Stories of an Unschooling Family

116: Why it's Important to Allow Kids to Follow Their Passions and Interests

 
This week, I'm discussing the following questions:
Does planning have any place in unschooling?
Can we make attractive planners using Evernote?
Will I continue my Evernote workshop series?
How does balance fit into an unschooling life?
Why is it very important that we let our kids follow their passions and interests?
Is it okay to acknowledge our kids' talents?
Can we praise our kids?
Are we obliged to develop and use our own talents?
Can reality, lifestyle and documentary TV series provide us with lots of wonderful learning experiences?
How do we make homeschool record notes about TV shows we've watched?
 
Show Notes
 
My Evernote workshop series
50 Coloured Evernote Background Note Templates (to download)
Evernote and homeschool record keeping
My unschooling book series
Are We Incomplete Without Our Interests and Passions?
Should Unschooled Kids Live Balanced Lives? 
Unschooling Sausages
The Big Painting Challenge (episodes available on Youtube at time of posting)
Blog posts about The Big Painting Challenge
Imogen Elvis on Youtube
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
 
 

115: Learning During a Crisis

This week, I'm sharing and discussing two stories: Learning From Life and Homeschooling in a Crisis
I'm talking about those times when we don't need to strew because life is rich enough without any help from us. Maybe life is sometimes too rich. We might have a crisis to deal with that prevents us from getting involved with our kids' learning. Should we worry if we can't do all the things we normally do? And what about our homeschool records books? What will we write in them when we're learning from life or homeschooling in a crisis?
 
Show Notes
 
Evernote and homeschool record keeping
My unschooling book series
Imogen Elvis on Youtube
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!

114: All About Strewing

This week, I'm sharing and chatting about two strewing stories: 
Time for Some Strewing
What to Do When Strewing is Rejected
 
I discuss the following questions:
What is strewing?
When do we need to do it?
How do we do it?
And what if our kids reject our strewing?
 
Show Notes
Blog post: Unplanning Notebooks for Strewing and Unschool Record-Keeping
Podcast episode 82: How to Start a Great Art Conversation
Blog post: What Happened When I Strewed a Painting on the Wall
My unschooling book series
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!

113: How Do We Encourage Our Kids to Be Independent Learners?

Have you heard I'm writing an unschooling book? I've been working on it for a very long time but, finally, I'm making progress. While I'm writing and editing, I'm publishing a series of short podcasts, each one based on a blog post from my archive.
This week, I'm sharing and discussing the story Independent Learners, Toast and Heavy Washing Baskets.
 
Show Notes
Leonie's blog: Living Without School
podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Maybe you'd like to read my unschooling book series. I'm publishing bits and pieces of my book-in-progress as blog posts.
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
 

112: Why I'm Not a Good Homeschooling Teacher

This week, I'm sharing and discussing another blog story, Why I'm Not a Good Homeschooling Teacher:
 
Will unschooled children really be prepared for tertiary education (if that's their goal)?
What role do I play in the education of my older teen unschoolers?
How do I record all their learning activities for homeschool registration purposes?
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
 
podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 

111: Critics, Unschooling, and Independent Learners

This week, I'm talking about:
A new podcast series
A blog post series
My unschooling book-in-progress
 
I'm also sharing an unschooling story: Nurturing Independent Learners and chatting about it.
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!

110: An Interview with a Teenage Radical Unschooler

Last week, I was chatting about radical unschooling. This week, I'm interviewing Sophie (16) who is a radical unschooler. If you're unsure about this way of life, perhaps our conversation will reassure you that radical unschoolers aren't wild and irresponsible!
This is a very lively interview. I hope you enjoy it!
In this episode, Sophie and I are chatting about:
her unschooling week
her part-time job
her passions and interests and where she hopes they will lead
the importance of parent-child friendships
how unschoolers are different
siblings and how to avoid rivalry and encourage strong bonds between brothers and sisters
how we can protect our kids without making rules
how she has developed a strong sense of right and wrong
mutual trust
how unschooled kids can be themselves both in front of their friends and when they are with their family 
Sophie's health and exercise challenge
our joint podcasting idea
and lots of other things!
 
Show Notes
 
Sophie's previous podcast episode
Episode 70: Trust, Respect and Love Unconditionally
 
Podcast music 
Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Where you can find us
 
Sue
You'll find lots of unschooling posts in my archive on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You can find me on Instagram at sue_elvis.
 
