Podcast appearances and mentions of blake boles

Another conversation where Luke is the guest. This episode is from the “Dirtbag Rich” podcast, hosted by Blake Boles. Our sponsors for Season 7:  Kilter: http://settercloset.com (email holds@kiltergrips.com for more information) Scarpa: www.scarpa.com Osprey: https://www.osprey.com/ Subscribe/ score some books/clothes/stickers: https://shop.climbingzine.com/ photo by Jake Burchmore

Tune in for the conclusion of our discussion of Better Than College by Blake Boles. If you'd like to read-along with us, you can find the book here: https://amzn.to/478vISP Let's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you. Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredCome hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Let's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcFB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Love Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered

FOR ONCE IT'S NOT A PERMIE

Please forgive our audio-only episde this week. We are delayed in publishing because after DAYS filled with failed attempts, we had to ditch the video component. We are continuing our discussion of Better Than College by Blake Boles. Come join us! ((Psst.... you don't even have to read the book to be part of our "book club."))) If you'd like to read along, you can find the book here: ⁠https://amzn.to/478vISP⁠  ((Hey there! Just a quick note.... sometimes, but not always, we share affiliate links. We only share products we use and love! It doesn't cost you anything extra to order through our link, but it does help support our podcast. We appreciate your help!)) Let's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you. Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gI  Homeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfiltered  Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you. https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered  Come hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfiltered⁠  Let's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!  IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/  TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc  FB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Love Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered

(((Ok, ok.... we know. This episode is a bit long. We edited it down as much as we could, but we had A LOT TO SAY about this book!!))) This is our final book of season one and our different approaches to homeschooling will be on full display here in this conversation! Come join us! If you'd like to read along with us, you can find a copy of Better Than College by Blake Boles here: https://amzn.to/478vISP Let's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you. Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredCome hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Let's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcFB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredLove Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered

We've reached the conclusion of The Danish Way of Raising Teens! If you'd like to read along with us, you can find the book here: https://amzn.to/4dF3XE0 Our next book will be Better Than College by Blake Boles. If you'd like to read along with us, you can find that book here: https://amzn.to/478vISP ((Hey there! Just a quick note.... sometimes, but not always, we share affiliate links. We only share products we use and love! It doesn't cost you anything extra to order through our link, but it does help support our podcast. We appreciate your help!)) Let's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you. Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredCome hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Let's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcFB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredLove Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered

Welcome to book club! We are continuing our discussion of The Danish Way of Raising Teens. In this episode we'll be discussing chapters 7 & 8. If you'd like to read The Danish Way of Raising Teens by Iben Dissing Sandahl, you can pick up a copy here: https://amzn.to/4dF3XE0 Our next book club selection will be Better Than College by Blake Boles. If you like to read along with us, grab your copy here: https://amzn.to/478vISP ((Hey there! Just a quick note.... sometimes, but not always, we share affiliate links. We only share products we use and love! It doesn't cost you anything extra to order through our link, but it does help support our podcast. We appreciate your help!)) Let's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you. Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredCome hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Let's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcFB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfilteredLove Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered

Blake Boles is one of the leading voices in the world of unschooling and a passionate advocate for alternative approaches to education of all kinds. He is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, a travel program for self-directed learners, and is the author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?, The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. Blake and his work have appeared on The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, TEDx, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. In 2003 Blake was studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley when he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace Llewellyn, and other alternative education pioneers. Deeply inspired by the philosophy of unschooling, Blake custom-designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory. After graduating he joined the Not Back to School Camp community and began writing and speaking widely on the subject of self-directed learning. In his previous lives, Blake worked as a high-volume cook, delivery truck driver, summer camp director, Aurora Borealis research assistant, math tutor, outdoor science teacher, camp medic, ski resort market researcher, web designer, and windsurfing instructor. His biggest passion is sharing his enthusiasm and experience with young adults who are blazing their own trails through life. He was born in 1982.Blake's Website: https://www.blakeboles.com/Unschool Adventures: https://www.unschooladventures.com/Not Back to School Camp: https://www.nbtsc.org/Thoreau College: www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: www.driftlessfolkschool.org

On this episode I talk to Chris Balme, the author of the book Finding the Magic in Middle School (2022) and the founder of the Millennium School, an alternative middle school in San Francisco.  We talk about what makes people enter the strange and confusing world of alternative education, and what sort of lessons Chris has learned from working with adolescents in an alternative education setting. How come we at the same time have both too low and too high expectations of adolescents, and how do we talk to parents and kids about these expectations? We cover a wide range of topics, from overworked teachers in alternative and progressive education; good books about parenting and learning (Tom Hodgkinson, Alison Gopnik, Judith Rich Harris, Blake Boles); the three stages of adolescence that Chris describe in his book: belonging, achievement and authenticity; friendship; age-mixing; learning about emotions, Lisa Feldman Barrett's book How Emotions Are Made; how social media and smartphones are not all bad for teenagers, and Peter Gray's writings on this topic; how we can create more space in kids' lives for play and independence; the role of school today and how children and adolescents need a lot of time to socialize, and how they spend less time socializing in-person outside of school; the positive aspects of being the parent of an adolescent, and several other topics.  Read more of Chris Balme's writings on his Substack Growing Wiser: https://chrisbalme.substack.com/ and https://www.chrisbalme.com/   Books mentioned:  Blake Boles, Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School Alison Gopnik, The Carpenter and the Gardener Tom Hodgkinson, The Idle Parent Lenore Skenazy, Free-Range Kids Lisa Feldman Barrett, How Emotions Are Made Larry Steinberg, Age of Opportunity Jonathan Mooney, Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive, Outside the Lines Peter Gray on social media: https://petergray.substack.com/p/benefits-and-challenges-of-social ---------------------------- Our logo is by Sveinung Sudbø, see his works on originalkopi.com The music is by Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen, see the facebook page Nygrenda Vev og Dur for more info.  ---------------------------- Thank you for listening. Please send feedback and questions to larsogpaal@gmail.com There is no better way for the podcast to gain new interested listener than by you sharing it with friends, so if you find what we do interesting and useful, please consider doing just that. The podcast is still most in Norwegian, but we have a lot of episodes coming out in English.  Our blogs: https://paljabekk.com/ https://larssandaker.blogspot.com/   Alt godt, hilsen Lars og Pål

Blake Boles is an unschooling advocate and author of the book 'Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids To School' he also runs transformative teen programs called Unschool Adventures.In this episode, we also explore the transformative power of alternative education. We examine the conventional education system's limitations and champion personalized learning paths, inspired by notable educational theorists. As Blake, we have diverged from traditional career paths, and together we share our experiences and the growth that stems from independence and stepping outside one's comfort zone.Our discussion ventures into parenting, challenging the current trend of being overprotective. We advocate for a balanced approach to parenting and education, emphasizing the importance of listening to and supporting our children's unique paths. This conversation promises to be an enlightening exploration of self-directed learning, the joys of adventure, and the art of nurturing young minds for a diverse and vibrant educational future.

My guest this week is Blake Boles, the self-directed learning advocate behind Unschool Adventures and the author of several books on unschooling, including The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School, as well as the host of the Off-Trail Learning podcast. Now… you may be reading this and thinking, I'm not homeschooling my child or “unschooling” isn't my thing. But I'm going to encourage you to listen to what Blake has to say. Because regardless of your child's educational circumstances, there is wisdom to be gleaned from Blake's philosophy on self-directed learning and helping our kids grow up into intrinsically motivated humans who understand themselves and are driven to seek out the information and resources they need to achieve their goals. I also love that Blake's approach beautifully challenges those traditional timelines that our differently wired kids often don't meet anyway. So… have a listen and let me know what you think. I'm curious to hear how this lands with you. Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures and the author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School.  He hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast, speaks for alternative schools, writes for The Alliance for Self-Directed Education, and has keynoted multiple homeschooling conferences.  Things you'll learn from this episode What unschooling actually is (in comparison with traditional or eclectic homeschooling)The most common myths and assumptions surrounding unschooled kidsHow intrinsic motivation is the key to helping a student learn what they want to learn when they're ready to learn itThe ways in which unschooling and self-directed learning respects a child's unique timelineWhat the transition from a traditional educational model to unschooling might look like might look likeWhat a transition to university looks like in the U.S. for children who've been homeschooled, and how to do itHow parents who are homeschooling their child can play the role as “consultant” rather than teacher, and giving child the room to become truly self-directedTips for parents looking to dip their toe into unschoolingResources mentioned for what is unschooling? Blake Boles' websiteUnschool AdventuresOff-Trail Learning The Art of Self-Directed Learning: 23 Tips for Giving Yourself an Unconventional Education Better Than College: How to Build a Successful Life Without a Four-Year Degree Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

