Virtual Kitchen Table

Erin

We’d like to welcome you to the Virtual Kitchen Table. We are Hayley from Taking a Kinder Path, Erin from Ever Learning and Ashley from Ashley as Mama and Storytime Shelves. We’re gathering to have conversations about family life and home education, most specifically unschooling, which is sometimes known as self-directed education or, as we sometimes refer to it, whole life learning, consent-based education or natural learning. We’ll be sharing experiences and ideas, learning as we go through relaxed conversation. We hope you’ll pull a chair up to the table and join us.

  1. 2 days ago

    What is Unschooling, Part 1: A Framework of Ideas

    Do you ever wonder what unschooling is really about? Or maybe you have a sense of it yourself but wonder how to describe it if asked? This ended up being a very full and nuanced conversation based on the first part of Hayley’s blog post series by the same name. What a joy to speak with Sue Elvis from Stories of an Unschooling Family and reflect about the framework of unschooling in detail based on Hayley’s ideas and our own. We seem to learn as we discuss and think you’ll gain some perspective from this conversation and some fuel for your own realizations.   Resources:   What is Unschooling? Part 1: A Framework of Ideas, Hayley, Taking a Kinder Path Stories of an Unschooling Family Curious Unschoolers, Sue Elvis Radical Unschool Love, Sue Elvis The Unschool Challenge, Sue Elvis Unschooling: A Voyage of Discovery, Episode 31 Unschooling – What’s in a Name, Ever Learning What is Unschooling and How Does it Work? Episode 18 Do We Deserve Joy? Unpacking Perspectives of Joy in Home Education, Episode 8 Ladies Fixing the World podcast  8 Benefits of Learning to Read Later (and taking a more natural approach), Taking a Kinder Path

    3h 14m

  2. 18 May

    Episode 55: Young People Often Do Know What They Don’t Know

    Resources: Episode 54: Parents Can’t Teach Their Children Everything and That’s Okay  Episode 16: Lists or Not: How Do We and Those We Love Keep Organized?

    2h 7m

  3. 29 Apr

    Episode 54: Parents Can’t Teach Their Children Everything and That’s Okay

    This isn’t a criticism of the abilities of home educating parents, but instead reassurance for all parents that there is no need to take all of the things on. Children being taught everything ahead of time isn’t how deep and meaningful learning usually happens. At the same time, it’s not a conversation about “hands-off” parenting — far from it! Instead it’s a reminder of the roles that our presence, relationship and belief in children play as we walk alongside them (and ahead as needed) in their development. In this discussion, we look at the pressure that parents are under to prepare their kids for various stages of childhood and adulthood, as well as the pressure kids feel to live a life of “getting prepared” for future stages. It is neither possible nor necessary. We really enjoyed the directions this topic took us in and hope you will too. Join us as we think it through! Resources:   A Lifetime for Learning – Parents Don’t Need to Offer Everything, Ever Learning Reflecting on the Process of Self-Directed Learning, Ever Learning On Chores, Learning Respect and Such … Is There a Gentler Way? Ever Learning Episode 25: Self-Directed Learning Beyond Academics Episode 52: Does Teaching Have a Place in Self-Directed Education? Why I’m Divesting from Parenting, Fran Liberatore, A Life Unschooled Substack Virtual Kitchen Table Community

    2h 16m

  4. 14 Apr

    Episode 53: The Strength of Stories – Our Own and Our Children’s

    We happily welcomed Pam Laricchia, Anna Brown and Erika Ellis from www.livingjoyfully.ca to discuss the topic of Stories. Pam, Anna and Erika have spoken in depth about the nuances and choices within the stories we tell both ourselves and others.  In this conversation we explore what it is about looking at things through the lens of stories, and the flexibility within those stories, that is so powerful, how the past stories that we carry about ourselves and our children impact the way we see things and show up in our role as parent.  We also talk about how we can support our children in the way they see or tell their stories.   Resources:   Living Joyfully Podcast Exploring Unschooling Podcast Living Joyfully Network Exploring Unschooling Podcast Episode 404: Foundations: Stories Taking a Kinder Path – The Power of Words and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

    2 hr

  5. 18 Mar

    Episode 52: Does Teaching Have a Place in Self-Directed Education or Unschooling?

