A Passion for Writing
I love writing. It’s one of my passions. And all of my children love writing too. They observe me sitting at the computer with my head down, in a world of my own, tapping away. Then: “Hey! I’ve finished. Read…
Why Unschooling Isn’t Just Another Method of Homeschooling
In my last post, An Unschooling Experiment, I urged anyone who’s unhappy with their present method of homeschooling to give unschooling a go. So as we get into the new year… I’d like to say: Try unschooling. Be courageous. Try…
My Fridge Adventure
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Realising What’s Important
Many years ago, I discovered that a friend of mine never irons her clothes. She doesn’t even own an iron. I thought this was rather strange. Surely clothes need ironing? At the time, I ironed nearly everything. (I didn’t iron…
A Teenager Talks About Unschool Maths
My daughter Sophie hasn’t done any formal maths since she was about 9 or 10 years old. But she does know a lot about this subject. She’s been learning maths in a different way. Several years ago, I said to…
Some Maths to Share on One of Those Tired Mornings
Last Friday morning, I had to take Imogen to an appointment. When I returned home, Sophie and Gemma-Rose were waiting for me, hoping I’d spend some time with them. But what I really wanted to do, after driving to and from town, was sit quietly with a cup of coffee. I looked at the girls’ hopeful faces and then I remembered something. “If you make me a cup of coffee, I’ll have a look for a game we can play…
Comparing Homeschooling Styles: a Child’s View
Sophie and I are strolling up to the village together, arm in arm. Sophie is chattering but my mind is a million miles away… until I hear her say, “Miranda does much more school work than we do.” “What do you mean?” “She knows every language.” “She can’t know every language. Which ones is she learning?” I ask. “French… Greek… and Latin.” “Well, you were learning Latin. You could learn it again, if you want to.” “Miranda learns lots of…
My ‘Bad’ Homeschooling Days
Some years ago I offended a friend. She was telling me about her bad homeschooling day. I should have offered some empathy but I didn’t. Before I could stop myself, I tactlessly suggested the problem might lie with the mother rather than her children. I regretted my words instantly when I saw my friend’s upset face. Later I returned with a huge bunch of flowers and apologised profusely and my friend forgave me and all was put right. So why…
Sharing Jane Eyre
“The cinema is showing Jane Eyre,” says Imogen, her voice full of longing. “Would you and Charlotte like to see it?” I ask. A big smile spreads across Imogen’s face as she answers, “Yes, please!” “You could come with us!” adds Charlotte. I look at the girls’ eager faces. They really want me to go along and I think, “Why not?” I’ve only seen two movies on the big screen in 19 years. I used to be the willing volunteer…
A Doctor’s Waiting Room Education
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Planning the Next Term’s School Work in Half an Hour
Andy is sitting hunched over his computer. He has been there on and off for the past fortnight. Only one more week until the official start to the new school year and Andy is busy writing lesson plans for his primary school class. I don’t envy him. Homeschooling is so much easier. I don’t have to spend weeks planning work for my students. I don’t even have to spend a day. Perhaps I can do it in half an hour.…
Learning From My Children
My children are always eager to learn. “Wow! That looks wonderful. Will you teach me to crochet too? Do you think I could make a blanket like yours?” They always seem willing to have a go. They don’t worry about the possibility of failing. But me? I’m an adult and I’ve learnt a few unfortunate adult habits. I do like to learn new things and I attempt to gain new skills all the time. But sometimes, if someone is watching, and…
Homeschooling Heidi
“Can we have another chapter of Heidi, please Mum?” begs Sophie. It’s the third time I’ve been asked that question today. “If you make me a cup of coffee and get the book ready, I’ll be there in a minute.” The girls rush off. They can’t wait for another instalment of this story. I can’t wait either. I was ten years old the last time I read Heidi. I’ve forgotten most of the details, but I do have one vivid memory. I remember…
How Well Do We Love?
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Unschool: Hair Dye Criticism
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Perfectly Them
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Unschooling: Trust, Autonomy, and The Realities of Learning
The Ladies are Fixing the World again! Cecilie, Sandra and I are discussing the words ‘self-regulation’ and ‘limits’. When we say, “I’ve let go of control, and now I’m waiting for my child to learn how to regulate his time playing video games (for example),” do we have expectations about what that regulation should look like? Do we want…
Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Curiosity, Flexibility, and Trust
I’m a Lady Fixing the World! Cecilie Conrad kindly invited me to join her and Sandra Dodd for Season 2 of her podcastThe Ladies Fixing the World. We recorded our first unschooling conversation together in November 2024 before life got extra-busy with Christmas, and it has just gone live! The audio version. Here’s the audio version: You can also listen…
How Unschoolers Can Deal with Questions and Sceptics
My mother-in-law visited us for the birth of our son, Thomas. After he died and we’d buried him in his tiny white casket, Andy’s mother asked me if we wanted more children. As I replied, “Oh, yes!”, my mother-in-law’s face dropped into a disapproving frown. “She thinks we already have enough kids,” I thought as my defence hackles rose. But…
Igniting a Child’s Love of Learning
Do you wake up each morning with a delicious feeling of anticipation? Do you swing your legs out of bed quickly, anxious to get dressed and move onto the business of the day? Another day of learning with your children stretches ahead… Do you feel excited? Once upon a time, I used to drag myself out of bed and…
Bringing God into the Unschooling Picture
A few months ago, I wrote a post called Why This is the End of the Line for Me. I decided that I’d explored unschooling from every possible angle. What more could I write about? It was time for me to move onto other things. Let my kids tell their own unschooling stories and find something else of my own…