Are you worried about your child's video gaming habits? If so, here's interesting conversation with Eric Lanigan about two topics that I know are relevant, and perhaps concerning, to many listeners out there — video gaming and motivation. I reached out to Eric after learning about an online course he runs for parents called Making Peace with Gaming, because I was curious to know just exactly how we do that, and what that actually means in the context of everyday life with kids who are really into gaming. What I love about this conversation is it went so much deeper than video gaming and into the heart of the emotional lives of our children. I found our conversation to be highly thought-provoking—I hope you get a lot out of it.Eric Lanigan is a Motivation Coach who has helped hundreds of people to get clear on what they want -and then do it. He guides his clients in directing their attention inwards instead of blaming themselves or external events. A former video game addict himself, Eric offers an intimate view of the world of compulsive gaming. Eric has delivered dozens of workshops on emotional intelligence, motivation, and procrastination. His online course, The Big Shift, has served over 750 people from more than 15 countries.Things you'll learn from this episodeWhy many children get so deeply involved in their video game worldsThe emotional payoff many children get from engaging in gamesEric's ideas around how parents can respect and understand their child's video gamingThe connection between motivation and gaming, and what parents miss when considering theseWhy Eric says the problem isn't the games themselves but the way we relate to the gamesThe biggest fears and concerns parents have surrounding their child's gamingEric's thoughts on parents legislating their children's gaming and how rewards and punishments associated with gaming may be counterproductive / result in the opposite desired outcome Resources mentioned for parents worried about their child's video gamingEric Lanigan's websiteMaking Peace with Gaming online course*The Big Shift online courseBlake BolesA Conversation with Blake Boles on Unschooling and Self-Directed Learning (podcast episode)Asher Talks About the Pros and Cons of Banning Video Games (podcast episode)Eric on FacebookSupport the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures and the author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?, The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. He hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast and has delivered over 75 presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups. Blake and his work have appeared on The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, TEDx, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR affiliate radio, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. In 2003 Blake was studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley when he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace Llewellyn, and other alternative education pioneers. Deeply inspired by the philosophy of unschooling, Blake custom-designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory. After graduating he joined the Not Back to School Camp community and began writing and speaking widely on the subject of self-directed learning. Now, hear his take on the Essential 11 questions. More places you can find Blake: Facebook - Follow Blake YouTube - Blake Boles

Guest host Zen Zenith returns to interview Blake about his obsession with adventure. What exactly makes an adventure? How is adventure connected to self-directed learning? Is adventure just for privileged people? Why can't Blake just settle down and lead a normal life? How do Unschool Adventures trips create a sense of adventure for both teens and trip leaders? Does adventure become harder as one grows older? Does Blake even have a retirement plan?! And what comes next? Read Blake's “Notes on Adventure” here: https://blakeboles.substack.com Find Zen on Twitter: @zenzenith

The Essential School Sucks, #21 of 50 Theme Three: What It Means To Be Educated Today's show is intended as a resource for listeners looking to share the ideas of alternative education and self directed learning with their friends and family, or with anyone wants to learn more about these subjects. Blake Boles builds exciting alternatives to traditional school for self-directed young people. He runs the company Unschool Adventures and is the author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. Blake and I discuss the path to more self directed learning How to define the current school problem Why Schooling is not the same as education John Taylor Gatto's definition of real education The attributes of an educated person Self-Determination Theory and self directed learning Promising developments in educational alternatives How more people can gain access to alternative education How parents improve their children's educational experience even if they can't take them out of public school "An education is the capacity to author your own life instead of merely accepting the one handed to you." - Blake The Ideas Into Action Summit (https://sspuniversity.com/ideasintoaction/) The downloadable version of The Ideas Into Action Summit is now available. Use the coupon code independence to can get it for 30% off now until July 5th Learn more here (https://sspuniversity.com/ideasintoaction/). Our Partners https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b9f98e30-82d3-4781-8400-880c6dc8086f/2gtm0QVk.png Get The Book For Free (https://discoverpraxis.com/schoolsuckspodcast/) Please Support School Sucks School Sucks was one of the longest running liberty-minded podcasts on the web, and the only one completely devoted to the issue of education (versus public school and college). Your support keeps the show alive, which keeps us at the top of the options for education podcasts and leads to new people discovering our work. Please help us continue to spread this important message further! One-Time Donation Options:Paypal/Venmo Crypto Addresses:DASH XcZfPP6GZGVo9VKViNBVJZja5JVxZDB229ETHEREUM 0x3c5504CE3401C028832173506fa30BD4db4b7D35LITECOIN LKNp24f5wwvZ2QzeDbvxXgBxyVwi1yXnu2BITCOIN 1KhwY836cfSGCK5aaGFv8Q7PHMgghFJn1UBITCOIN CASH 1AmqLVxjw3Lp9KT5ckfvsqfN2Hn3B1hCWSZCASH t1by1ZGJ63LoLSjXy27ooJtipf4wMr7qbu4 Recurring Options: Support Us On PATREONYou support our mission, and you want to help us continue to reach new people with our message and media. Your contribution helps us maintain presence, and to further build the legacy of School Sucks Project. And please bookmark and use this link for your Amazon shopping: Shop With Us Our Private Community: https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b9f98e30-82d3-4781-8400-880c6dc8086f/fNnDUPqb.png Visit The Uni-iversity (https://sspuniversity.com/) Originally Released March 25th, 2018 As “[PODCAST] #551: What It Means To Be Educated – Blake Boles"

