Welcome to the World of Self-Directed Education
by Lisa Renee,The Synapse When I began this home education odyssey, I had read all the requisite inspirational literature regarding the endless possibilities. Examples of exceptional homeschoolers are everywhere — the Colfax family, with their star academic progeny, the national spelling … Continue reading →
(An excerpt from the new book, The Art of Self-Directed Learning, by Blake Boles) Carsie Blanton grew up in rural Virginia where she played on the rolling grassy hills, hunted salamanders, read books, and fiddled around with musical instruments. Seeing … Continue reading →
Reports of autism cases per 1,000 children grew dramatically in the US from 1996 to 2007. Reports of autism have exploded over the past twenty years, leading some to believe that doctors are overdiagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder on a large … Continue reading →
by David Mills If you have read my post (The teacher who dared to step outside the box) and think my experiences as an adult are shocking, imagine what it is like to be a child within this system. Students lie on … Continue reading →
by *protected email*and *protected email* Those who are familiar with alternative education can find many stories of successful learning beyond school. But many young people remain in forced-compliance, factory-model schools. We’re adults who didn’t like school ourselves, and we feel … Continue reading →
by Charles Warcup, Germany I should like to share these remarks as a snapshot of what, as I suspect, mirrors the experience of many people who attended ‘normal’ or relatively normal schools. Why should I do that? The point is, … Continue reading →
MAP’ing the Tipping Point by David Lane In his blog, “Freedom to Learn,” Peter Gray explains an impending educational tipping point: “the point at which everyone knows several families who have left coercive schooling and chosen a path of educational … Continue reading →
by Sophia Tenaglia I first began homeschooling in 2009, right after the end of third grade. Up until that point, I had been enrolled in a really wonderful private Montessori school. (The Montessori method, built on the observation that children … Continue reading →
by Ben Draper We opened the Macomber Center in 2012 as a resource center for self-directed learners. Most of us had come from a democratic school background so naturally some people assumed that we were taking the first steps towards … Continue reading →
by Kerry McDonald My newly-minted one-year-old is learning to walk. Increasingly and more boldly, he will grab a grown-up’s hand and take the lead on where to go. His confidence is building, his hand grips are loosening, his independent … Continue reading →