Imogen Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Symphony which is on her Youtube channel, Imogen Elvis.
You can also find Imogen on her Facebook page, Imogen Elvis. She livestreams with the Team on Thursday mornings, Australian time. 
 And please watch out for a new music video on Wednesday 18th October.
 
Sophie
You can find Sophie on Instagram at Sophie Elvis and The Technomaid.
 
Thank you
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! (Thank you, Samantha, for your recent review. Your very kind words were greatly appreciated!)
 
Would you like to continue the conversation?
Do you have unschooling teenagers? Are they different from most other young people? Do you make rules? And what about exercise? You could join us and accept Sophie's health and exercise challenge! I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. You could stop by my blog and say hello!
 

109: Why You Should Consider Radical Unschooling

This week, I'm discussing radical unschooling.
Do you unschool but don't like the sound of radically unschooling? Maybe you're convinced you'll never do it? If so, I hope to change your mind!
I'm pondering lots of questions including:
 
How did we end up becoming radical unschoolers (when I said we'd never do this)?
Are radical unschooling parents irresponsible? Or are the critics wrong?
How will our kids learn to do the things that are necessary and right if we don't make any rules?
Can anyone radically unschool? Or is radical unschooling associated with only a particular lifestyle?
Can Catholics unschool? 
How do we protect, care for and share our beliefs with our radically unschooled children?
Is it possible to let kids make their own choices and, at the same time, be confident that they will make the right choices?
What could happen if we force our kids to live by our rules?
Is it really okay if kids don't wash their hair and clean their teeth?
What is at the heart of a radical unschooling way of life?
 
Show Notes
 
Blog Posts
Rules, Responsible Parenting and Radical Unschooling
The 'Risky' Business of Trusting Children
How to Live Radically
 
Podcast music 
Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Where you can find us
You'll find lots of unschooling posts in my archive on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis. Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Symphony and her Facebook page Imogen Elvis. Your interest and encouragement are appreciated!
 
Thank you
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Would you like to continue the conversation?
Are you a radical unschooler? Did you make a conscious decision to adopt this way of life or did it happen naturally? If you are apprehensive about going along this pathway, what are your main concerns?  I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. You could stop by my blog and say hello!
 
 

108: How Kids (and Adults) Learn

This week, I'm telling some stories and chatting about how kids and adults learn:
What is the best motivation for learning?
Why do we persist using teaching methods that we know aren't working? Why do we waste our time?
Would more people unschool if there was no such thing as homeschool registration?
What bad habits have adults learnt that get in the way of learning?
Do other people's words have an effect on our inclination to learn?
When our kids are learning to read or spell, could we end up discouraging them instead of helping them?
Should we focus on what our kids can do instead of what they are unable to do?
What do kids need to know?
How do we ensure our kids have all the knowledge they will need for a successful future?
Does our lack of trust hurt our children?
 
Show Notes
 
Blog Posts
How Children Learn According to Sophie
Learning from My Children
Encourage or Discourage?
What Do Children Need to Learn?
Remembering to Trust
 
You'll find lots of unschooling posts in my archive on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis. Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Symphony and her Facebook page Imogen Elvis.
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)

107: Is Unschooling for Everyone?

A note before you listen to this week's episode:
Episode 107 is only a conversation starter. I'm sure my thoughts are incomplete...Sometimes we have to work at jobs that we’d rather not do because we have families to support. My husband Andy was in this situation for many years so I understand how it might not seem possible to resign from such a job to follow a dream. However, perhaps there’s still room in our lives for a little unschooling. We might find a way to use our talents in whatever kind of job we have. Maybe we can watch out for an opportunity to turn down a different pathway. Whatever we do, we need to keep learning and keep striving to be the people we are meant to be… just like our kids.
Yes, this week I'm asking:
Is unschooling for everyone? Can anyone unschool? Should we all, whatever our situations, live an unschooling way of life?
Also:
Why do most of us have a need for 'likes'? Why is our self-worth dependent on the opinions of other people? And is it different for our unschooling kids?
Should parents be friends with their kids? Is it okay for parents to demand obedience? Or does obedience, no questions allowed, destroy the connection between parent and child?
 
Show Notes
Nancy Shuman
Blogs:
The Cloistered Heart
The Breadbox Letters
Book:
The Cloistered Heart
 
 
Imogen Elvis
Youtube
Facebook
The Rains of Castamere music video
 
Podcast
Episode 91: How Unschooling is About Being Connected with Our Kids
 
My blog is Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis. 
 
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)