Guest  Blake Boles Official Bio: (From his website.) Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures and the author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?, The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. He hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast and has delivered over 75 presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups. Blake and his work have appeared on The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, TEDx, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR affiliate radio, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. https://www.blakeboles.com https://twitter.com/blakeboles Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School? | Blake Boles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjMdjO4NNs   Show Notes Jenna begins by stating that as her own children move into their teen years she finds it more challenging to find meaningful learning activities that will hold their interest. This is why she is excited to talk today with her guest Blake Boles. He has spent more than a decade working with teens while hosting an ‘Unschool Adventure Camp.' He is also the author of the following books:  ‘Why are you still sending your kids to school?',  ‘The art of self-directed learning'   ‘Better than college: How to build a successful life without a four year degree.'  He has contributed to many other publications as well.   Blake is the host of the Offtrail Learning Podcast and has given over 75 presentations to Alternative schools, educational conferences and parent groups.  He has been featured in:  The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal.  Jenna says she is excited to share Blake's perspective on how to best support our teens quest for more autonomy and real world experiences. They will touch on mentorship and networking. Blake even shares a simple email structure that our kids can follow to connect with professionals in the fields that interest them. They also discuss the pushback that homeschoolers are receiving from experts who would like to see substantial regulatory practice here in the US for homeschooling families. At the end of the podcast Jenna says they will daydream a bit about the possibility of bringing adventure and challenges to communities all over the globe for our unschoolers. Perhaps it will inspire you to create one. Jenna hopes so!  Before we begin, Jenna wants listeners to know that she is still doing a book give-away. Just leave your review on Apple Podcasts, then email her and give her the screen-name you left the review under. She will put your name in a hat. (Yes, this is how it's done!) The winner will win Blake Boles' book ‘Why are you still sending your kids to school?' For every five reviews, she will give away one copy of the book. Also, if you would like to join Jenna on the podcast to discuss any of the topics discussed on previous shows, you can be a co-host! Please reach out if you are interested! Lastly, Jenna says that the podcast has been so critical in helping her find community and learn, but she is looking for even more ways to connect with everyone. Sharing our stories and experiences really helps contribute to our personal growth. She is very thankful for those who have already reached out via email, voicemail and Zoom. She is looking for new ways to connect, form friendships, ask questions on a regular basis, read books together and discuss them. As she continues to find new resources she would really like to connect with you.  LINK TO SURVEY: GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK HERE Jenna welcomes Blake to the podcast. She mentions that she just finished reading his book and wishes she had read it earlier in her journey to unschooling. She says there is just so much value in it regardless of whether you are alternative schooling or not. She feels that all parents should have a copy on their shelves. It offers so many perspectives on parenting and education. It is the first book she has read in which an author specifically states that remaining open and non-dogmatic are important to unschooling. Something Jenna whole-heartedly agrees with and has talked about on the show before. She shares a quote from the book. “I encourage you to fly no flag. Don't join the Unschoolers and never look back. Instead, pledge allegiance to the young person in your charge. Familiarize yourself with the full spectrum of options. Whenever you feel like you've found the answer to your kid's educational needs, add the words ‘for now.' Jenna says she felt that in her bones. Her children are very different people, they have completely different needs. She feels that it's so important to stay tuned in to each of them and their needs ‘right now.' Blake responds and says that as even two siblings can be very different, a single child can be radically different between now and a few years from now. He feels that to embrace one pet educational philosophy or dogma and believe that it is the ONLY way forward is a bit short-sighted.  Jenna agrees and mentions that her own children have been in many educational environments over the years. Public school, private school, alternative schools and unschooling. As they have changed, their needs have changed. She asks Blake about what brought him to unschooling in the first place.    Blake states that he grew up in California and attended public school. He was good in school and enjoyed reading in his spare time and was ready for the internet when it came along. After High School he was interested in a career as a research scientist but realized that he wasn't very interested in the subjects required for the degree (math & physics) also he stumbled onto the work of John Taylor Gatto . In an elective class about creating educational television. The instructor thought it would be more beneficial to read Mr. Gatto's book, ‘A Different Kind of Teacher' on alternative education, rather than to continue discussing how to make educational commercials. He went on to study more and more about self-directed and alternative schooling. He then went on to leave his science major and create his own major in Alternative Education at UCLA Berkeley.           Jenna says that she has now met several people who created their own degrees and is surprised that before that, she never even knew this was possible.  Blake says that universities don't advertise it but if you look into the interdisciplinary studies department you can advocate for yourself. There are also universities out there that let everyone create their own degree. He gives the example of Prescott College.   Jenna mentions that this is near her in Arizona. Then she goes on to ask Blake about making the transition from the play-based learning of younger children to pre-teen years when kids begin to form goals and make plans for the future. How can parents guide them as peers begin to be more and more important. She mentions that on page 12 of Blake's book he talks about schools being a place where kids are doing so many things that don't really matter. She wonders, what IS a good use of their time?    Blake says that is a good question. For one kid it might be sewing for instance, but for another that may be irrelevant. Schools can't give kids that kind of individual attention. There are so many options, outdoor education is a good place to start. For him this was transformative. Just getting out of his usual environment. He says that when he was in fifth grade he went to an outdoor education camp where they learned about plants, animals and other biology focused subjects. The best part was that it was like going to summer camp. He was super engaged. Then when he was fourteen he traveled to Chili with other students for a Spanish immersion experience and stayed with a host family for a month.This put him into a real world learning environment. Camps and travel can be very engaging and rewarding. This is why he decided to start a travel company for teens. “Fundamentally, what teenagers and adolescents want is adventures, they don't want to sit around being bored or being lectured to.” He goes on to quote Maria Montessori  , “We cannot treat adolescents the same way that we treat younger kids, they want engagement, they want rules that make sense.” He says that instead of kids going to summer camp for three months and school for nine, it should be flipped. Maybe for the three month period (not summer when it's more fun to be outdoors.) kids could concentrate on the three Rs. (reading, writing, arithmetic) if that is even necessary and spend the other nine months engaged in more immersive experiences.  Jenna shares her experience in her own self-directed path as a teen, when at nineteen she decided after one year of college to take a break and travel to Germany to work as an aupair. She did her own research, found a family to work for and with her parents blessing, she went off on a grand adventure. Learning a new language, culture and how to live independently in a foreign country. Even though she created this experience for herself she struggles to find ways to create experiences for her kids within a group of their peers.  Blake says that yes, even though we have many advantages in the US, most camps and such are often just in the summer and can be expensive. It can be hard to find other parents who can coordinate their schedules as well.  Jenna points out that some camps are just too far away or too expensive and that she needs to find a way to make this easier. For those unfamiliar with Blake's camps she goes on to explain some of the things he does in his camps. She says she was surprised by some of the simple, yet impactful activities. One such activity was web design which required kids to install Wordpress then create a basic and professional looking website that represented them to the world. They could use this later for many purposes including networking and entrepreneurship. Another activity was building a birdhouse where they could see the results by observing the birds using and enjoying it. Another project was to engage students with other people. By composing emails sending two different letters, one a letter of recommendation and the other a request for an interview with a stranger. This taught the importance of networking and communication skills.  Blake says that all of this requires a facilitator to set up some basic rules and guidelines but could be done by any homeschooling group or Alternative school.     Jenna shares that all of this talk of adventure reminds her of the reality television show The Amazing Race. For instance, all of the challenges that contestants encounter such as doing research beforehand on the language, culture etc. of all the places they go on a world wide race. She thinks this would be a great idea for teens.  Blake is unfamiliar with the show but says that Jenna just gave him a new idea for one of his adventures. He adds other ideas such as putting on a play or competing in a debate team. Those things can engage kids even in a non traditional school setting. He says that he feels these are more like meaningful games than mindless drudgery.      Jenna asks Blake about a term he uses ‘Hard Fun' and asks him to explain it further.  Blake says that young kids can be left to play and learn as they do so, but as they grow they need to broaden what ‘play' means. He gives the example of computer games which can be quite complex and challenging. This is Hard Fun. It involves challenges, teamwork, cooperation and planning. He would encourage other forms of Hard Fun as well such as hiking or mountain climbing.  Jenna says that her own Hard Fun is photography. She says that it might help parents to identify what their own Hard Fun might be. Then they can see how their child's Hard Fun can teach them how to focus and problem solving. Blake mentions that parents might worry about time wasting, but there is a lot of time wasting in traditional education.  Jenna agrees and gives the examples of homework, studying for tests , and extracurricular activities. Another subject she wants more information about is mentorship and apprenticeships as these are things Blake talks about on his many platforms.  Blake states that Peter Gray's theory says that children will mimic adults, but since the world has moved from more manual work to more mental work the idea of mentorship or apprenticeship is much harder to set up. One good resource is YouTube. There are so many videos available to learn about careers.  Jenna says that her son really wants to learn to create video games and is having a hard time connecting with an adult to teach him this from the very beginning to the end. Classes are great but it would be better to observe someone who actually has that job.  Blake says that yes there are great resources out there to learn to program, but it is not the same as observing what it is like to actually be a programmer. He equates it to the time when he thought he wanted to be an astronomer, but when he found out what the daily work was like it wasn't' what he thought it would be. He recommends emailing someone in the field. Not only can kids get their questions answered, they see that they can access the real adult world. It can be so motivating and empowering. It says to them “I can make a difference, I am part of the game.” Jenna says that as a child by sixth grade she was itching to be a part of things. She was already working for her dad at his hardware store. She loved photography and travel and wondered “Why can't I just do that?” Moving on, she suggests they talk about the Harvard Homeschooling Summit  that Blake attended where new severe restrictions to homeschooling were discussed for those in the US.     Blake says that one of the primary speakers was Elizabeth Bartholet, Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Child Advocacy Program Harvard Law School. She talked about how unregulated homeschooling is in the US. While some states such as New York have some guidelines, most do not. Blake believes that after reading the book ‘Educated' by Tara Westover, Professor Bartholet became concerned over what can happen when homeschooling goes awry. This concern is shared by the CRHE - Coalition for responsible home education. This organization is mostly made up of the grown children of radically religious homeschoolers, with rigid enforcement of gender roles, and physical, emotional and mental abuse. Another key speaker was James G.(Jim) Dwyer Professor of Law at William & Mary since 2000, Dwyer teaches family law, children's rights, youth law, trusts & estates, and international law. He is author of ‘Homeschooling: The History and Philosophy of a Controversial Practice'.  Jenna wonders why Blake was invited to this particular conference. Blake says that it is likely because he both interviewed and was interviewed on his and their podcasts. He says it is important to be open to different viewpoints. He goes on to say that there are genuine concerns within homeschooling to be worried about. Especially in regard to ‘parental rights.' Some of the suggestions at the summit were to model after European guidelines, wherein a presumptive ban on homeschooling would occur with parents needing to apply to be an exception to the rule. He says he got some flack for being involved but he understood that when serious, smart people want to restrict homeschooling he needs to listen and try to build bridges.  Jenna expresses her frustration and comments that eliminating homeschooling won't eliminate child abuse.  Blake agrees and says that their argument at the summit was that if a child is not seen by a mandatory reporter (ie, teacher, doctor, nurse, counselor etc.) then there should be at least two visits to a doctor or another mandatory reporter during the year.   Jenna says that that actually makes sense. She notes on the other hand that abuse and trauma oftens happens at school.  Blake agrees and says that that topic was actually discussed at another conference that he attended - The Post Pandemic Future of Homeschooling. He says that you can hear all about both conferences on his Offtrail Learning Podcast. Jenna says that having lived in Germany where homeschooling is not allowed, she sees regulation as a slippery slope. But she is not opposed to having observers checking in on occasion. It just needs to be handled delicately. She then asks Blake what his future plans are with his programs for teens. Blake says that he likes to create things that he himself is interested in and doesn't like to repeat things. He is planning a personal adventure and taking a biking trip around Europe. Then he will be leading an adventure the beginning of 2022 (Jan.- Feb. Now Full) called Humans of Mexico. Six weeks through southern Mexico ending in Mexico City. He says he stole the idea from the Humans of New York photojournalism project. The thirteen teens in the group will be meeting with people on the street, photographing them and interviewing them. They will post their work daily on Instagram. He says he gets his adventure ideas year by year. He mentions that he has contacts in the Patagonia region of South America and would like to make a camp there where they would have full use of an entire hostel. The region is a mecca for hiking and mountain climbing. To keep up to date on his upcoming adventures be sure to subscribe to his newsletter at the bottom of the page on Unschool Adventures.  Jenna says this sounds amazing and as she and her husband both love to travel, this would be something they would want to do as well.  Blake encourages Jenna to start her own adventure group. He says he got started by applying for a trip leader position for a gap year company. But, he didn't get the job. So he asked the director of the company if he would help him start his own company and the man said yes. He said there were not enough of these companies.   Jenna now asks Blake the four questions she likes to ask all of her guests: What are you curious about? Blake says that right now he is engaged in planning his bike tour, finding places to stay etc.  What is your favorite way to learn? Blake says he likes to jump right in with a bit of research, saying “What is the worst that can happen?” For instance if he doesn't have someplace to stay, there are alternatives.  What kind of self-directed learning do you like to do for yourself? Beyond the adventure stuff, he says that he enjoys books and long podcasts.  Is there a book, blog or podcast that you recommend? Blake mentions the Podcast Econtalk with Russ Roberts. Also, a website and app called All Sides , which gives news from the left, right and center with a summary. He likes to use it to stay informed in a non time consuming and balanced way.  Jenna suggests Blake check out Blinkist,  a website and app that allows one to read or listen to a non-fiction book or podcast by getting the key ideas in minutes, not hours. You get a new book every day!  Jenna thanks Blake for being on the podcast and asks him the best way to connect with him. Blake says that the best way is his website. Jenna says the website is like a template for unschooling.             Helpful Resources Mentioned in Today's Show https://www.blakeboles.com Unschool Adventures Off-Trail Learning https://twitter.com/blakeboles Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School? | Blake Boles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjMdjO4NNs  ‘Why are you still sending your kids to school?',  ‘The art of self-directed learning'   ‘Better than college: How to build a successful life without a four year degree.'  John Taylor Gatto ‘A Different Kind of Teacher'  Prescott College Maria Montossori   The Amazing Race Peter Gray YouTube Harvard Homeschooling Summit  Elizabeth Bartholet ‘Educated' by Tara Westover CRHE - Coalition for responsible home education Homeschooling: The History and Philosophy of a Controversial Practice' The Post Pandemic Future of Homeschooling Humans of New York Econtalk Russ Roberts All Sides Blinkist Ways to Connect Join me on the Show! Leave a voicemail! 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

