Podcasts about agile learning center

What if learning is everywhere, even in the interesting and fun and “pointless” endeavors? What if it's something we seek for ourselves as babies before anyone convinces us we have to be directly instructed? What if children are people, whose desires and goals and biological rhythms matter even when valuing them means insisting the child's life satisfaction and relationships are more important than what any policy-makers, think tanks, or governments would like their life to be? Such a relationship to learning and knowledge as experiential, everywhere, and ongoing isn't new. Neither is the particular significance it has in informing societies' relationships to children, who are so obviously engaged in growing and learning. Any history of self-directed education has to start from this longer and deschooled view of history, where the concept isn't just a counter to mass schooling institutions but stands on its own as a way of being in relationship to kids and to knowledge. Formal or informal, named or unquestioned as a norm, self-directed education has been a human practice across many places and times. An online course turned into a book turned into an audiobook, this guide starts with a brief look at the history of schooling and at a selection of common philosophies guiding various alternative schools. It then introduces the concept of self-directed education, with its history and some key influences. The following two sections articulate why we know kids can be trusted to learn and how supporting them requires more than just encouraging their interests (although that's part of the process, too!) The final two sections explain the philosophy and functioning of an Agile Learning Center, the specific kind of self-directed education community where I've practiced as a facilitator and educator for over a decade. The conclusion of the guide includes suggestions for where to find more stories from folks in Agile Learning Centers, as well as suggested next steps for folks wanting to do or learn more. Text at leanpub.com/selfdirectededucationintro Resources/References at abbyoulton.com/2024/06/01/agile-…-recommendations/

What if learning is everywhere, even in the interesting and fun and “pointless” endeavors? What if it's something we seek for ourselves as babies before anyone convinces us we have to be directly instructed? What if children are people, whose desires and goals and biological rhythms matter even when valuing them means insisting the child's life satisfaction and relationships are more important than what any policy-makers, think tanks, or governments would like their life to be? Such a relationship to learning and knowledge as experiential, everywhere, and ongoing isn't new. Neither is the particular significance it has in informing societies' relationships to children, who are so obviously engaged in growing and learning. Any history of self-directed education has to start from this longer and deschooled view of history, where the concept isn't just a counter to mass schooling institutions but stands on its own as a way of being in relationship to kids and to knowledge. Formal or informal, named or unquestioned as a norm, self-directed education has been a human practice across many places and times. An online course turned into a book turned into an audiobook, this guide starts with a brief look at the history of schooling and at a selection of common philosophies guiding various alternative schools. It then introduces the concept of self-directed education, with its history and some key influences. The following two sections articulate why we know kids can be trusted to learn and how supporting them requires more than just encouraging their interests (although that's part of the process, too!) The final two sections explain the philosophy and functioning of an Agile Learning Center, the specific kind of self-directed education community where I've practiced as a facilitator and educator for over a decade. The conclusion of the guide includes suggestions for where to find more stories from folks in Agile Learning Centers, as well as suggested next steps for folks wanting to do or learn more. Text at https://leanpub.com/selfdirectededucationintro Resources/References at https://abbyoulton.com/2024/06/01/agile-e-book-references-and-resource-recommendations/

What if learning is everywhere, even in the interesting and fun and “pointless” endeavors? What if it's something we seek for ourselves as babies before anyone convinces us we have to be directly instructed? What if children are people, whose desires and goals and biological rhythms matter even when valuing them means insisting the child's life satisfaction and relationships are more important than what any policy-makers, think tanks, or governments would like their life to be? Such a relationship to learning and knowledge as experiential, everywhere, and ongoing isn't new. Neither is the particular significance it has in informing societies' relationships to children, who are so obviously engaged in growing and learning. Any history of self-directed education has to start from this longer and deschooled view of history, where the concept isn't just a counter to mass schooling institutions but stands on its own as a way of being in relationship to kids and to knowledge. Formal or informal, named or unquestioned as a norm, self-directed education has been a human practice across many places and times. An online course turned into a book turned into an audiobook, this guide starts with a brief look at the history of schooling and at a selection of common philosophies guiding various alternative schools. It then introduces the concept of self-directed education, with its history and some key influences. The following two sections articulate why we know kids can be trusted to learn and how supporting them requires more than just encouraging their interests (although that's part of the process, too!) The final two sections explain the philosophy and functioning of an Agile Learning Center, the specific kind of self-directed education community where I've practiced as a facilitator and educator for over a decade. The conclusion of the guide includes suggestions for where to find more stories from folks in Agile Learning Centers, as well as suggested next steps for folks wanting to do or learn more. Text at https://leanpub.com/selfdirectededucationintro

