Exploring Unschooling-Part 2
Interview with Canadian unschooling mom, Amy from WorldSchoolAdventures.com
Episode #23 is the 2nd in a 3 Part Series on the subject of ‘unschooling’. Lainie & Miro explore the concept of child-led education. Also in this episode, Miro shares a little about his current interest, Cryptozoology.
“My grandmother wanted me to get a good education, so she kept me as far away from schools as possible.” ~Margaret Mead
This podcast series, which include Episodes #22 #23 and #24, Parts 1-3 called ‘A World of Learning’, explore in greater detail the concept and application of unschooling. In the Part 1, we spoke with Peter Kowalke, an unschooled adult, filmmaker and journalist. He shared with us how unschooling was applied to his childhood and the effects his unschooling experiences have on his life now.
In addition to the the podcasts, you will find a series of articles we are publishing about child-led education on our web site. Here are links to the first few in that series:
Unschooling – Our Genesis
What is Unschooling?
The World is Our Classroom
Shifting the Educational Paradigm
In this podcast episode, Amy from Worldschooladventures.com speaks about her introduction to unschooling and how she’s been able to apply the concept to her son’s education while earning credits through the Canadian Education administration. Amy also shares some of her family’s travel preparations with us.
In a recent blog post, Amy shares her Pre Travel Preparation: A list of all the things we need to do before departure.
Here are the first 6 of 19 and we urge you to visit her site to read the rest:
1. Commit.
2. Finance.
3. Plan a route.
4. Education.
5. Set a date.
6. Vaccinations.
If you’ve been following our podcasts, you will know Miro and I have considered our travels as an opportunity for education. I believe the biggest gift I can give Miro is preparation for his life ahead, the future of a well rounded global citizen, as I believe everything as we know it, is changing, including archaic systems that are no longer working.
“In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” ~Eric Hoffer
We are on an 8 year journey without an itinerary to follow, rather, our inspiration is our guide. Our approach to my education is as fluid as our travels. I am not obligated by a mandated curriculum or the formality of lessons. Rather, my inspiration and virtue of being in the world, open to participating is the inspiration to learn.
“Children are born passionately eager to make as much sense as they can of things around them. If we attempt to control, manipulate, or divert this process, the independent scientist in the child disappears.” ~ John Holt
“There is no one way to unschool.
Unschooling is primarily about process not content. The process of learning, the process of knowing yourself, openness, confidence, self-determination, independent thinking, critical thinking….none of which one gets when following other people’s agenda. Making one’s own agenda is what it is all about. Again this is done not in isolation but in the context of ones family and community.”
~Joel Hawthorne from the article What is Unschooling?
Written by Miro:
I have been Un-schooling for over a year now, and its really working out for me. I have pursued the things that I find interesting, and studying them when I have the time and internet connection.
Cryptozoology is awesome. It’s my current interest. Its all about traveling to new places and discovering new species of creatures. To me, the thrill is the new creatures. I mean, whats not interesting about a half-man half-lizard thing? There are tons of Cryptids (unrecorded creatures) out there. Could you imagine running across a HUGE bat or a 7’ft tall walking carpet? Sure, it would scare the crap out of you, but its so interesting! I have been studying them because its something that I think is interesting. I have read a lot about them and even written a little about cryptids, so please check out my posts. You can find my articles here:
3 Figures From Folklore I Hope We Never Run Into – Part 1
3 Figures From Folklore I Hope We Never Run Into – Part 2
3 Figures From Folklore I Hope We Never Run Into – Part 3
3 Figures From Folklore I Hope We Never Run Into – Part 4I have studied mythology, writing, reading (Duh), and history of the places I have gone to. History is much more interesting when you’re in the places your studying. This is the product of Un-schooling. There are things I have learned just by traveling, like Spanish!
Even when I’m not studying, I am still learning.