Guest  Philip Mott Philip is a former elementary school teacher who now offers parenting advice for busy and frustrated parents. He and his wife home school their three young children. He's a regular contributor to Fathering Together and First Time Parent Magazine. www.philipmott.com www.fatheringtogether.org https://www.firsttimeparentmagazine.com You can also hear an interview with him on the podcast Front Row Dads. There are two parts:    Part One   https://frontrowdads.com/philip-mott-part-1/     Part Two   https://frontrowdads.com/philip-mott-part-2/ He is interviewed by Living Joyfully With Unschooling on the Exploring Unschooling podcast. View here on YouTube:  SHOW NOTES: In today's episode Jenna and Philip have an open and honest conversation about how each of their households handles things like screen time, bedtime and other common hurdles in unschooling.  Before we begin Jenna reminds listeners that she is always looking for new topics and questions you would like to hear addressed on the podcast. For instance, would you like to hear more from Jenna herself, more experts, other ideas? Also, remember to please leave a review as this helps grow the community.    Jenna begins the interview by asking Philip to explain his journey into self-directed learning.  Philip says that he began reading a lot about child development, student engagement, and why students are not fully engaged. He realized that he was becoming the teacher he himself would not have wanted when he was a student. His experience in school was not a good one which was one reason he wanted to become a teacher himself. At that time he felt he had fallen into an authoritarian role. After doing some reading he began to try to make his classroom more child centered. But he says that the writings of Magda Gerber,  a parent child advocate who founded the  Resources for Infant Educarers usually referred to as RIE, was a great inspiration for him. He found this resource when his child was thirteen months old and followed her advice on letting the child lead in play and learning. He had always followed a self-directed path in his own learning but hadn't made the connection that it would be the same for even very young children. He and his wife were surprised and pleased that a child that young could be so self-directed. This was when they became hooked on self-directed learning and knew that they wanted that for their family.      Jenna notes that she is always surprised at how many educators there are who have an epiphany and says that she can relate to the feeling of becoming that teacher that you don't want to be. She says that it felt uncomfortable and wrong but was brought on by stress and expectations which were out of her control. Philip agrees and says that when he was teaching fifth grade at an online school he was on a team that kept him from implementing some of the things he wanted to try. He did create a program he called ‘Connect' in which he would engage with students in order to build a relationship beyond just academics. He tracked grades during this time and saw that the extra engagement with his students did improve their interest and success in class. But, it still didn't make up for the fact that trying to teach everyone the same thing at the same time was really not working. The curriculum keeps teachers bound to a timeline teaching specific skills at specific times.  Jenna asks if there is in his opinion any time that any one skill MUST be learned. Philip says that it is less about when or even what is absolutely needed to be known or learned, but is much more imperative that the child not be made to feel inadequate if they fail to learn something at the time we expect them to learn it. Even if parents don't criticize or punish their child for not learning a skill, they receive the message of unworthiness from standardized testing, the grading system etc.  Jenna mentions that some teachers put the scores on the board following a test. She wonders if this is supposed to motivate the students. Philip says he wonders if it has become more valuable to beat another person rather than to learn and nurture relationships. He says that some of the philosophical reasoning within racism and feminism can teach about children and learning. He mentions the book ‘For Her Own Good' by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English. The book addresses the wife having no say, and kids often find themselves in the same position. A power over vs power with mentality. Jenna mentions a podcast episode by Brene Brown, where she discusses the Power Over vs Power With paradigm.  Jenna goes on to ask Philip if is familiar with Peter Gray's assertion that language is the only subject that must be learned by age four and does he agree.   Philip says that in his own experience it has been the case that timelines on learning are very individual. He gives the example of his own learning. As he said before he was not a good student even in high school. But, in college he was ready to learn and did well. He supposes that exposure to one's native language would most likely occur naturally.  Jenna says she was speaking with a friend recently and they brought up the fact that as students they didn't learn much about technology as it hadn't been invented yet. Now, everytime new tech comes along they all learn to use it. An example of learning when the need occurs.            Philip mentions that people are even learning things about how things were done ages ago. There are many YouTube channels dedicated to learning skills and tasks of old. Jenna mentions a project in Germany where they've used  period-appropriate tools, materials, and techniques.   Jenna points out that the driving force in self-directed learning is curiosity.    Philip states that within their home school ‘Curiosity is the Curriculum' is their motto. An example he gives of a typical day is this. His kids are really into Pokemon right now. So, they will watch an episode or two and then go downstairs to the basement and act it out. His older son has learned all of the characters, cards, hit points etc. He is using a lot of skills including math. He advises parents to stop and observe what kids are doing and be able to see and recognize that their learning is fun and they are using valuable skills.  Jenna mentions that she has observed her kids especially on excursions and that natural conversations occur that inspire learning. As a teacher she could see the learning but it was very subtle. With her son, his big interest at the moment is video games. He has learned by trying and failing and trying again. As he improved and learned organizational skills as well as the tech, he now shares his skills on Twitch. He learned a lot of soft skills that could one day be applied to a career. Academics she says can be learned and proven, whereas soft skills are more fluid.  Philip agrees that academics have all these benchmarks and soft skills are harder to master. Even though Jenna's son is showing leadership skills, there may be times when he doesn't take a leadership role and that's okay. He goes on to talk about labeling kids. One label he hears a lot is regarding ‘the strong-willed child.' Once you decide your child is strong-willed, you tend to see everything they do through that lens. He wonders how it helps a parent to label a child strong-willed. While they may have been strong-willed yesterday, he believes we should give our loved ones a new chance everyday.          Jenna says this reminds her of a podcast she listened to by Blake Boles interviewing Naomi Fisher on the topic of Nature vs Nurture. Perhaps it is the dynamic between parent and child. For instance maybe the parent is very authoritative and that impacts the child's behavior. It goes both ways and can be very different between children within the same household.  Philip says it is impossible to be the same parent to all of his kids. His kids are very different people.    Jenna mentions that she isn't even the same person around her different groups of friends, so of course it makes sense that it is impossible to parent each child exactly the same way.    Philip says that his wife came back from the store one day and said that she needed to remember what it was like to shop with a three year old. This conversation reminded him that we even tend to label age groups of children. We put expectations of behavior and more on them. He says we need to look at it more individually. This is not A child, this is MY child. She isn't a problem, she is having a problem.    Jenna agrees and says that it might be you that is projecting and actually creating a problem. Everyone has good and bad days.    Philip says we need to not be hard on ourselves as parents, since there are no ‘perfect' parents.    Jenna says that within self-directed learning there is a tendency to strive for peacefulness and avoid conflict at all costs. She asks Philip's thoughts on this.    Philip states that there are only two things in their household that they are firm on. Bedtime and Screen Time. As for bedtime they have ‘room time.' The kids have to spend time in their rooms at night, but there is no requirement as to when they actually go to sleep.    Jenna says that for her, sleep is a number one priority. In her household with her kids, as they are older, and with some experimentation they agreed that everyone would be in bed by 9:30 PM. They don't have to go to sleep, but they need to be quiet.    Philip says he really likes that Jenna discussed her need for sleep with her kids and asked her kids to help her out with that.           Jenna prompts Philip for his thoughts on screen time.     Philip states that he and his wife didn't initially agree on this subject. (She wanted to limit it.) Now that his kids no longer have nap time, this has become Screen Time. They also have another screen time session in the evening. Although it is limited, it has not been a problem. Screens are now part of our culture and kids will most certainly be using them a lot in their futures.    Jenna says she is glad that he and his wife were able to negotiate as it demonstrates what everyone goes through. Parents are hardly ever in complete agreement on every issue. For her family they had years of limited screen time. She says she wouldn't change that because it is impossible to explain to a two or five year old how video games are designed to be addictive. Now that her kids are older, she can discuss it at a higher level. Her son now spends the majority of his time on a screen since his main interests include gaming, tech related everything, 2D animation, 3D modeling, YouTube, Twitch etc. If she sees that he is losing interest in all of the other things he loves such as basketball, rock climbing and swimming, then it would be time to have a conversation with him. She says that one of the superpowers of self-directed parents is that they know their children so well that they notice more when something is off.     Philip discusses the fact that even if a self-directed parent were concerned they wouldn't panic or try to solve the problem on their own. They would as Jenna stated have a conversation with the child and participate together in a solution.    Jenna and Philip wrap up the interview by agreeing that there are so many variables in play. Personalities, ages, etc. There is no rulebook. Parents have to be kind to themselves and their children.   Jenna asks Philip the four questions that she asks all of her guests:    How do you like to learn? Philip says he really likes to learn in tandem with others. Something like an apprenticeship.  What are you curious about? Philip states that he is currently into meal prep and meal planning. Jenna asks if he has resources for that to share. Philip says that he just pulls things from the pantry and experiments.  Do you have any educational resources that you want to share? Philip says that he has found some great courses through Masterclass               Some of the classes he has tried are Graphic Design, Cooking and Guitar Playing.                What is a book, blog or podcast that you recommend? Philip says that Rogue Learner is of course on the list as well as Teacher Tom, an inspiring, friendly and authentic blog about living and learning with preschoolers.    Helpful Resources Mentioned in Today's Show Philip Mott Fathering Together  https://frontrowdads.com/philip-mott-part-1/ https://frontrowdads.com/philip-mott-part-2/ Exploring Unschooling podcast - YouTube Magda Gerber For Her Own Good Brené Brown on Leadership and Power Masterclass Teacher Tom   Ways to Connect Join me on the Show! Leave a voicemail! 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

