Golda David is a teacher, former school principal and homeschooling mom. Golda is the homeschool facilitator for our school division’s homeschool program, supporting families in alternative education, homeschooling and unschooling. She is also our family’s personal homeschool facilitator. And no surprise, she is an advocate for self directed learning.

Golda shares how she went from public school principal to homeschooling her son and running a program that is unique to our province. And she does this all as a single mom.

We talk about;

• Why and how the school system is due for a change
• Her biggest struggles to homeschooling as a single parent and public school educator
• Her advice to parents that are interested in homeschooling and in need of a confidence boost
• The 3 myths in education

1. Standardized testing (are they an accurate measure of learning?)
2. Reading-(Why it’s not the end of the world if your child is a late reader)
3. Learning must be rigorous (When play and autonomy=rigour)

Go to http://imhomeschooling.com/education-demystified-lessons-from-a-principal-teacher-homeschooler/ for show notes. 

Resources

Marie Battiste: Decolonizing Education

Teaching in a Cold and Windy Place: Change in an Inuit School

Ivan Illich: Deschooling Society

John Taylor Gatto: https://www.johntaylorgatto.com/

John Holt: https://www.johnholtgws.com/

Peter Gray: Free To Learn

On Standardized Testing

Alfie Kohn: https://www.alfiekohn.org/

W. James Popham (on Standardized Testing): http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar99/vol56/num06/Why-Standardized-Tests-Don%27t-Measure-Educational-Quality.aspx

Todd Farley: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/574656/making-the-grades-by-todd-farley/

Mark Garrison: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Failure-Political-Origins-Standardized/dp/1438427786

Connect or hear more from Golda:

Website: www.demystifyingeducation.com

First Nation Education: A Study  https://firstnationsstudents.weebly.com/

Contact her via email: davidg@prsd.ab.ca or phone (1)780-219-2119

Ways To Support The Show

Patreon: Your support helps make the show production possible. https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids

Leave a Review: Leave a review on itunes.

Share the show on Social Media: You can tag me on Instagram or share on Facebook @honeyimhomeschooliongthekids

If you want to learn more about some of the authors mentioned in this episode, check out my interview with Peter Gray or Pat Farenga (co-author with John Holt). If you would like to hear more from teachers turned Unschoolers, check out my episode with Leah McDermott.