    We read a Substack article by Esther Jones, Unschooling and the Magic of Teaching and were inspired to peel back the role that teaching might play within self-directed learning and a number of aspects that are related. It turned out to be a very interesting topic and we’d love you to have a listen! Resources:   Unschooling and the Magic of Learning – Esther Jones Substack Unschooling – What’s in a Name? Episode 19: Home Ed Labels and Jargon: Sorting Them Through Homeschool High School Ideas – The Beauty of Mentorships For Teens – Ever Learning Financially Accessible Homeschooling – How Do We Offer our Children an Abundant Life? – Ever Learning

    1hr 57min

  6. 3 Mar

    Episode 51: Nervous System Health and Self-Compassion, Our Own and Our Children’s

    It was really an honour to speak with Linsey Briggs of @unschoolingstanley about a topic she shares so generously about. Her insights were both beautiful and practical. It’s always amazing to see the different angles and experiences each person has and so this was another full conversation. In listening back through our discussion, I was reminded of how closely it fit with what Hayley has always written so much about — compassion for self, our children and others — on her Taking a Kinder Path blog. If you missed Episode 50, which honoured Hayley and discussed some of her work, please go back and listen to the previous episode. And we hope you’ll join us here for this episode’s conversation with Linsey. Resources:   @unschoolingstanley Virtual Kitchen Table Community Virtual Kitchen Table Episode 50: My Journey to Taking a Kinder Path Virtual Kitchen Table Episode 21: Emotional Labour

    2h 37m

  7. 16 Feb

    Episode 50: My Journey to Taking a Kinder Path – In Honour of Hayley

    Oof. This is hard.  This episode is one in which we give the sad news that our wonderful Hayley has passed on.  We also attempt to honour her as best we can by discussing her post, My Journey to Taking a Kinder Path. We’re not sure we’ve ever known someone whose blog name is so perfectly reflective of who they are.  Hayley has endured cancer and cancer treatment for the past year and a half and did so bravely and optimistically. Our hearts are full of love for her family and our thoughts include them often these days.  The sadness we feel, interspersed with the joy we know from having known Hayley, speaks volumes about the value and authenticity of online friendship.  We are immensely grateful that Sue Elvis from Stories of an Unschooling Family joined us for this conversation. It was through Sue that we had the opportunity to know Hayley, and out of a hope for more conversation with Hayley from “across the pond” about  the values we share, that the Virtual Kitchen Table idea was inspired and born.  Today we discuss Hayley’s own road  to the idea of Taking a Kinder Path: For Ourselves, Our Children and the World and relate it to each of our own. There are so many similarities across three different countries and four different families. We’d love you to have a listen.  Sue closes our conversation with these thoughts: “It’s really been an honour to talk about Hayley’s work and so I think we all feel such deep grief for the loss of a friend. I also feel that mingled with that is a sense of joy from her work.  She brought joy and her work will continue bringing joy to people lives, and I think that our conversation today has been mingled up with joy and grief. She can’t help but bring that joy to our lives …  … Thank you Hayley for always turning up and writing the blog post and leaving that fabulous legacy.   We need to keep passing on that message that Hayley was so good at sharing … to be kind, don’t divide,  be respectful and love.” Thank you, Hayley, for your beautiful writing and wisdom that we will continue to share and discuss. And thank you for your friendship. We are grateful.   Resources: My Journey to a Kinder Path  Episode 5, Part 1: Kindness and Unconditional Love – What Do They Have to Do With Unschooling?  Episode 5, Part 2: Kindness and Unconditional Love – What Do They Have to Do With Unschooling?  How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk – Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish Dr. Sears – Attachment Parenting Raising Your Spirited Child – Mary Sheedy Kurcinka

    2h 8m

  8. 12 Jan

    Episode 49: Resentment – Our Feelings Toward Other Homeschool Parents, our Spouses and Children, and How We Can Move Through Them

    Resources:   7 Reasons to Talk to Yourself Out Loud | Psychology Today Canada  On Chores, Learning Respect and Such … Is There a Gentler Way? – Ever Learning Homeschooling High School and Socialization: Not all Teen Community has to be Homeschool Community  – Ever Learning  Basil and Honey Newsletter, The weaving together of our stories – by Anna Hewitt

    2h 35m
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About

We’d like to welcome you to the Virtual Kitchen Table. We are Hayley from Taking a Kinder Path, Erin from Ever Learning and Ashley from Ashley as Mama and Storytime Shelves. We’re gathering to have conversations about family life and home education, most specifically unschooling, which is sometimes known as self-directed education or, as we sometimes refer to it, whole life learning, consent-based education or natural learning. We’ll be sharing experiences and ideas, learning as we go through relaxed conversation. We hope you’ll pull a chair up to the table and join us.

Information

  • Creator
    Erin
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Erin
  • Show Website
    Virtual Kitchen Table