Ever wonder what a group of unschoolers does with their autonomy in a foreign country? How unschooling truly prepares youth for the future? What the role of an adult is in an unschoolers' journey? Or even why some of us may still be sending our kids to school? In this episode, we dive into these questions and more with our friend Blake Boles, writer, speaker, podcaster and SDE (self-directed education) advocate. Blake shares insights from years of research and direct support of unschooling youth on international adventures with his program Unschooling Adventures. You can find more info on Blake and his work at https://www.blakeboles.com

Blake Boles with Chris Guillebeau talks about how getting rejected led to starting his own business Episode 438: Getting Rejected Led to Starting My Own Business: One Man's Journey to Year-Round Summer Camp by Blake Boles Chris Guillebeau is a New York Times bestselling author and modern-day explorer. He is the author of 5 books and his daily podcast, Side Hustle School, is downloaded more than 2 million times a month. Every summer in Portland, Oregon, Chris hosts the World Domination Summit, a gathering of creative, remarkable people with thousands in attendance. Chris is also the founder of Pioneer Nation, Unconventional Guides, the Travel Hacking Cartel, and numerous other projects. During a lifetime of self-employment that included a four-year commitment as a volunteer executive in West Africa, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. The original post is located here: https://chrisguillebeau.com/blake-boles/  Laika's platform builds and automates compliance for standards like SOC 2 and HIPAA, with hands-on expertise each step of the way. OSD listeners get 20% off when joining at Heylaika.com/osd  Visit Me Online at OLDPodcast.com  Interested in advertising on the show? Visit https://www.advertisecast.com/OptimalStartUpDaily Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blake Boles with Chris Guillebeau talks about how getting rejected led to starting his own business Episode 438: Getting Rejected Led to Starting My Own Business: One Man's Journey to Year-Round Summer Camp by Blake Boles Chris Guillebeau is a New York Times bestselling author and modern-day explorer. He is the author of 5 books and his daily podcast, Side Hustle School, is downloaded more than 2 million times a month. Every summer in Portland, Oregon, Chris hosts the World Domination Summit, a gathering of creative, remarkable people with thousands in attendance. Chris is also the founder of Pioneer Nation, Unconventional Guides, the Travel Hacking Cartel, and numerous other projects. During a lifetime of self-employment that included a four-year commitment as a volunteer executive in West Africa, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. The original post is located here: https://chrisguillebeau.com/blake-boles/  Laika's platform builds and automates compliance for standards like SOC 2 and HIPAA, with hands-on expertise each step of the way. OSD listeners get 20% off when joining at Heylaika.com/osd  Visit Me Online at OLDPodcast.com  Interested in advertising on the show? Visit https://www.advertisecast.com/OptimalStartUpDaily Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This interview did not go the way I expected – in the most delightful way imaginable. We wound up discussing the power of travel in a teen's life! Super fun. Blake Boles is the Founder and Director of Unschool Adventures, and he's written several helpful books including his most recent title, https://www.blakeboles.com/y/ (“Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?”) He also hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast and has delivered dozens of presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups. Studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley in 2013, he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace Llewellyn, and other alternative education pioneers. Deeply inspired by the philosophy of unschooling, Blake custom-designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory. After graduating, he joined the Not Back to School Camp community and began writing and speaking widely on the subject of self-directed learning.  His biggest passion is sharing his enthusiasm and experience with young adults who are blazing their own trails through life. You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/ (http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/) Resources: https://www.blakeboles.com/ (blakeboles.com) https://www.unschooladventures.com/ (unschooladventures.com) Read: https://www.blakeboles.com/y/ (“Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?”) Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to https://bravewriter.com/getting-started (bravewriter.com/getting-started) Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we're doing in 2021 and you'll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz (http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz) Connect with Julie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliebravewriter/ (instagram.com/juliebravewriter) Twitter: http://twitter.com/bravewriter (twitter.com/bravewriter) Facebook: http://facebook.com/bravewriter (facebook.com/bravewriter) -- Brave Writer is produced by http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Mainstream schooling has been the norm for so many years that most people don't question it. School is accepted as the only place where children can learn.​But how true is this? ​Did your child need to go to school to learn to walk and talk? It's widely accepted that the steepest learning curve of any human's life happens in the first few years of life before school enters their life. So why do we accept the idea that after this age, children need to be in a school or they can't and won't learn?​Blake Boles fervently refutes this idea. Having discovered the concept of self-directed learning when studying at UC Berkeley, he has become a passionate advocate for the profound benefits of self-directed learning. He “believes that a surprising number of kids don't need school to become happy, competent, and successful adults”, and has become a real champion for the cause of alternative education. An acclaimed speaker and educator, Blake has a wealth of experience and wisdom that he is bringing to inspire you and to help you understand and trust the process of self-directed learning for your own children.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:inspirEd MagazineinspirEd EventsMailing listYou Tube

Greetings! I am excited to bring you a fun and provocative conversation on play today with friend and colleague Zovig Garboushian. Our conversation ranges over art installations in two of our favorite cities; what fun really is; and how play helps us get a larger picture of our lives and ourselves… Zovig has helped me through some pretty challenging places in my own life. Connect with her by going to http://boldnessablazecoaching.com (which I know you'll want to do once you listen : ) More links just below. Join us! Key Links… Find Zovig at http://boldnessablazecoaching.com Click the following link to read about The Gates, an amazing art installation in New York City…https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gates#:~:text=The%20Gates%20were%20a%20group,Park%20in%20New%20York%20City. Click the following link to read about The Net, an amazing art installation in Boston…https://www.wbur.org/news/2015/05/05/janet-echelman-rose-kennedy-greenway Click the following link for episode 264, my conversation with Blake Boles…https://weturnedoutokay.com/264 Because my website is busted – click here to find out more about that, https://bit.ly/KisMovingAlsoFreePlaybook – I'm not posting show notes there… Click https://bit.ly/K2essays to sign up for my free weekly essays delivered right into your inbox with gratitude, and zero spam Exciting news! I am giving away my formerly-subscription-only We Turned Out Okay Playbook digital copy, each and every month starting now throughout 2022, to everyone who is signed up for my essays! That's a $50 value – as my friend Andres says, "that's no Netflix subscription, that's an investment" – and you can get it free each and every month. Click here (https://bit.ly/KisMovingAlsoFreePlaybook) to learn more, and click here (https://bit.ly/K2essays) to sign up.… The two links are clunky I know, but necessary with the busted website. Find the podcast and every back episode in these places, or wherever you get podcasts… Apple Podcasts… http://bit.ly/WTOOApple Spotify… http://bit.ly/WTOOSpotify Stitcher Podcasts… http://bit.ly/WTOOStitcher With Love, K Karen Lock Kolp M.Ed. (I am sometimes called Kay, short for Kay Squared because I'm multidimensional : ) Executive, Leadership, and Play Coach Host of the We Turned Out Okay Podcast, helping parents – and former children – walk their best path (not the one that somebody else thinks they should be on)     The quote I live by: "Play is the highest form of research." – Albert Einstein