What if learning is everywhere, even in the interesting and fun and “pointless” endeavors? What if it's something we seek for ourselves as babies before anyone convinces us we have to be directly instructed? What if children are people, whose desires and goals and biological rhythms matter even when valuing them means insisting the child's life satisfaction and relationships are more important than what any policy-makers, think tanks, or governments would like their life to be? Such a relationship to learning and knowledge as experiential, everywhere, and ongoing isn't new. Neither is the particular significance it has in informing societies' relationships to children, who are so obviously engaged in growing and learning. Any history of self-directed education has to start from this longer and deschooled view of history, where the concept isn't just a counter to mass schooling institutions but stands on its own as a way of being in relationship to kids and to knowledge. Formal or informal, named or unquestioned as a norm, self-directed education has been a human practice across many places and times. An online course turned into a book turned into an audiobook, this guide starts with a brief look at the history of schooling and at a selection of common philosophies guiding various alternative schools. It then introduces the concept of self-directed education, with its history and some key influences. The following two sections articulate why we know kids can be trusted to learn and how supporting them requires more than just encouraging their interests (although that's part of the process, too!) The final two sections explain the philosophy and functioning of an Agile Learning Center, the specific kind of self-directed education community where I've practiced as a facilitator and educator for over a decade. The conclusion of the guide includes suggestions for where to find more stories from folks in Agile Learning Centers, as well as suggested next steps for folks wanting to do or learn more. Text at https://leanpub.com/selfdirectededucationintro

There's a rich opportunity to push the needle forward when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, but navigating Race, Class, Privilege, Ability, and all the ways folks face different levels of adversity can be vulnerable and uncomfortable.  Sometimes we need support to know what to ask for, how to be better allies, and to push us to grow in our capacity to accept others… and recognize our own blindness to our priviledge.  In this conversation with Diversity Consultant, Crystal Byrd Farmer we cover code switching, how to have safe conversations, microagressions, call out culture, hidden diversities, tools and resources, and how to create communities and spaces that are welcoming to all people. Crystal Byrd Farmer is an engineer turned educator, organizer, and speaker. She attended University of South Carolina and received dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Russian Studies. After working in engineering for six years, Crystal became a freelance technical writer and eventually found her way into the world of self-directed learning and intentional communities. Crystal has been active in the intentional communities movement for over six years and serves on the board of the Foundation for Intentional Community and Co-President of the BIPOC Intentional Community Council.  She is the former website editor for Black & Poly and is active in her local polyamory community. In 2022 she served as the committee moderator for PolyamProud. Crystal's day job is as owner and facilitator of Gastonia Freedom School, an Agile Learning Center for children with disabilities. She lives in Gastonia, NC and has one daughter. Books and Resources We Mentioned: ⁠The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in your Organization⁠ by Crystal Byrd Farmer ⁠Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America⁠ by Ibram X. Kendi ⁠White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism⁠ by Dr. Robin DiAngelo ⁠Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor⁠ by Layla Saad ⁠My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies ⁠ by Resmaa Menakem Racial equity tools ⁠https://www.racialequitytools.org/⁠ ⁠The Four Agreements⁠ by Don Miguel Ruiz If you want to learn more about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in community or any aspect of community, check out the Inside Community Podcast sponsor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Foundation for Intentional Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. FIC is an incredible resource center with weekly events, online courses, classified advertisements, and lots of free educational materials. Podcast listeners get 20% off in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIC Bookstore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with code INSIDE20 and 30% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIC courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with code INSIDE30. You can learn more about FIC and access transcripts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ic.org/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Follow the show and see inspiring images and videos of community life on Facebook and Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@InsideCommunityPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - I'd love to hear from you there!  If this content has been meaningful or useful to you, please subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, and share with your friends and folks you know who are curious about living Inside Community. Super Awesome Inside Community Jingle by FIC board member Dave Booda ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠davebooda.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ICP theme by Rebecca Mesritz We are so grateful to for our show's sponsors: Caddis Collaborative - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caddispc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CohoUS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousing.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Communities Magazine - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gen-us.net/subscribe⁠

Holding Unfolding returns! This season, we're focusing on the Agile Learning Center of NYC, my home base.

