Podcasts about unschool adventures

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

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

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

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)

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!

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!

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. Originally from California, Blake has lived and traveled across the world. His new book is called Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?. His previous books include The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Psychology Today, Fox Business, USA Today, NPR affiliate radio, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. Connect with Blake on LinkedIn and visit blakeboles.com to follow Blake’s work and adventures.Join our new Growth Mindset University group on Facebook and meet other listeners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growthmindsetuniversityThis episode is sponsored by Tonor Microphones.

Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, a company that gives self-directed teens and young adults—mostly unschoolers—an opportunity to explore cities all over the world. Well-known for questioning our traditional approaches to schooling, Blake is a thought-provoking speaker, host of the Off-Trail Learning podcast, and author. His books include The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, College Without High School, and the recently published, Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?. In this episode of Leading Learning, Jeff talks with Blake about key concepts from his latest book related to alternative paths of education in K-12, a particularly relevant topic given the current disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discuss the importance of engagement, self-directed learning, and connection in young learners and how they inevitably impact adult learners. Full show notes available at https://www.leadinglearning.com/episode248. 

Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, a company that gives self-directed teens and young adults—mostly unschoolers—an opportunity to explore cities all over the world. Well-known for questioning our traditional approaches to schooling, Blake is a thought-provoking speaker, host of the Off-Trail Learning podcast, and author. His books include The Art of […] The post Off-Trail and Self-Directed Learning with Blake Boles appeared first on Leading Learning.

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

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://blakeboles.com https://www.facebook.com/blake.boles

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. 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. 2:53 – What is unschooling? 4:21 – Blake’s background 5:30 – Facing biases and assumptions around conventional schooling 8:43 – Parents’ fears 15:31 – Games 18:18 – Alternative ways to develop skills 22:41 – Intrinsic versus external motivation 25:50 – Forcing children to attend school 29:08 – Fear of getting consent from children 31:41 – Considerations for parents Find Blake at: www.BlakeBoles.com As well as his podcast “Off Trail Learning”: www.OffTrailLearning.com/Podcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/Blake.Boles Twitter: www.twitter.com/BlakeBoles Don’t forget to grab your copy of the Amazon bestseller unHidden: A Book For Men and Those Confused by Them. It’s your easy-to-understand at-home guide to Robert’s living unHidden Framework. Get your copy today by visiting www.robertkandell.com/order OR, grab your free audio section of the book if you want to take it for a spin before you buy. And we promise this is NOT like movie trailers where they grab all the best pieces. Unhidden is pure relationship gold https://robertkandell.com/freeaudio Get More of Robert at: www.RobertKandell.com As well as: www.youtube.com/channel/UCA4BLzufNXxgKGUsLVDTnlQ Follows us at: www.facebook.com/robert.kandell www.instagram.com/robert.kandell/ Join the living unhidden Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/unhidden/

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 […]

Today I’m here with Blake Boles talking about teens. Blake is a writer, speaker, and adventurer who founded Unschool Adventures and wrote Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?. We go over self-directed learning, video games, peers, college, and experiences. Get the full show notes here: rachelrainbolt.com/podcast48 Support the Sage Family Podcast here: patreon.com/sagefamily