Guest  Vincent Pugliesi   Vincent is the founder of the Total Life Freedom Community. Living a life of freedom is of huge importance to Vincent and his wife Elizabeth. They homeschool their three boys, and believe that having control of your time, your money, and the work you do, leads to the ultimate life freedom. While teaching others to do the same, the movement of Total Life Freedom was born.   https://totallifefreedom.com Instagram @totallifefreedom1 Intro   Hey Everyone, welcome back to the Rogue Learner podcast. I have had a little break from publishing and I'm really grateful for you all having patience while I figure out my new rhythm here in the States. I don't know if I've said it before on the show, but my husband is still in Europe and will be joining us later in the year so the time I once had to allocate to the show is reduced to very little, especially now that things are opening back up and my kids have access to so many places and clubs that were once closed due to Covid-19. I'd like to start by thanking you all for being so supportive and kind as I transition into our new normal. I am confident I can continue publishing great episodes, in fact I've spent the last week interviewing more amazing guests, but I do think the frequency of my publishing will slow at least until my husband joins us. For now, I'll commit to one great interview a month, with the hope that I can do even more than that.    Some listeners have reached out to me to ask how they can support the show and I appreciate you wanting to help out. The show does cost money to produce, but I'd like to keep the information free to anyone who needs it. Still, if you like the show, get value from it, and have the means to support it monetarily, you can now do so by clicking the “Support Rogue Learner” link either in the show notes or from my profile on Instagram. I am eternally grateful for anyone who makes a contribution. The money will go directly back into paying for the domain, hosting, podcast distribution service and Adobe Audition subscription.    Another way to support the way if you provide a service to other homeschooling families is by advertising on the Rogue Learner website or adding a paid listing to the directory. You'll find the link in the show notes or in my Instagram profiles. Thank you!    Also, as a thank you from me t o you I always have a book giveaway going on. If you leave a written review on Apple (which you can do through iTunes btw even if you don't have an iPhone) and then send me a quick email with your screen name, you could win a copy of a book related to SDE. For every 5 reviews, I'll be giving away two new books, “Raising Free People; Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work” by Akilah Richards and “Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?” by Blake Boles. Head on over to Apple Podcasts to leave an honest written review and get a chance to win one of these books!   I'm really excited to introduce today's guest. Vincent Pugliese is an entrepreneur who began his career in a very self-directed manner. Feeling as though he had no options in his 20's and no clear direction, he took up his father's advice to take on a photography class. In his story, you'll hear how he went from completely apathetic toward learning to deeply passionate about sports photography. What I find most incredible about him is that he is now using that knowledge he acquired regarding how people learn with his own three boys. I'm so thrilled that he took the time to chat with me and I think you'll feel the same way I did by the end of our conversation: motivated and inspired! And now, here is my interview with Vincent Pugliese from Total Life Freedom.  Show Notes   Jenna begins by welcoming Vincent to the show and thanking him for talking about his homeschooling experiences on the ChooseFI podcast, because it really inspired her to think more critically about the option to do the same for her kids.    Vincent says they are currently moving from Pennsylvania to Florida and they're able to do that based on the flexibility of their jobs and homeschooling. He says the kids started out going to traditional schools, but he and his wife didn't like that they didn't get to spend much time with their kids. They believe in following kids interests and focusing on learning, problem solving and entrepreneurship vs. a curriculum.    Jenna asks what sort of business ventures his kids are into right now. Vincent says his oldest son has always loved bugs. One day when they were playing baseball, his son said he didn't want to play anymore. While he was waiting on the sidelines, he caught a snake and everyone grew really interested in the snake and his son started teaching them about the snake. Vincent remembers at this moment that his son really stood out - he was unique. Everyone else was playing baseball and wearing the same uniform. It made him interesting because he was following his passion and interests.    His son ended up turning his love for bugs into a little business where he teaches people about his tarantula and lets them hold it  and collects tips. His middle son makes balloon animals for kids. They just got hired for a kids birthday party.    Vincent says his kids are learning how to be adults and doing adult things now. He doesn't really understand why we make kids wait until they're 22  years old before we let them start acting like “adults.”   Jenna jokingly says she's in the wrong profession! Vincent follows up saying his kids are being paid $200 for doing a 2-hour birthday party. Someone told his son that he'll be able to pay for college with all those earnings or not have to go to college at all!    Jenna adds that there's so much being gained by the kids working on their business ventures, but the communication skills are definitely being sharpened. She remembers having difficulty in her youth talking with adults, mostly because of a lack of confidence. She thinks she missed out on really valuable learning opportunities by not engaging with adults.    Vincent says the boys are motivated on their own to earn more money and get more customers. Vincent stresses to his boys that it's not about them, that it's about bringing value to others. Each client should walk away feeling happy and fulfilled in some way, whether that be a child with a balloon animal or an adult overcoming their fear of tarantulas and holding one. Building a good business is all about adding value to other people's lives.    Jenna asks Vincent to tell about his journey into each of his careers. Vincent's journey was very self directed and did not follow a traditional path. Additionally, he did not feel successful in public school. Vincent is a business coach today, and he tells his mastermind classes that they have to be okay having no road map. Of course, at the beginning, there may be some critical steps that everyone will need to take but at some point you'll need to become a problem solver,  innovator, and trailblazer.  Entrepreneurs are okay with failure. They learn from it. Vincent says he was always good at this in his youth.    His father suggested, one very late night, for him to try sports photography as a career. Vincent thought, “I've got nothing to lose” so he went ahead and began taking steps toward that career. Part of his training led him back to the classroom (college) and he was the best in his class. He was the best in his class - he wondered, how can I go from worst in class to best in class? He thinks it's because he had a real passion for it - he could see himself doing that job and thriving in it.    Jenna says that it's important to note that parents generally have some concern over whether or not  their child will ever choose a career path, but it does happen for everyone at some point. There will be something that comes into an unschoolers life at some point that motivates the young person to set goals and accomplish them. Don't worry. They will figure it out.    Vincent says he has listeners of his podcast Total Life Freedom, that reach out to him at age 33 and did exactly what they were supposed to do, followed a traditional path, and are miserable in their job. They may have a beautiful house, car, kids, etc but they hate what they do and don't know how to get out of it.    Vincent says unless his kids absolutely always love what they're doing, he hopes they will evolve and change their careers. Through new endeavors, you learn new life skills, communication skills, and business skills. He and his wife's “graduation criteria” revolves around financial goals because ultimately that's what will give them the foundation to lean into a career that they're passionate about. He doesn't want them to be so far in debt with student loans and such that they find themselves stuck, as he so often sees with his clients. Financial wisdom and emotional intelligence will allow you to do anything in life.    Jenna adds that many kids in elementary and secondary school lack the time and possibly resources to dive deep into various interests and passions which robs them of self-discovery. By the time they're of age to start thinking of their careers, they simply lack the experience and self awareness needed to decide on a path. Additionally, Jenna argues that living life provides you with real learning experiences that help you to better understand what it is you like doing and exposes children to so many types of ideas, subjects, passions, etc. Schools can't offer that in the same way - it's not flexible enough to accommodate each student in that way.    Vincent adds that compartmentalizing learning is not how the real world functions. His son, as an example, is really into tanks and building small versions of them and sells them. Through that one interest, he's learned about WWII, engineering, and commerce.    Jenna asks Vincent to tell us what happened after he got started in his photography career. Vincent went on to cover the Super Bowl, World Series, NHL championships and was awarded International Sports Photographer of the Year by Pictures of the Year International in 2003. His work has been published in nearly every newspaper around the globe. He eventually moved to Indiana where he met his wife, Elizabeth and they both began working for a small newspaper there. Although he really loved his job and won many awards for his work, he didn't enjoy having his schedule dictated by an employer. He wasn't earning much money when his wife became pregnant with their first child so Vincent decided they needed to have their own business. His dad gave him some great advice once again. He told him that he had a skill that he wasn't using. He was really good at photography and could be controlling his schedule and income but instead, he told Vincent he thought he was settling out for $15/hr and benefits.    He called his wife and told her they were going to start a wedding photography business. He says the first year was awful. Within three and a half years though, they had paid off all their debt, paid off their house and quit their jobs. That's when their life of freedom started. What am I growing, what am I building next, and what am I a beginner in are three important criteria for Vinent in his life.    Jenna says there's a ton of value gained from changing careers and passions throughout our lives and the skills learned from one path will ultimately be used in some way in the future goals and projects of the future. She herself has incorporated her photography business skills and writing skills into her podcasting venture and she continues to use her education background as a foundation for each of her endeavors as well. Jenna's son loves gaming and through gaming he's tried streaming on Twitch, creating a YouTube channel, and now coding. Learning isn't linear, it's more of a meandering stop and go joy ride.    Vincent says it's not talked about enough, this concept of skill stacking. Even if things don't work out, you can pull certain skill sets from one passion to another. Failure is experience. Too many people quit instead of using what they've learned.    Jenna asks Vincent what he thinks his kids would have missed if they had been in school. He says his kids would likely be missing out on being bullied at school. He gets asked, as we all do, about socialization and what he's noticed is that kids who homeschool have no qualms hanging out with kids much older or younger than them. In public schools however, 13 year olds can seem like an idol to a 12 year old, whereas an 11 year old would look like an idiot. He remembers this being the mentality in his own school-aged years.  He doesn't see that in homeschooling. He goes on to add that kids who have similar interests can interact in homeschooling, whereas in school and within a grade level, there may not be the opportunity for that.    School has also given Vincent's family the freedom to travel. They have spent the last 10 years traveling south in the winter and exploring the Southern United States. People have often asked him “Where are the desks?” and “Where do your kids do school?” To that, he says school is everywhere. Life is school. “School” happens whenever you want to learn. When people are willig to see that, the whole world opens up.    Jenna asks Vincent what he would do if one of his boys wanted to go to school. He says they would absolutely support that, in fact they've presented it as an option to try out. Whatever they want to do, they support.    Jenna says she asks because her daughter recently asked to go back to school. Her daughter enjoys the structure and finds the curriculum motivating. She thinks there are definitely people for which school suits.    Vincent says he has ADHD and believes two of his three boys may have it too. He says he never thrived in school. He never liked structure created for him by someone else. Some kids do love direction and structure and thrive in public school though. There should be a choice for kids who don't thrive there though. Some kids end up in detention and are told they're bad kids so having the option to choose a different environment for kids to learn in is vital to them accomplishing their learning goals.    Jenna asks Vincent what the best thing about homeschooling has been for his family. He says for sure it's the relationships; spending time together. Vincent and his family invented the “Beautiful Day Rule” which means that when the skies are blue in Pittsburg, they get their essential work done and then go do whatever they want that day. Recently, he and his son took the day off and stayed in a hotel for the night. They spent the day on paddle boats, at the arcade, swimming, and talking. His son said it was “the best day ever” over and over again. That is the greatest benefit of homeschooling; the relationships.   Helpful Resources Mentioned in Today's Show   Total Life Freedom   Total Life Freedom podcast   Choose FI   Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School by Blake Boles   Raising Free People by Akilah Richards   Anything You Want by Derek Sivers   Your Music and People by Derek Sivers   Discord   Support Rogue Learner   Advertise on Rogue Learner   Leave a Review