Liam Nilsen (https://liam.media) is a designer and educator based in Åårhus, Denmark. He's a former member of the LEGO Idea Studio, the founder of an Agile Learning Center, and a life-long unschooler who didn't start reading until age 9 — at which point he fell in love with the written word. Liam and I discuss our lives as readers, including the books that have changed our lives, how we discover new things to read, books vs. articles vs. newspapers vs. social media, old favorites that now embarrass us, writing inside books, and keeping books vs. giving them away. We also discuss the virtues of higher education and self-directed learning programs that promote reading (or not).

Alex Bretas é facilitador e mentor em cultura de aprendizagem autodirigida, Co Fundador do Agile Learning Center, é palestrante do TEDx, autor de diversos livros, já desenvolveu projetos para grandes empresas como Samsung, Renner e Raízen. Nesse episódio, ele lista mais de 10 sinais de uma cultura de aprendizagem autodirigida e também as armadilhas que a liderança pode cair ao tentar criar um ambiente colaborativo para a Educação e Desenvolvimento. De nada adianta ter tecnologias de ponta e toneladas de dados se você ainda entende que dar autonomia é perder controle ou que aprendizagem autodirigida é aprender sozinho.

Candis and Annie discuss the motivations to walk away from the school system and begin to work toward something new. This work begins with deschooling, the ongoing deprogramming process to shed the expectations and beliefs internalized through being part of the school system. As we set out on this experience of letting go of our schoolish ways, we share the raw and vulnerable steps we'll encounter along the way. We mention many of the wise guides who have already helped us along the way. Here are some of them along with their Instagram accounts: Dr. Rema @drrema; Akilah Richards @fareofthefreechild; Iris Chen @untigering; Maleka Diggs @eclecticlearningnetwork; Fran Liberatore @bigmothering; Agile Learning Center @alc_network.

Annie Friday and Candis Ogilvie share the story of how they began to push back on the conventional school system by opening an Agile Learning Center to support self-directed learners. In doing so, Annie and Candis have given families a space for stepping out of line. This is the backstory of the collaboration and preparation that led to the creation of a supportive learning environment focused on unschooling. They also share about the opening days of trying to find their footing as a new schoolish setting and the collective deschooling process of unschooling in community. Learn more about Agile Learning Centers: https://agilelearningcenters.org/ and specifically Blue Bridge Agile Learning Center: https://bluebridgeschool.com/

In collaboration with Atlanta-based Self-Directed Education profession and facilitator, Anthony “Tony” Galloway, Jr, we are so hyped to broadcast the premiere episode of Fare of the Free Man Child!Tony is one of our Presence Counselors here at Raising Free People Network and the founder, director and facilitator of The Heartwood School, a local Agile Learning Center. Throughout this series, Tony reflects on his own self-directed journey and his views on adulting and adulthood as he approaches his 30’s. Tune in to hear him riff on finances, politics, mental health, race, schooling, unschooling, manhood, and masculinity.“I was raised as an academic and baptized in the way of the scientific method. There were many creative outlets I participated in as a kid but they were just fun things to do on the side. Things like music and art were extracurriculars and hobbies to make me a well-rounded applicant but they were never a priority”. - Anthony Galloway, JrIn this episode, Tony talks about the struggles that we might face when trying to apply certain Self-Directed practices to our lives, about how exhausting it becomes to compare ourselves and our children's processes, the external pressure full of expectations, and preparations that pull us away from the present, missing the essentials. He also shares the importance of prioritizing the fulfillment of personal challenges while taking care of responsibilities.LIBERATION WALKPress that “Leave a Voice Message” button on the right side of the site and tell us what do you think about Fare of the Free Man ChildFollow Tony on Instagram!You can listen to Tony on previous #fofcpod episodes: How He’s Using His Gifts and Time for SelfSubscribe to Akilah’s Youtube Channel!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/akilah)