  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. Originally from California, Blake has lived and traveled across the world. His previous books include The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Psychology Today, Fox Business, USA Today, NPR affiliate radio, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. Visit blakeboles.com to follow Blake’s work and adventures. Self Directed Teens Blake Boles was in University, unsure of which major and path to pursue when he discovered John Taylor Gatto. John Taylor Gatto's critique on the school system led Blake into learning more about unschooling, democratic free schools and self directed learning. Really, Blake had entered the alternative learning rabbit hole. He became convinced that this was much more important than what he had planned to pursue before. He ended up designing his own major at Berkeley University. (He called it Alternative schooling and Science). After graduation he eventually found his way to Not Back To School Camp and became a staff member there. Surrounded by self directed teens, Blake was inspired. He is known for being the go-to person on self directed teens. Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids To School? Blake Boles returns to Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids podcast to talk about his fantastic new book, Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids To School? I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to any parent that is looking at other options than traditional school. This book is not about reforming the public education system. It is a resource for parents that realize that traditional school is no longer working for their child and are ready to try something different. In This Episode Even though this book is not about reforming the public education system, we do discuss public education, the importance it plays for society today (it may not be what you are thinking) and how Blake sees it serving our future world. We also talk about the list of different options that parents have outside of the traditional system and aside from homeschooling. We go further to discuss;   Why there is no one solution that fits all   When alternative methods in learning and education can become dogmatic   Why the burden of proof has been on those that have taken the alternative path   The battle of nature vs nurture and intensive parenting. How much influence do parents really hold over shaping their children's lives?   Why we invest in building up trust with our kids   Our current education situation in the time of COVID. Is this really a boom for homeschooling?   Baby steps to becoming self directed   Blake's 'Model for Life'   If you are a self directed teen, a parent of self directed teens or would like to be one of these, I suggest that you check out the fantastic resources that Blake offers. Books, videos, podcast~you can find these on his website. If you would like to listen to another interview of Blake, you can check out his first appearance on Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids here. Resources Blake Boles Dot Com   Book: Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids To School?   Podcast: Off Trail Learning   John Taylor Gatto   Not Back To School Camp   Grace Llewellyn- The Teenage Liberation Handbook   Jane McGonigal   If you enjoy the show and it has provided value, you can support the show through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids  

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. Check out more about Blake at www.blakeboles.com Join the journey at www.disrupteducation.co --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/disrupt-educ/support

Isaac talks with Blake Boles: author, entrepreneur, and self-directed learning advocate. Blake is the Director of Unschool Adventures, a program to help unschoolers travel the world, and has written several books on education beyond school. He joins Isaac to discuss his own education and career journey and what he's learned along the way.

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, along with hosting the Off-Trail Learning Podcast. Blake joins Lisa to discuss his foray into the world of alternative schooling, and why he sees it has a very viable option in modern-day education. He discusses resources in the field that have inspired and motivated him, the myths of self-directed learning, and ways we can adventure no matter what the circumstances. He gives advice for those thinking about self-directed learning and who may want to go outside the typical boundaries into an alternate path.  “I’ve oriented outside of the school system because that’s where all the magic happened for me.” -Blake Boles Blake Boles  Thanks to our Episode Sponsor: Outschool.com Follow Lisa @lisabl On Instagram @lisabl On Twitter @lisabl On LinkedIn LisaBL.com ARTFUL AGING on Facebook Super U Resources: Super Power U Facebook PageSubscribe and Review to the Super Power U Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play    

In this episode Lars talks with Blake Boles, founder and director of Unschool Adventures, and an author, lecturer and podcaster focusing on self-directed learning and alternatives to school. He has written three books, The Art of Self-Directed Learning (2014), Better than College (2012) and College without High School (2009), and produces the podcast Off-Trail Learning. We met up in Eugene, Oregon for a talk about common and uncommon conceptions about school and learning, what makes kids thrive, homeschooling and unschooling and other alternatives to school, and the importance of nature and what you can learn by going to summer camps as a kid, to mention a few things we get into. Blake has an extensive experience in talking with teenagers and young adults who have gone through alternative routes to higher learning and adult working life, and lectures on this topic regularly across the US (and sometimes elsewhere in the world). Though the ideas and ideal that we discuss here might not be of the kind most commonly held in the US or in Norway, we hope that it might contribute to broadening the perspective on learning and schooling.   Blake’s webpage is https://www.blakeboles.com/ The summer camp that Blake mentions at the beginning of the episode can be found at: https://www.deercrossingcamp.com/ Some book recommendations mentioned in the episode: Grace Llewellyn - The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education (1991) (ps. Blake is working with the author to publish a third edition of this book) Kenneth Danford – Learning is Natural, School is Optional. The North Star Approach to Offering Teens a Head Start on Life (2019) John Holt – How Children Learn (1964), How Children Fail (1967) John Taylor Gatto – Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling (1992) Daniel Greenberg –  Free at last: The Sudbury Valley School (1991) The film mentioned is «Captain Fantastic» (2016), directed by Matt Ross ---------------------------- Logoen vår er laget av Sveinung Sudbø, se hans arbeider på originalkopi.com Musikken er av Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen, se facebooksiden Nygrenda Vev og Dur for mer info. ---------------------------- Takk for at du hører på. Ta kontakt med oss på vår facebookside eller på larsogpaal@gmail.com Det finnes ingen bedre måte å få spredt podkasten vår til flere enn via dere lyttere, så takk om du deler eller forteller andre om oss. Alt godt, hilsen Lars og Pål