Introduction by Blake Boles

2. Yes vs. Hell Yes! by Blake Boles

1. Say Yes More by Blake Boles

3. Build A Failure Resume by Blake Boles

4. Craft A Goal List by Blake Boles

5. Give It A Chance by Blake Boles

6. Diversify Your Online Learning by Blake Boles

7. Email Strangers by Blake Boles

8. Think Urgent vs. Important by Blake Boles

9. Attend To The Basics by Blake Boles

10. Pay Attention To Your Tnaci Monster by Blake Boles

11. Stop Multitasking by Blake Boles

12. Stickk To It by Blake Boles

Conclusion by Blake Boles

What does it mean to be educated? Is school the only place that education happens? Being educated will mean different things to each of you, but no matter what, today, I am urging you to take your education into your own hands.    In this episode, I am breaking down what it means to be educated and why education is not limited to the confines of a classroom. Because it's time to really question this concept of being educated, especially if we assume the purpose of schooling is to become educated.    What We Cover: The purpose of what school really is How to take your education into your own hands The barriers that schools create around learning What it means to be in a flow state Why you need to take more initiative in your education   “If you build the habit of intellectual curiosity and independence early, you will keep evolving even as the world radically changes with technology, you will be able to adapt and succeed.”   Apply to work with Cathleen and The Edvisory team 1:1 as a college counseling or college essay coaching student Looking for a self-guided group program to help you get into college? The Admitted Masterclass Membership is Cathleen's 6 masterclasses to help you level up and stand out in the college admissions process: https://www.admittedmasterclassmembership.com/   Find out more about The Edvisory and working with Cathleen here: https://www.theedvisoryla.com/     Resources Mentioned: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience  Education Revolution: An Alternative Education Resource Organization Book Recommendations on the history of schooling and self directed education: Blake Boles' College Without High School Dr. Peter Gray's Free to Learn Online Classes Coursera EdX   Thanks for listening, and if you like what you've heard, subscribe and listen to The Bold Student Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Don't forget to spread the word by leaving a review or sharing this podcast with your friends!   Follow Cathleen on Instagram @lifeandcollegecoach

Show Notes | Part I   Jenna first discovered Naomi Fisher's work through the Offtrail Learning Podcast hosted by Blake Boles. She then discovered the comprehensive YouTube video produced by The Phoenix Education Trust called The Psychology of Self Directed Learning by Naomi Fisher. Her most recent work, a book she wrote called  ‘Changing Our Minds'  was published in February 2021 and is highly recommended by Jenna as a comprehensive guide to self-directed learning.  Naomi and Jenna had an interview previously that didn't get recorded due to technical difficulties, but there were a few takeaways from having had that experience which relate to education. One of them was that as it is in schools sometimes, having a time constraint created pressure and stress on my brain and made it more likely for me to be careless and inattentive. Jenna compares this to timed tests in school.  We are all fallible and it's important for our kids to see us struggling and then our resiliency through times of stress and discomfort.  Being vulnerable and experiencing failure are something we traditionally try and avoid, but embracing it as part of the experience and congratulating yourself on overcoming those moments of rejection are really critical to demonstrating mastery in something.  Naomi started writing her book without thinking about it ever being published. It was such a niche topic that she wondered if it'd even be read. She decided to write it anyway because she knew the process of writing it would be useful to her anyway - she would learn how to write a book through writing a book. Naomi describes her experience writing the book. She wondered if she needed some sort of course or credentials. Sometimes we think we need specific credentials or permission to start projects, but we really just need to get started. Courses are valuable, yet not essential to getting started.  As her son approached school age, she felt strange about sending her son into the school environment and giving up complete control over how he was talked to, what he did, who he spent his time with, after having been so intentional about that during his first years. Knowing her son's personality and needs, she was worried he wouldn't comply with the group norms, which would have made school quite difficult for her son.  They chose to unschool because their son was opposed to any structured learning.  As her kids got older (ages 7 and 10), she noticed how increasingly difficult it was to meet both of their needs simultaneously since they had completely different interests. Jenna's kids are much the same and they've been using Galileo's online school as a resource to help offer diverse clubs and activities that each of her kids can participate in at their discretion.  Our environment greatly impacts what is essential to learn and priority to learn specific skills. For example, if you move to France, French is most important to learn.  Two ways of self directed learning: interest-led (watercolour painting)  and things you need to learn in your environment (like language). As unschooling parents, it's important to ask ourselves: How can we expand the environment for your child?  Making sure we are giving our children the opportunity to interact in the world and speak with people of varying perspectives, backgrounds and cultures is how unschooling can elevate the educational experience for your family.  Some schools, like Montessori and Waldorf, can actually impose more restrictions than we're aware of and are based on our perceived beliefs about freedom. When you choose a school for its pedagogical beliefs, you're often choosing a lifestyle for the whole family.  When you choose a specific school based on your child's natural interests, learning style and preferred environment, then it can be a great solution. When control becomes visible, then we need to evaluate how we are impeding on our children's freedom and autonomy. How can we move forward in a way that the parents and children are both getting their needs met? School provides us with certain rules and parameters, so for unschooling families,they must determine on their own, which boundaries and rules are going to work best for their lives. It takes time and flexibility.  Autonomy can actually be encouraged by teaching children necessary skills for living in their culture. Cooking is an example Jenna used with her son. He gained autonomy by learning how to cook a variety of foods for himself when he isn't happy with selection at dinner.    Helpful Resources Mentioned in Today's Show   Phoenix Education Trust   Offtrail Learning Podcast   Changing Our Minds by Naomi Fisher   The Psychology of Self Directed Learning by Naomi Fisher Leave a Voicemail Rogue Learner Facebook Group Galileo Online School (use code Rogue Learner for $100 off tuition)   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

In this interview Blake Boles talks about the value of learning over grades as it prepares your child for college and life beyond school. Blake also gives parents two key takeaways from his book “College Without High-School”. Listen to the full episode to hear the transformative conversation with Matt and Blake Boles.

