The Unschool Space

My guest this episode is Naomi Fisher, who I am delighted to have back for a second conversation (see #5 for our previous chat). Naomi is a clinical psychologist, mother of two children who are at a self-directed learning centre, and author of the book Changing our Minds, which is about the importance of choice, autonomy and self-direction in education. Naomi has a new book coming out in June entitled A Different Way to Learn, which looks at how neurodivergent children learn in self-directed environments. Today, among many other things, we talk about how children naturally learn and develop, and why our education system undermines these natural processes. And how a competitive environment focused on content and exams quashes our children’s innate curiosity and motivation. Naomi also shares her thoughts on how parents can best accompany a child who has come out of mainstream school after a difficult time. Find out more about Naomi's work at: https://www.naomifisher.co.uk/You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

Today I'm joined by Sari Gonzàlez and Becka Koritz wholive in Puerto Escondido in Mexico. Becka moved to Mexico from Sweden and Sari from the US, both leaving lives that felt stressed and disconnected. They now run Explora ALC, an agile learning centre. Both Sari and Becka have neurodivergent sons but began their deschooling journeys long before having children, in their search for more fulfilling and joyful lives. We talk about how deschooling is a shedding of all the layers of programming we’ve internalised through our lives, and a reconnection with ourselves beyond fear and trauma. And, they talk about the kind of environment they’ve created in which children’s voices can be genuinely heard and valued. You can find Sari and Becka's work, including their blog, courses, and Radical Learning Talks podcast at www.radical-learning.org Or connect with them on Instagram:  @radical_learningYou can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

Today I’m chatting with Caroline Frances from Ontario. Caroline lives with her husband and two sons who are 7 and 10, and they are just in the second month of their unschooling journey. They had tried different school environments, but found that, in particular for their eldest son, who is diagnosed Autistic with a PDA profile, they needed to find another way to live. Today, among lots of other things, we talk about what a huge job it is to hold space for our children, and how intertwined that is with our own learning and our own alignment. And Caroline shares the things that she is already noticing arising from the space, all the curiosity and the independent learning that’s taking place.You can connect with Caroline on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/iamcarofrances/You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

My guest today is Sarah Rose. Sarah lives in Maine with her husband and her 11-year old daughter. Her family’s journey to unschooling stemmed from their daughter’s illness, which resulted in her leaving school and embarking on a long healing journey at home. We talk today about providing a judgment-free space in which our children feel seen and supported, and the deep inner work we need to undertake in order to do this. We also chat about how uncomfortable a child with their own voice can make people feel, and Sarah shares how she has embraced her daughter’s natural activism and self-advocacy.You can connect with Sarah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/magic.of.unschooling/You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

I’m so delighted to be talking today with Peter Gray, author and research professor at Boston College. Many of you will have read his wonderful book, Free to Learn, or his regular writing for Psychology Today about children, play and learning. Among many things, we talk today about his experience of self-directed education through his son, what self-directed children are doing that makes their learning so different from what happens in schools, what he learned through his research into unschooled children, and his inspiring vision for learning in the future.  You can find Peter Gray's writing at: Peter Gray Ph.D. | Psychology TodayYou can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

My guest today is Lou Westall, who lives in Brighton, in the UK, (though she was travelling in South Africa when we recorded this episode). Lou and her husband have two daughters, who are 6 and 8. They had never considered home education until their eldest daughter began school, and things just didn’t feel quite, particularly regarding the early approach to academic subjects. After deregistering her from school, they spent a while finding their feet, first trying some school at home, then finally reaching an unschooling way of life. We talk today about the importance of community, how living in partnership with our children is a far more joyful approach to life, and how learning naturally occurs. We also talk about the inevitable challenges and triggers that are likely to come up in anyone’s journey. Connect with Lou on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/discovering.wonder/You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

Today, I’m chatting with Ashley Short. who lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two sons, who are 6 and 9. Ashley is a former teacher, and her family came to unschooling during the pandemic, when her son, who had always found the school environment difficult, refused to engage in any school-like work. Among other things, we talk about prioritising relationships above everything, living a slower, more intentional life, and how we can meet everyone’s needs, including of course, our own. I hope you enjoy the conversation. You can connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyasmama/You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

My guest this episode is Amanda Diekman. Amanda lives in North Carolina with her husband and three sons, who are 6, 8 and 10. Amanda’s journey to unschooling started with her 8 year-old who is autistic, PDA and the reality that school was a difficult and traumatic experience for him. Her 10 year old son, who is also autistic later chose also to leave school. We talk about how we can meet the needs of a PDA child, and how essential it is that we leave behind any mainstream ideas about parenting and education that are unlikely to serve us. Amanda talks us through how adopting low demand parenting has helped both her and her son heal, and about how unschooling looks very different according to each child. You can find out more about Amanda's work at https://www.amandadiekman.netConnect with Amanda on Instagram: @lowdemandamandaYou can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

Today’s conversation is with Emma Hosfeld from Illinois. Emma lives with her husband and three children, who are 7, 5 and 4. Emma traces the roots of her journey to unschooling back to when she was pregnant and the sense of disempowerment she felt within the medical system, and the choices she then made for a more empowered birth experience. She describes how unschooling has affected many areas of her life, and how it has given her the confidence to create a lifestyle that feels authentic to her, from leaving her 9-5 job to building a thriving community around her. Among many things, we talk about how children naturally learn, how to tend their needs and our own, and the huge importance of community. You can connect with Emma on Instagram: @emma_hosfeldEmma also publishes her writing at: growwiththem.substack.comYou can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace

Today, I am beyond thrilled to be chatting with Pam Laricchia. Pam lives in Ontario, Canada and has three adult children, who are now 30, 28 and 25, and I came across her website about unschooling, which is called Living Joyfully,  early on in my own journey, when I was still a little shaky. I found her so incredibly warm and reassuring. So, it was such a huge delight to be able to invite her to The Unschool Space and to have this wonderful conversation with her. Pam has written extensively about unschooling, both on her blog, and also in several published books. She also runs a podcast called Exploring Unschooling, and has just begun a new podcast called Living Joyfully. Today, we really talk about what it means to live joyfully and about how the way we live in relationship with others is at the heart of all of this. You can find Pam's work at https://livingjoyfully.caConnect with Pam on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pamlaricchia/You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: @_esther.jonesFacebook:@theunschoolspace