Blake Boles is an advocate for self directed learning. He is an author, speaker and podcaster. He is also the director of Unschool Adventures, a one of a kind travel adventure program for self directed teens. The day we chatted I bundled up for the cold Alberta winter while Blake was enjoying the sun in warm New Zealand.  I first learned of Blake through his podcast, Off Trail Learning. Who was this person that speaks so passionately about self directed learning? Yet he never grew up home educated himself?I found his website, watched his videos and came across articles he wrote. I liked his idea of the importance of consent in education and learning. His nomadic lifestyle resonated with me. I knew I wanted to have him on this show. I wanted to hear what he has learned from spending so much time with self directed teens.  On this episode Blake addressed the many questions that I have heard on unschooling and self directed learning. Are self directed teens any different from those that are not? If so, where does this difference come from? What does it mean to "be educated"?  The difference between unschooling, learning and education.  Is unschooling unrealistic?  What is he hearing from unschooled teens that enter formal education?  Is unschooling and self directed learning only accessible to a small minority of families?  What shifts are happening in education and where? I ended the episode asking Blake his advice. What would he say to families that are open to exploring self directed learning? Blake offered many resources and left sage advice even for the skeptics. I am looking forward to hearing more from Blake Boles. Resources:Blakes Website:blakeboles.com Unschool AdventuresAlternative Schools or Self Directed Learning Centres Sudbury Schools NorthStar Liberated Learners Network Village Home Blakes article on the difference between Agile Learning Centres, liberated learners and Sudbury SchoolsSelf Directed Learning and Unschooling Books, Articles and Research Peter Gray: A Survey of Grown Unschoolers John Taylor Gatto Grace Llewellyn The Self Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience Self Determination Theory Alliance For Self Directed Education Drive: Daniel Pink Outliers: The Story of Success- Malcolm Gladwell If you would like to hear more about self directed learning: Why Self Directed Learning is Important: Madison Kanna  

I know it's difficult to imagine your child as a teen or young adult.  But it will happen, and sooner than you think. If you just can't imagine it – if it even makes you a little frightened to think of – today's guest will inspire hope and excitement in you (he did for me : ) Today I'm excited to share a conversation with a guy who works with teenagers to help them achieve their goals, Blake Boles of the Off Trail Learning Podcast, UnschoolAdventures.com, and author of three excellent books for helping teens figure out what they really want out of life. Hope you enjoy this glimpse into the future! Go to weturnedoutokay.com/264 for: Links to Blake's book, podcast, and website (where you can sign up for his newsletter, Update from the Blake-O-Sphere, and which makes me do a little happy dance each time I see it in my inbox) The video of the week: "From Toddler to Teen: What to Expect" And thank you so much for listening! Temper Tantrums and Potty Training: During today's break I share about two helpful free guides I offer. While the podcast is long-form – your opportunity to look into the mind of a child development expert – the free guides are super quick. You can watch the video, read the checklist, and immediately handle the temper tantrums or get started with potty training (depending on which guide you choose : ) Click here for the FREE video and checklist to handle every temper tantrum Click here for the FREE video and checklist to successfully potty train your child Want to receive valuable ideas and tips on parenting, without either free guide above? Click here for my weekly parenting newsletter!