This week, we’ve got important need-to-knows to share with you, plus a feel trip recap from our conversation with Karen M. Ricks from the last two episodes, and Tiersa McQueen, who always brings the real-real! We shared experiences and stories around food and learning, and you’ll hear about our connections between food and memories, food and relationship building, food-centric education, food habits, food joy, and the many ways that food is related to our consent-based practices with children. In case you haven’t listened to the first part of this three-part flow, here’s Episode 212: Food, Play, & Mindfulness, and here’s Episode 213: Food, Play, & Mindfulness (Pt. 2) where our listeners shared their feedback.  Make sure you don’t miss any of our feel trips invitations by joining our podcast village. Resources and InvitationsPresence Counselor, founder, director and facilitator of an Agile Learning Center in Atlanta, Georgia Anthony Galloway, Jr. gives us a hint of his new project, Fare of the Free Man Child, in collaboration with Raising Free People Network. Anthony reflects about his own self-directed journey, and his views on adulting and adulthood as he approaches his 30’s. He’ll be speaking about finances, politics, mental health, race, schooling, unschooling, manhood, and masculinity. His first episode airs on April 21, so make sure you’re following our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, so you can hear it. SDE Weekend (Self-Directed Education Weekend) is coming! From 21st till 23rd of May 2021 “The SDE weekend is an “all you can (L)earn,” 3-day, international, online event in which you choose the sessions that match your intentions and participate as much as you want.” The Fix Yo Face Deschooling Parenting Challenge starts soon! Get details here and save your spotLIBERATION WALKPress that “Leave a Voice Message” button on the right side of the site and tell us what do you think about Fare of the Free Man ChildCheck out Our Kitchen Classroom on Youtube While you’re there, subscribe to Akilah’s Youtube Channel!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/akilah)

Episode 2 of the Holding Unfolding podcast is an interview with Ryan Shollenber of the Agile Learning Center in New York City! Transcript at: https://abbyoulton.wordpress.com/2021/04/17/holding-unfolding-episode-2-ryan-shollenberger/ --- Learn more about some of the tools Ryan talks about at agilelearningcenters.org, and a lot more about the culture co-creating meeting he mentions in the article I edited with stories from a bunch of centers and published at https://www.cutter.com/offer/agile-approach-education. Listen to "Live Like the World is Dying" podcast -- season 1, episode 23 (!?!) "Dibs on Fitness for Every Body," is the specific one we gush about -- at https://live-like-the-world-is-dying.pinecast.co/episode/8e82ffbbbe8b47ed/dibs-on-fitness-for-every-body Cover illustration by @pharaohartwork

Episode 1 of the Holding Unfolding podcast is an interview with Mel Compo of the Agile Learning Center in New York City! Transcript at: https://abbyoulton.wordpress.com/2021/04/10/holding-unfolding-podcast-episode-1-with-mel-compo-transcript/ --- Cover illustration by @pharaohartwork Learn more about ALC-NYC and the "Agile Roots" Mel references at nycagile.org and agilelearningcenters.org, where I wrote a bunch of the web copy and they wrote a bunch of the "facilitation guide" from 2017. Find them at magicalmelicorn.com, on IG at @the_melicorn, and on Pateron at https://www.patreon.com/melicorn

