Radical Learning Talks Radical Learning

What are the differences between homeschooling and unschooling? And why is it that so many homeschooling kids aren’t thriving? When we leave school behind without also ditching the structures and patterns that make up the schooling experience, it can have some unwanted effects in our kids.



In this episode we explore some important questions for homeschooling & unschooling parents alike:



Who decided what makes up a curriculum?

Who benefits from the conventional school structure, and who dosen’t?

Are you advocating for young people’s voice, choice and agency?

And is what you do consent-based?



Listen to this episode to gauge if there are some adjustments that could be made in your homeschooling approach and also to have a better understanding of why unschooling could potentially be a great option for many homeshooling kids!



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As mentioned in this episode:



- You can find information on our Deeply Deschooling program here:
https://radical-learning.thinkific.com/courses/deeply-deschooling-2024



- Please consider making a donation to support the production of this podcast here:
https://paypal.me/RadicalLearningLLC



- And/or check out more information on our site: www.radical-learning.org

In this episode of Radical Learning Talks, we talk about what culture creation is and why we find it to be one of the most important things to focus on when choosing to walk the unconventional path of Self-Directed Education.

Culture creation is about putting words on what is important for everyone, and consciously embodying those values.

This link is often what’s missing for most people who want to make the paradigm shift from conventional schooling to SDE.

Whether your family is unschooling or you’re running (or thinking about starting) an SDE learning center, it’s crucial to understand WHAT exactly you’re walking away from so that you don’t copy/paste those systems in the new path forward.

Have you ever heard of Not Back to School Camp?

In this sparkling interview, we chat with NBSC-camper Zoe and ex-camper now advisor Christian, about what this intentional space for unschoolers to connect and explore together is all about!

They share stories from previous camp years, the purpose and philosophy of camp, how camp supports youth autonomy and agency and what plays out the weeks that the camps take place in both Oregon and Vermont.

If your unschooling teen is looking to foster deep connection with other young people and lean into their interests and adventure, pull up a chair with them and listen in!

You can find Not Back to School Camp Info & Registration here:
https://www.nbtsc.org

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Sign up for our Free Webinar - Not Back to School:
https://radical-learning.thinkific.com/courses/not-back-to-school

As we celebrate Pride month, join us for this deep and joyful conversation around authenticity and the right to be who we truly are!

We have Cuee in the house: a black trans man and hip hop artist that we got to know over a year ago in our Shift training in Puerto Rico. We chat about the importance of belonging to yourself instead of trying to fit in, and the difference it makes to grow up surrounded by people who love you for who you are.

We also discuss the fear parents can experience when they discover their kids are transgender, because they want to protect their young people from harm. And… we talk about how the best protection we can really offer our kids is to be loyal with/to them.

This is not only a conversation for parents, relatives, neighbors, friends and teachers of transgender kids. It’s for anyone who wants to focus on the joy of being alive in a world that needs and thrives on diversity.

How do you deschool friendships?

We don’t really have an answer to that, but in this episode we explore our respective journeys through friendships.

We share how our perceptions around what a friendship is have evolved; what we’ve learned from having been ditched by some and what has lead us to walk away from others; how our capacities for holding another have developed; and how our own friendship is taking on new dimensions as we expand as humans and lean into our deschooling & unschooling journeys.

Ready for a deep conversation? Join us!

Marni Kammersell is a neurodivergent parent to three neurodivergent children and passionate about a lot of things, including the neurodiversity paradigm, self-directed education and non-coercive relationships.

As a neurodiversity educator, Marni specializes in supporting parents and families in understanding experience through the lens of the nervous system.

This unusual and thought provoking conversation takes many turns, through disabilities & ableism, nervous systems and diagnosis, leading us into asking some really important questions:

Who would we be if we hadn’t learned to fit into a mold? What could that look like? Would neurodivergence not be such a stigma if we all had more wiggle room to show up as our authentic selves? And what does “neurotypical” really mean?

Join us as we explore these questions and more!

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You can find Marni’s work and contact her here:
https://wanderingbrightly.com/about/

Additional Resources
Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker
We're All Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise
Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors by Robyn Gobbel
A Different Way to Learn by Naomi Fisher
Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau
Disability Visibility by Alice Wong (Editor)