Pat Farenga is a leading unschooling advocate, and the father of three adult unschooled children. He worked closely with unschooling pioneer John Holt on the Growing Without Schooling Magazine, and in the mid-1980s he took over as publisher of GWS and the president of Holt Associates. Today Pat runs the website JohnHoltGWS.com, which archives all the issues of the magazine, plus a variety of unschooling books and resources. He joins me to discuss the history of unschooling (the idea and the movement), his experiences as an unschooling parent, his relationship with John Holt and the language we use to convey our ideas. Pat Discusses The Impact of John Taylor Gatto He met John in 1991 and they became friends. John spoke at several of Pat's conferences. Pat's Personal History of Unschooling He and his wife raised three girls, and while embracing the unschooling philosophy, they left the door into and out school open for them. The embrace was a very gradual process, from idealism about teaching to John Holt's impact on his ideas about learning. The importance of avoiding the creation of an adversarial relationship with school in the minds of children. A Mindset For Unschooling - slowing down, living consciously - The Legend of Zelda teaches reading - appreciation of choice - trying school The Language of Unschooling - We discuss the words we use in relation to branding and outreach. - My discomforting revelation about the low volume of searches for unschooling and deschooling. - John Holt's issue with the words "education" and "educator" - The interesting etymology of the word "Education" and how the meaning was changed The Professional Rejection of John Holt's Ideas - Holt: learning is not the result of teaching; it's the result of the activity of the learners; teaching can be helpful, but the prerequisite is the intrinsic motivation of the learner - Gatto: "professional interest is served by making what is easy to do seem hard" - Escape From Childhood (1974)- advocacy needs and rights of children and the ephebiphobic (fear of young people) response Other Episodes On Unschooling The Relationship Benefits of Unschooling – With Pam Laricchia [PODCAST #557] [PODCAST] #550: Unschool Adventures – Blake Boles (Part 1) [PODCAST] #101: Unschooling Liberty – The Halldorsons and the Unschool Bus 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! Thanks for visiting this page. 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: 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

Sandra Dodd is a world-renown unschooling and natural learning advocate, and the mother of three adult unschooled children. Her website SandraDodd.com is one of the most comprehensive unschooling resources on the internet. She joins me for a fast-paced but fairly comprehensive discussion on her unschooling experiences, influences and philosophy. From Public School Teaching To Unschooling How did Sandra's revelations as a teacher help her embrace unschooling? How Sandra was able able to take ownership over her classroom. John Holt and others informed Sandra's approach to teaching Unschoolers and Reading Sandra share the stories of her three children learning to read, and how there might not always be clear incremental steps. A Mindset For Unschooling - "read a little, try a little, wait a while, watch" - patience - what are we watching for? - addressing problems a discomforts - appreciation of choice and projecting optimism - power-with, instead of power-over relationships, partnership - beware of blindly "supportive" unschooling communities Other Topics - what's the problem with the word "education" - navigating unschooling resources and making connections in the early 1990s - Influences: John Holt and the school reform ideas of the 1960s and 1970s, laboratory "open classroom" schools under the supervision of universities and why the effort to insert this into public schools failed Other Episodes On Unschooling The Relationship Benefits of Unschooling – With Pam Laricchia [PODCAST #557] [PODCAST] #550: Unschool Adventures – Blake Boles (Part 1) [PODCAST] #101: Unschooling Liberty – The Halldorsons and the Unschool Bus 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! Thanks for visiting this page. 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: 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

In this special episode, Zen Zenith interviews Blake Boles about the past, present, and future of Unschool Adventures (unschooladventures.com), including a sneak preview of Blake’s big new program for 17- to 20-year-olds that’s launching in 2019: Independent Adventures. They also discuss Blake’s videos, articles, speaking tour, podcast, and future projects. Visit blakeboles.com to find the blog post that accompanies this episode (“Looking Back / Looking Forward”), and don’t miss Zen’s own podcast, The House Show Show (thehouseshowshow.com).