Kristen grew up in Tampa, Fl and attended public schools her whole education. For elementary school she attended an IB school. As a gifted student, she was given many fun opportunities such as: Battle of the Books and Mathletes.  In Middle, she felt a huge shift in pressure. She had 4 hours of homework, so she switched to a local public school. It was not very challenging though, and felt really uninspired to attend.  In high school, she moved to Texas. She attended the 5th largest high school in the nation. It wasn't a positive experience. She noticed a huge cheating culture, especially in the AP classes. Her opinion of education changed and led her to an interest in self-directed learning. In her experience, elementary school was more project-based, which left a lot of autonomy for the students. Middle School focuses more on punishment and the relationships with your teachers are shallow due to the constraints of scheduling and organizational needs with so many students.  She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to major in at the college level. She came upon self-directed learning on her own online and became really interested in it. She found a democratic school near her and asked to observe. Shortly after, she began interning at the school while attending college. She earned her degree in Child Learning and Development.  Alternative education was not even mentioned in her program, except Waldorf and Montessori. As part of a presentation in school, Kristen showed the TED ED talk by Logan LePlante and it sparked a lot of discussions.  In democratic schools, students meet regularly to vote on rules, how to allocate funds, etc. Mentors at the school support the students by reminding them of the time, to eat, help organize events and field trips, and be available to support them however they need. Some of these schools offer classes or clubs which students can opt into.  At the democratic school where Kristen interned, she offered a maker's space and some classes in psychology and tech.  The school eventually developed into an Agile Learning Center and moved to a new location, so Kristen collaborated with others to develop a Liberated Learner's Center for ages 4-18. At the center, there were classes, games, and workshops offered to students - all opt in.  During Covid, Kristen transitioned to Galileo.  Democratic schools are schools where students vote on how to run the school. They vary in style - Sudbury and Summerhill are two examples of this model.  Agile Learning Centers are schools where the goal is more about intention. It's run sociocratically. Students use tools to visually keep track of their goals. Students are offered pop-up classes and workshops based on their interests. Liberated Learning Centers are based on the North Star approach where each student is offered a mentor and classes are offered to students based on their interests. They are given a lot of guidance and support during the student/career/continuing education  transition.  According to Kristen, mentoring (as opposed to teaching) is great for three reasons; the learners want to be there and are excited to attend your class and you have the opportunity to build a deeper relationship since you share a passion with the learner, and lastly you get to teach something you love. You aren't seen as an authority figure, so communication is open and trusting. The learners get to decide what they learn related to the topic.  Galileo is a global online school for self directed learners. They offer clubs where students get to decide when and if they participate. Students have the freedom to try the clubs, but aren't obligated to attend. The clubs provide challenges and skill-building based on what the students want to know. The clubs meet weekly. If they need help between club sessions, students can contact the facilitators per message.  In self-directed learning, learners get to choose who they learn from and when it's the right time to learn that specific topic. In self-directed learning, there's complete flexibility in how you learn and what you learn, which gives students the option to go as far as they want in any given topic.  Kristen has fun plans for her clubs at Galileo this year. She will be offering game development boot camps and Game Jams, where students work in teams to complete a game around a theme. Through these clubs, learners are exposed to software and experiences that adults and professionals use as well.  Helpful Resources Mentioned in Today's Show   IB school Battle of the Books  Mathletes Logan LePlante Ducky 3D YouTube Channel Polygon Runway YouTube Channel Brackeys YouTube Channel Audible Udemy Galileo Use code “Rogue Learner” and save $100 off your child's tuition. Switched on Pop Podcast Limetown Up and Vanished LeVar Burton Reads Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Why are You Still Sending Your Kids to School by Blake Boles   Ways to Connect Email me: contact.roguelearner@gmail.com Facebook  Instagram Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rogue-learner/id1543224038 Google Play: https://podcasts.google.com/search/rogue%20learner Spotify: https://roguelearner.libsyn.com/spotify YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCocbWsxxAMSbUObiCQXPg Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/rogue-learner

We’re in between seasons on #fofcpod, and as we promised, January will be filled with specially-chosen replays sprinkled with some new-new announcements and invitations.This time we bring you an update from Monique Allison who we’ve already heard from on episode 6 back on Season 1. Listen to Monique giving us some insight on She Said We Shed PodcastMonique talks about what she’s been learning through her deschooling journey with her son, Pharaoh, particularly how she’s becoming a better observer, and learning more about adaptability, flexibility, and trust.Monique is a single Black mom that is raising her son who has sickle cell and other chronic illnesses. They shifted to unschooling, attended an Agile Learning Center, and are still happily unschooling nearly five years later. Listen to Episode 6, (Reclaiming and Learning) to hear their story.Akilah reminds us not to miss The Parenting Decolonized Conference. “The mission of the summit is to provide parents and caregivers with action plans, resources, and tips for conscious parenting during stressful times, reimagining education during the Coronavirus, and the radical shifts required to be more confident, conscious, intentional parents.”Akilah shares her testimonial on Iris Chen’s book, Untigering: Peaceful Parenting for the Deconstructing Tiger Parent. The ebook will be FREE for the next few days in early January so download early before the promotion ends!"Iris's book felt like a familiar conversation with someone who insisted on telling the truth and letting it show up as potential healing space. But it was more than the sense of truthful reflections; there were so many powerful invitations to listen to my own nudges, as well as confront my own biases, too. It looks like a notebook the way I wrote and scribbled and hell-yea'd all through those pages! Untigering is a welcomed addition to the growing list of resources for people raising free people, and unlearning/reclaiming ourselves in the process." - Akilah LIBERATION WALKCheck out Monique’s other previous episodes on #fofcpod: Surviving Survival Mode – Emerging Out… and Surviving Survival Mode – Getting Unstuck Subscribe to Akilah’s Youtube Channel!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/akilah)

