The Industrial Age changed the world forever. Today, we’re surrounded by the effects of it, which to us seem ‘normal’ and permanent. But the world wasn’t always like it is now. In only a few generations, the world has moved from an agrarian, disconnected society, to a corporatized, centralized world community. Because of the Industrial [...]
Yes, my kids are homeschooled. Yes, they are “socialized.”
(Excuse me while I climb on my soapbox for a minute) It’s the dreaded “S” word that all homeschoolers deal with – socialization. “How do you deal with the socialization of your children?” they ask sweetly and innocently. Because, as everybody knows, homeschooled kids are social misfits. Homeschooled kids are locked away at home and [...]
What we learned in three years on the road
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about our journey from Alaska to Argentina. I’ve thought about the many, many hours we spent on the road. I’ve thought about all the experiences we had, the people we met, the lessons we learned. We learned a lot on this journey of ours. We learned plenty of [...]
Educational experiences: The best of the best
I was asked the other day about the best educational experience we’ve had during our travels. My mind started reeling through all the incredible places we’ve been – Taroko Gorge in Taiwan where we witnessed the amazing forces of Mother Nature… Bagan, Myanmar with hundreds of ancient stupas dotting the plains… Dr. Cabrera’s Stone Museum [...]
How fair are standardized tests?
“Hey Mom, what’s a binder? My teacher says I need one.” I never saw that one coming… Our boys have had so many life experiences. They’ve cycled with buffalo and camped in snow. They’ve danced at Carnival and made a pilgrimage to a holy site. They’ve flown over the Nazca Lines and seen conehead skulls [...]
Education = Learning = School?
ed•u•ca•tion [ej-oo-key-shuh n] –noun the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. learn•ing [lur-ning] –noun knowledge acquired by systematic study in any field of scholarly application. It’s funny how we associate these two words with [...]
Magellan, Penguins, Petrified Wood, and more!
The boys have been busy again – lots of learning about their world. As usual, we’ve taken advantage of our travels in order to make the kids’ “school work” more relevant and meaningful. They’ve learned about a wide variety of things lately! We visited a life-size replica of Magellan’s ship We saw Magellanic Penguins We [...]
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