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. Part Two of Two 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 and I discuss: 1. How to define the current school problem 2. Why Schooling is not the same as education 3. John Taylor Gatto's definition of real education 4. The attributes of an educated person 5. Self-Determination Theory 6. Promising developments in educational alternatives 7. How more people can gain access to alternative education 8. 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 Related Shows: [PODCAST] #544: Peter Gray (Part Three) – A Future of Self-Directed Education [PODCAST] #101: Unschooling Liberty – The Halldorsons and the Unschool Bus FULL PLAYLIST - The Underground History of American Education, by John Taylor Gatto [PODCAST] #504: Unenclosed Children and Self-Directed Learning – With Kerry McDonald [PODCAST] #378: An Introduction To Self-Directed Learning and Living For Teens (with Nick Hazelton) [PODCAST] #511: James Davis – Forced Learning Is Too Dangerous [PODCAST] #513: Building Self Directed Learning Communities (With Diane Murphy) 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! Thanks for visiting this page. 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: 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

Blake Boles builds exciting alternatives to traditional school for self-directed young people. He directs the company Unschool Adventures and is the author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. Part One of Two This show is an introduction to the life and work of Blake Boles, and the next show will be a discussion of this book The Art of Self-Directed Learning. Today Blake and I discuss his background as a successful high school and college student, and how his ideas and career path changed with the discovery of John Taylor Gatto. "It was Gatto who inspired me, at age 21, to leave my own path in the sciences to become a full-time student of (and advocate for) alternative education," Blake says. We then discuss how Gatto's work impacted each of us, Blake through A Different Kind of Teacher and me through Against School. Blake's path of discovery continued; he read the radical school reform literature of the 1960s, the work of Grace Llewellyn and the writing of the Sudbury School Founders. The last was most impactful, as much of it demonstrated the power of intrinsic motivation in learning. Blake then designed his own major at UC Berkeley, focused on self-directed education and alternative schooling. Unschool Adventures Years later, building on this experience, Blake founded Unschool Adventures. Since 2008 the company has run long-term international trips and U.S.-based retreats for self-directed learners ages 14-19+. The goal of these programs is to build the skills, experience, and self-confidence that a young person needs to transition into independent adulthood. From UnschoolAdventures.com: The Unschooling Approach How does the unschooling approach reflect in our trip leadership? We grant participants large degrees of freedom and responsibility in creating their experiences—always within reasonable safety limits. I will also ask Blake if he has rethought the value of college in recent years, referencing two of this books - College Without High School, and then Better Than College. Related Shows: [PODCAST] #544: Peter Gray (Part Three) – A Future of Self-Directed Education [PODCAST] #101: Unschooling Liberty – The Halldorsons and the Unschool Bus FULL PLAYLIST - The Underground History of American Education, by John Taylor Gatto 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! Thanks for visiting this page. 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: 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