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

Cassidy Younghans is a former public school teacher and one of the founders of the EPIC Life Learning Community in Carrollton, Texas. I first heard Cassidy on Off-Trail Learning with Blake Boles; I was impressed with her enthusiastic advocacy for self-directed education and later with her mission at at EPIC. She joins me to discuss her "I could no longer..." story of leaving public schooling, her path through various forms of alternative education (including Sudbury and Northstar), and the vision and mission of EPIC. And much more. She'll be back soon to talk about Agile Learning Tools. MUSIC: "Shake It Out" Karl Denson "Everybody Is A Star" Fishbone "Shine" The Alchemist   We are now on Locals.com! When you join our Locals community, you'll get immediate access to playlists of all our serial bonus content including The Discomfort Zone, In Pursuit of Utopia, and Picture of the Month Club + all future shows. schoolsucksproject.locals.com/ The downloadable version of The Ideas Into Action Summit is still available, and your admission now grants you access to our exclusive online community. Visit sspuniversity.com/ideasintoaction to learn more about the presenters, topics, bonus materials and encore presentation. Please use the coupon code "myspace" at checkout. Please Support School Sucks We do cool things! Thanks to your support. School Sucks is one of the longest running liberty-minded podcasts on the web, and the only one completely devoted to the issue of education (versus public school and college). Your support keeps the show going and growing, which keeps us at the top of the options for education podcasts and leads to new people discovering our work. Please help us continue to spread this important message further! Before you do anything, please bookmark and use this link for your Amazon shopping: Shop With Us One-Time Donation Options: Paypal/Venmo; Donate DASH Donate ETHEREUM Donate LITECOIN Donate BITCOIN Donate BITCOIN CASH Donate ZCASH Recurring Options: NEW! SubscribeStar Access our personal development bonus show, The Discomfort Zone, and lots of other irreverent and acerbic commentary you've never heard before. Support Us On PATREON Help incentivize our production! Pledge $1 per content item and access dozens of Patron only audios and videos. Join the A/V Club If you're looking for more School Sucks content, the A/V Club option grants you access to a bonus content section with 400+ hours of exclusive audio and video. If you are a regular consumer of our media, please consider making a monthly commitment by selecting the best option for you... A/V Club - Basic Access - $8.00/Month A/V Club - "Advanced" Access - $12.00/Month Sigma Sigma Pi - "Privileged" Access - $16.00/Month   Crypto Addresses: DASH; XcZfPP6GZGVo9VKViNBVJZja5JVxZDB229 ETHEREUM; 0x3c5504CE3401C028832173506fa30BD4db4b7D35 LITECOIN; LKNp24f5wwvZ2QzeDbvxXgBxyVwi1yXnu2 BITCOIN; 1KhwY836cfSGCK5aaGFv8Q7PHMgghFJn1U BITCOIN CASH 1AmqLVxjw3Lp9KT5ckfvsqfN2Hn3B1hCWS ZCASH; t1by1ZGJ63LoLSjXy27ooJtipf4wMr7qbu4

Aaron Eden's mission is to re-humanize how we work, learn, live, and lead. Aaron is Executive Director at the Institute for Applied Tinkering, the parent organization of Brightworks which is consistently listed as one of the most innovative schools in the world. He is also a founding partner at Eliad Group, a transformation design firm, where he works with schools and businesses around the world to shift from command-and-control to co-creation as the basis for purposeful, innovative endeavor. He helps start new schools that are trying to re-humanize education, and help existing ones transform to new paradigms of learning. He also coaches parents and learning facilitators that are working to support Self-Directed Education in non-formal learning environments. Key Takeaways: 1:30 Parents - Reconnect with your Why 10:00 Aaron talks about Adult Power 28:00 Advice to Frustrated Parents 32:40 Two Things to Look for in a School 41:30 Entrepreneurial Enterprise Program 45:05 How do you help students without forcing yourself to be in the process? 52:00 Screen Time, COVID and meeting Learners' Social Needs Health 1:05:02 How do you see College for your kids? Quotes: "I believe every human being should be allowed to do whatever it is they're choosing to do as long as it's not hurting somebody else or them in the very short term." "The most important thing is that we are consistent in our relating with our kids." "I would say the underlying philosophy of all of the work that I do, whether it's in corporate spaces and like high-performance teams and all of that, or kindergarten or graduate school, it's all the same, which is that when we shift from a language of blame and judgment to a language of need and appreciation, we all get more of what we want." "What I think is the beauty of all of this is that the recipe is the same for every challenge, which is to be honest about why we care." "Every kid, every human can choose, how they want to do things and enrich their life." Social Links: Aaron Eden LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmeden/ Twitter- https://twitter.com/edunautics Blog- https://edunautics.com/ Talks Education Reimagined - Accelerating Innovation: Education Disrupted, Education Reimagined online conference, WISE and Salzburg Global Seminar Re-Humanizing Education: Keynote, Inspiration Fest, Goa, 2018 HOMEBOUND PARENTING - Tools for Thriving (Video Playlist) RE-THINKING ADULTING / Self-Directed Education Short Topics (Video Playlist) Interviews Re-Humanizing Education - Off Trail Learning podcast with Blake Boles [audio] Educators Who Inspire Spotlight Series [video]

WHY ARE YOU STILL SENDING YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL What a great honor to interview the one and only Blake Boles to discuss the future of schooling and education This episode is perfect for you if ☑️ You care about your children's future ☑️ You are exploring alternative schooling options ☑️ You want to understand how to be a parent in the 21st-century ☑️ You want to be informed of the latest trends and research in education, career, and life skills ---- Blake Boles is an advocate of and pioneer in Self-Directed Learning He is the author of a number of bestselling books: The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, College Without High School Blake is also sought-after speaker and educator ---- You can watch our interview on my YouTube channel via this link. ---- Give this episode a listen and give your biggest takeaway by sharing this on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Make sure to tag me @AiAddysonZhang and use my hashtag, #ClassroomWithoutWalls --- Do you know that this podcast is also a weekly live streaming show? Every Friday, at 9am PST | noon EST, my guest and I go live on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Twitch to deliver valuable content to you. I highly encourage you to join us live and ask your questions. You will get immediate answers! You can follow my other social media channels: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook ---

Blake Boles is an Experiential Educator who has organized big trips for teenagers through his company Unschool Adventures since 2008. He is a California native and a frequent traveler, hiker, and biker. Blake Boles is the author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. He hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast and has delivered over 75 presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups. Blake and his work have appeared on The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, TEDx, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR affiliate radio, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. In 2003 Blake was studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley when he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace Llewellyn, and other alternative education pioneers. Deeply inspired by the philosophy of unschooling, Blake custom-designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory. After graduating he joined the Not Back to School Camp community and began writing and speaking widely on the subject of self-directed learning. Key Takeaways: 00:11 The Origin of Blake Boles' Self-Directed Education journey. 6:22 Self-Directed Education in Europe 9:14 Meeting parents who have fears on Alternative Education. 13:22 Homeschoolers Unschoolers, and Alternatively School Students getting into the most rigorous and the most elite colleges. 21:50 Options for Students pursuing Alternative Education. 28:34 Community for Students who go for Alternative Education. 35:26 Popularity of Alternative Education due to Pandemic. 41:08 Metaphor that describes Self-Directed Education versus Traditional System. 43:00 What is Blake's ideal trajectory for his future kids considering all his experiences? Quotes: I don't want to say, “be more authentic to sell yourself to top colleges,” no, “be more authentic because that's a meaningful way to go about your education.” You don't need a high school diploma to get into any top private, liberal arts college in the United States. …there's so much destruction that the mechanics of school can wreck upon family relationships. It turns parents into homework cops. It poisons all of the otherwise casual discussion that might exist around a dinner table. Its very hard for me to make to make blanket recommendations about “Is it better to homeschool or unschool or to go to an alternative school?” It really depends upon the time and the place and the opportunities available to that young person and that specific young person's personality and needs. Any venture into the world of alternative education begins with a research process, that both parents and young people should participate in and you go explore, you go meet people, you go knock on doors. And that is really what's going to inform whatever we call that the next right step. You do enjoy this increased level of freedom and autonomy, but you also have to take the responsibility and sometimes, the anxiety that comes with self-employment also. And so that's what being a self-directed learner is like, it's a lot like working for yourself. Social Links: Blake Boles: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakeboles/ Website - https://www.blakeboles.com/

On this month’s PrepTalks, Ned sits down with Blake Boles, Founder and Director of Unschool Adventures and author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School? They talk about how mainstream schooling isn’t for everyone and why parents and educators should support young people in exploring alternative paths grounded in self-directed, experiential learning.Follow Ned on Twitter at @nedjohnson and Blake at @blakeboles.

Blake Boles is a writer, speaker, adventurer, and advocate for self-directed learning. He has spent more than a decade working with unconventionally educated teenagers through the trip-leading company he founded, Unschool Adventures. Today, he shares his insights from his book, Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?   What We Discuss with Blake Boles: His journey from traditional to alternative education Why schools exist the way they do now Why kids shouldn’t be in school How unschooled kids are able to compete when they decide to go to college The characteristics of self-directed learners Different alternative learning options available for parents Why the school system is detrimental to an individual’s long-term health About the Unschooled Adventures program Blake’s writing process and his marketing strategies   To view full show notes, Click Here! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Today we're diving into the spectrum of alternative schooling with Blake Boles! Plenty to discuss, much to pick apart - and as always, mediocre humour is here to make you question listening to my podcast. Enjoy!   Find blake here: https://www.blakeboles.com/   Resources: Video version of podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCndDvY08yZ1ljNtoJ6C9_LA?view_as=subscriber Feedback, queries, anecdotes - send them on through! → itsjjyang@gmail.com Music: cloud lukrembo   Resources mentioned: econ talk red paper clip

I am thrilled to welcome Blake Boles to the podcast. Blake is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, as well as an author, speaker, educator and podcaster. During our conversation, Blake and I discuss the various alternative learning paths and why parents need to learn to release control of their kids’ education in order to build a more authentic relationship. Blake is an expert in the field of self-directed learning and he shares lots of great advice and insights for parents to help their teens find their way to a career and a life that is best for them.Be sure to visit the show notes page for all relevant links and resources.Subscribe today so you don't miss a single episode!