This week on #fofcpod we have an insightful conversation about relationships and diversity with educator, organizer and speaker Crystal Byrd Farmer, she focuses on cohousing, Black, and polyamorous communities. Crystal is a Black, queer, autistic woman whose opinions and ambitions find her in a variety of communities where she is the only one with a particular intersection of identities. This “token” status is one Crystal does not shy away from, but instead uses it to speak up and invite change in the communities she chooses.Crystal shares some of her experiences, and tells us about her book, The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in Your Organization. We'll also hear about Gastonia Freedom School, the Agile Learning Center (a type of Self-directed Education center, that Crystal founded to offer support in her North Carolina community.“This is the book that is going to save you from theory and guilt trips disguised as training or solutions to issues of equity and diversity. Crystal has brilliantly highlighted her personal experiences as means of examining and learning how biases affect some Black women in particular, and many intentional communities across age and gender, among other differences. She then brings in the history and pattern of anti-Black racism in particular, and offers resources and conversation prompts to work through what she brings up in these pages. I found this book refreshing in its departure from scholarly research over real-life experiences, feelings that words often fail, and so much more in terms of nuance and layers. I loved this and I'm grateful to Crystal for adding her perspectives to the conversation about relationships and diversity without apology, and with no problem being dynamic and human in her approach. Read this book!”- Akilah S. Richards’s review.“The book touches key points like reality of bias, privilege and microaggressions, what marginalized people experience and what they might need to feel safe and comfortable in order to succeed. Crystal acts as the bridge between majority white organizations that are dedicated to social justice and "diverse" people in the community.”Gastonia Freedom School is a self-directed learning center focused on children with disabilities, the support is one-to-one depending on their interests, they work on the development of social skills respecting their agency and independence. Crystal talks about how they’re managing this SDE space since COVID started, the challenges and also the perks of it.Akilah also took some time to share her appreciation to the Fare Of The Free Child Community and invites to continue on this deschooling journey of healing and liberation work.LIBERATION WALKHere’s Crystal talking about Agile Learning Centers and how they help create equitable outcomes for students of all races and socioeconomic statusesHave heard about our very own Fare of the Free Child village? Come discuss topics from the podcast with us!Hosting or joining a Raising Free People Book Club? Tell us by emailing Fatima@raisingfreepeople.com with the details about your gathering. Akilah would love to come through!Raising Free People Network’s Presence Counselors Leslie Bray and Anthony Galloway, Jr. are here to support unschooling and deschooling processes for families and organizationsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/akilah)

This week I have been struggling with self-isolating as a family and you may have seen on my Facebook that I have given up on the whole idea of home educating the boys. If you too have been having issues and experienced stress on how to juggle it all and 'do the best' for your children/teens, then you will absolutely LOVE this conversation with Emily Quandt. Such useful tips and Emily really challenged some of my beliefs around natural learning. Thank you Emily!!! If you want to reach Emily - you can email her email is emily@FreetoLearnCommunity.com https://www.facebook.com/freetolearncommunity/ http://freetolearncommunity.com/ If you want to see about an Agile Learning Center near them they can check the network map here: https://agilelearningcenters.org/#map If you are looking for more info on how to support Self-Directed Education during this time at home there are tons of resources here: https://www.self-directed.org/ Finally if you are listeners more than readers, here is another helpful resource podcast of another mama doing Self-Directed Education. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fare-of-the-free-child/id1138611256

We talk to Crystal Byrd Farmer of Gastonia Freedom School in North Carolina, an Agile Learning Center for self-directed learning to empower students with special needs. Gastonia Freedom School needs our help to raise $2000. Donate NOW to Gastonia Freedom School at https://www.facebook.com/donate/293484084845352/ Visit their web site at https://gastoniafreedom.org/

Anthony Galloway wasn’t willing to be another cog in the system. He’s a smart, twenty-something year old African-American man who chose to go into the field of education. He came up through the system, and learned how to excel in it. He also knew that he wanted to be part of the change in public education that allowed children of color access to the same resources and opportunities as children in white schools or private ones. Anthony co-founded an Agile Learning Center, now facilitated by both him and long-time educator, Julia Cordero. I think you’re gonna find this discussion interesting because Anthony’s an educator who saw the school system for what it was and is, and started his own school to create something better. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/akilah)

Marketing specialist and Outdoor Afro leader, Yanira Castro, talks with Akilah about the benefits of a solid marriage, the importance of cultural appreciation as a LatinX mother, a career she loves, and being part of a self-directed learning community through the Agile Learning Center in her Charlotte, North Carolina community.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/akilah)

Tomis Parker and Nancy Tilton talk with host Blake Boles about the Agile Learning Center framework (agilelearningcenters.org), Nancy’s school in Charlotte, NC (alcmosaic.org), the ups and downs of democratic free schools, what “agile” means, Kanban boards, creating a culture of respect and trust, and their vision for building a “teacher’s college for self-directed learners.”