Unschooling is more about self-directed learning, finding out what you’re interested in, and going really deep into something. In this episode of Nat Chat, I’m joined by Blake Boles. While in college, Blake stumbled upon a book that really opened his eyes to the world of unschooling, alternative education, and how students could be learning better outside of the traditional systems. Shortly after graduating, he worked in California doing outdoor education and then ran off to South America for three months, where he decided he wanted to work within the alternative education field while also traveling. He then started Unschool Adventures, where he takes students on two-month trips to interesting places around the world. Blake is an excellent guy to follow if you’re into the alternative education and unschooling movement, as well as the digital nomad space. We covered a wide range of topics, including: Alternative educational systems The unschooling movement and its goals Finding the motivation to leave the traditional school system Fixing the existing school systems The importance of self-directed learning Turning your passions into a career And much more. Please enjoy, and reach out to Blake on his website! If you enjoyed this episode and the bits on turning your passion into a career, you’ll like my episode with Tasha Meys, where we talk about that and more. If you want more on the schooling system, be sure to listen to my episode with William Deresiewicz, where we discuss that in-depth.   Find Blake Online: Website Unschool Adventures How to Live Nowhere Mentioned in the show: Unschool Adventures [0:55] Lonely Planet [3:27] Summerhill School [9:05] Astro Camp [9:41] Not Back to School Camp [13:41] Couchsurfing [34:16] Minerva [34:37] (Nat Chat episode with the founder) Liberated Learners [36:49] North Star [36:54] Lord of the Flies [37:53] Arthur Morgan school [40:20] Mooc [43:12] Blakes website [51:44] Blake’s newsletter [51:44] How to Live Nowhere [52:47] Books mentioned: Dumbing Us Down [11:11] A Different Kind of Teacher [11:13] Excellent Sheep [30:15] (Nat’s Notes) (Nat Chat episode) The Art of Self-directed Learning [51:44] (Blake’s other books) People mentioned: John Taylor Gatto [8:04] William Deresiewicz [30:15] (Nat Chat episode) 1:50 - Intro to Blake, some background on what he does, and some information on his business Unschool Adventures, where he takes unschooled teenagers on international trips. Also, how he figures out which places to take his students and some details on what they learn. 5:50 - Why Blake chose to do these trips for a younger crowd and who these students are. 7:06 - How Blake got involved in the unschooling movement, some of his experiences growing up with it, and his education. 11:23 - What Blake did before he started getting into the unschool movement and his transformational travel experience to South America. Also, how he started his lifestyle business and its beginnings. 16:32 - What made Blake choose to get into unschooling compared to other alternative schooling methods and him discussing some of the homeschooling laws in Germany and in the US. 20:11 - Blake’s thoughts on social integration with unschooling and some in-depth information on the social aspect of unschooling. Also, how it can be really beneficial for sociability. 25:11 - Blake's thoughts on whether it requires a certain type of person for unschooling and on whether it could work for every kid. 28:41 - Wealthy students sometimes having it the worst with going to these top schools and the negative aspects of the social pressure that they face with those schools. Blake’s thoughts on changing the existing school systems or whether it’s okay for a certain type of person. Also, the lack of self-efficacy with these traditional compared to unschooled students. 33:00 - Whether or not Blake was always comfortable figuring things out on his own and some of the things that helped him out the most with self-directed learning. 34:29 - Blake's thoughts on other alternative schooling programs and his thoughts on the practical issue that families interested in unschooling face, which is that the parents working often or that there’s only one parent. Also, which alternative school models Blake recommends the most. 39:19 - Whether or not Blake has thought about starting a center modeled after these other effective self-directed learning centers. Also, some of his future plans within the unschooling space. 42:16 - Blake’s ideas for fixing the education problem at the parental level, some more thoughts on how Blake’s parents helped him out regarding education, how parents can help their children more in regards to education, and where he started when he began questioning the education system. 46:37 - Blake detailing the de-schooling process and talking about the transition phases between mentally demanding periods of life. 49:10 - Some last thoughts from Blake and some thoughts on the extreme social comparison that can be made between unschooled students and regular students. 51:44 - Wrap-up and where to find Blake online. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe at https://nateliason.com/podcast Unrestricted travel, in general, is such a great corollary for self-directed learning for having to figure out who you are and what you want to do, because no one’s going to hold your hand or make it easy for you or if they do, they’re going to charge you a bunch of money.

Blake Boles is an author, educator, adventurer who helps young people become more self-directed. He designs and leads life changing trips for teenagers through his company Unschool Adventures. He's also the author of three books, he speaks for alternative school and homeschooling conferences, and his work has appeared on The Huffington Post, New York Times, USA Today, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, and Fox Business. Blake and I share a lot of the same interests as far as self-directed learning, snowboarding, unschooling, adventuring, and just doing and thinking differently in general. I really enjoyed this episode and Blake is an incredible resource for you if you listen to this show! Go and check out his stuff!