“In the end, the secret to learning is so simple: forget about it. Think only about whatever you love. Follow it, do it, dream about it. One day, you will glance up at your collection of Japanese literature, or trip over the solar oven you built, and it will hit you: learning was there all the time, happening by itself.” ~ Grace Llewellyn
Amy From WorldSchoolAdventures.com
Amy from WorldschoolAdventures.com
Amy is a mother, wife, world traveler, and environmentalist. She and her husband are living their dream of raising their two boys as global citizens. Traveling slow with the little ones in tow, and letting the world be their teacher!
http://worldschooladventures.com
Twitter: @worldschooled
Facebook: http://facebook.com/worldschooladventures
Volunteering & Raising Funds
As you know, Miro and I are on an 8 year, around the world journey, volunteering and living as a global citizen. We have hit a new milestone though, Miro has recently turned 12 and we recently entered our 10th country together. Our adventures ARE his classroom and we participate in the world with cultures as a visiting resident, and it’s our pleasure to give back.
We have been on the road with our backpacks as our only possessions, traveling since Miro was 10. Together, we have learned so much about humanity, cultures, language and history.
In the past we have volunteered and have gained so much from our experiences.
Fundacion Arte del Mundo
We have found a wonderful volunteer opportunity in Ecuador, in the city of Baños . In a small country, in a small town near the middle of the world surrounded by volcanoes and a landscape of spectacular beauty, a small group of people are working to create and grow a center of art, language and literature for the community where they live and work.
“To be human is to be imaginative and creative. The members of Fundacion Arte del Mundo recognize the importance of art and literature in the lives of people, especially the lives of children. Art and art-related activities are often the only part of a person’s life where there are no right or wrong answers, where all are equal to create and imagine, where you are encouraged to experiment.”
We are currently raising money for our living expenses while we volunteer here in Ecuador. For 2 months we need only the small sum of $750. If you can contribute even $10 it will help us so much reach our goal. Please donate at gofundme.com, We are so grateful to our supporters for your help.
Podcast #23 Sponsor
The Raising Miro Podcast has new sponsor!
Episode #21 is brought to you by the fabulous folks over at Audible
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Seeking Intentional Community
Miro and Lainie are in South America. They have been reaching out to all of our contacts and asking for references for conscious communities, eco- villages, sustainable farms and volunteer opportunities. Lainie loves working with children, Miro loves working with animals and neither of them have ever worked on a farm, but they’re open to whatever opportunities come their way. Their desire for the first few months of the new year is to participate , volunteer their time and energies. Lainie would really like to be part of an intentional community, one that practices mediation, lives consciously and gives back to the surrounding community, helping to make locals lives a little easier. They are putting it out into the universe and making it known. If you have any suggestions or contacts for us in South America, please don’t hesitate to send off an introduction. They plan on be posting all the organizations they are considering after the beginning of the year so you can participate with their decision making process.
Thank you!
We want to take a moment to thank a few peoplewho have contributed to our travels. Your donations have helped cover our travel expenses and for that, we are so grateful! The people who have contributed to Raising Miro are: Ashley Hansen, Grandpa, Scott Van Pelt, Sashya Amee, Ivan Amador, Heather on Her Travels, Bradford Akerman, Tuan Vutran, Terrance O’Dowd, Eric Hammond, Chip Jacobs, Billy Horn and Sonia Kim. Thank you so much! Your support is heart-felt and much appreciated!
Support Raising Miro!
If you are interested in learning more about ways to support Raising Miro, including donating money or sponsoring our travels please click on this link. If you are interested in finding out about advertising opportunities for our podcasts or website, please on the site, please send a note here or use the donation form in the sidebar.
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Got Questions?
(Like how did Miro get stuck in his chair…) If you have comments or have a question you’d like to have answered in an upcoming podcast, please use send us an email using this contact form. We promise, we answer all of the questions we relieve and we love hearing from you.
Special Thanks
To those of you who have supported us so far on this journey, the donations we’ve received and the wonderful words of encouragement. Thank you all for your comments and feedback, and please keep them coming. Thank you Hanna for giving us a wonderful professional boost with the intro & outro, engineered by Hanna Jakobson, music “Multilayered Timbres” by Dr. Pimp courtesy of CC (creative commons) license.