Have you ever dreamed of creating a business that will allow you to travel? Blake Boles is a fellow travel enthusiast, nomad + entrepreneur. Blake has combined his love of travel with his passion for outdoor education + adventure through his company, Unschool Adventures. Unschool Adventures takes unschooled teenagers on long-term backpacking trips around the world. It's unconventional company for an unconventional demographic, and it allows Blake to be completely nomadic, while making a living. On this episode, Blake shares where he found his passion for travel, and how he created Unschool Adventures, along with his philosophies on life + travel. Blake is really passionate about inspiring young people + taking teenagers on life-changing trips around the world, and it was awesome to hear his stories about living a nomadic life + traveling with Unschool Adventures. Join our community on Facebook and sign up for updates from our newsletter. This episode is brought to you by Praxis. Praxis is the future of education, a 9-month program with a 6-month apprenticeship at a startup. It is education, without schooling. If you are 17 to 25 and ready to break free of the conventional path, go to discoverpraxis.com The World Wanderers Podcast is also sponsored by italki.com. If you are interested in learning a language and want more than the boring app on your phone go to theworldwanderers.com/italki. You'll get a two for one lesson with a native speaker at amazingly affordable rates. Music credit: bensound.com  

Blake Boles is an author, entrepreneur, and self-directed learning advocate. He's written several books on education beyond school and runs a program to help unschoolers to travel the world. He joins me to discuss his own education and career journey and what he's learned along the way.

World traveler, Not-Back-to-School camp adviser, founder of Unschool Adventures and now author of a new book, Blake Boles will join us this Monday to talk about why he wrote "College Without High School" and how he hopes to inspire teenagers to start their unschooling adventure as well as how he can help homeschooled and unschooled teens to get in to and transition into college.Tune in live this Monday July 29th 10am central time here:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/RelaxedHomeskoolTeenagers and adults can tune in and call with questions: 347-633-9765 or comment on live chat mode. Join us this Monday June 29th online at 10am central time to catch the talk live.Check out Blake's page about his book:http://www.blakeboles.com/cwhs.htmFor more in depth review:http://chicagohomeschoolhabitat.com/?p=550

World traveler, Not-Back-to-School camp adviser, founder of Unschool Adventures and now author of a new book, Blake Boles will join us this Monday to talk about why he wrote "College Without High School" and how he hopes to inspire teenagers to start their unschooling adventure as well as how he can help homeschooled and unschooled teens to get in to and transition into college.Tune in live this Monday July 29th 10am central time here:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/RelaxedHomeskoolTeenagers and adults can tune in and call with questions: 347-633-9765 or comment on live chat mode. Join us this Monday June 29th online at 10am central time to catch the talk live.Check out Blake's page about his book:http://www.blakeboles.com/cwhs.htmFor more in depth review:http://chicagohomeschoolhabitat.com/?p=550

This Monday April 6th at 10am central time you can hear my live interview with Blake Boles and Abbi Miller, two experienced advisers at the much lauded Not Back to School Camp. They also happen to be the globetrekking organizers of Unschool Adventures, planning immersion trips worldwide for untethered teens. Blake is about to publish a book about how to attend college without high school.We will have much to talk about! Unschooling teens and young adults listen in and get an earful of how much fun you can have exploring the big blue room with these fabulous organizers. To talk to our guests call 347-633-9765 or join us in the chat room.

This Monday April 6th at 10am central time you can hear my live interview with Blake Boles and Abbi Miller, two experienced advisers at the much lauded Not Back to School Camp. They also happen to be the globetrekking organizers of Unschool Adventures, planning immersion trips worldwide for untethered teens. Blake is about to publish a book about how to attend college without high school.We will have much to talk about! Unschooling teens and young adults listen in and get an earful of how much fun you can have exploring the big blue room with these fabulous organizers. To talk to our guests call 347-633-9765 or join us in the chat room.