Blake Boles is an advocate for self directed learning. He is an author, speaker and podcaster. He is also the director of Unschool Adventures, a one of a kind travel adventure program for self directed teens. The day we chatted I bundled up for the cold Alberta winter while Blake was enjoying the sun in warm New Zealand.  I first learned of Blake through his podcast, Off Trail Learning. Who was this person that speaks so passionately about self directed learning? Yet he never grew up home educated himself?I found his website, watched his videos and came across articles he wrote. I liked his idea of the importance of consent in education and learning. His nomadic lifestyle resonated with me. I knew I wanted to have him on this show. I wanted to hear what he has learned from spending so much time with self directed teens.  On this episode Blake addressed the many questions that I have heard on unschooling and self directed learning. Are self directed teens any different from those that are not? If so, where does this difference come from? What does it mean to "be educated"?  The difference between unschooling, learning and education.  Is unschooling unrealistic?  What is he hearing from unschooled teens that enter formal education?  Is unschooling and self directed learning only accessible to a small minority of families?  What shifts are happening in education and where? I ended the episode asking Blake his advice. What would he say to families that are open to exploring self directed learning? Blake offered many resources and left sage advice even for the skeptics. I am looking forward to hearing more from Blake Boles.

Resources:Blakes Website:blakeboles.com

Unschool AdventuresAlternative Schools or Self Directed Learning Centres

Sudbury Schools

NorthStar Liberated Learners Network

Village Home

Blakes article on the difference between Agile Learning Centres, liberated learners and Sudbury SchoolsSelf Directed Learning and Unschooling Books, Articles and Research

Peter Gray: A Survey of Grown Unschoolers

John Taylor Gatto

Grace Llewellyn

The Self Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Self Determination Theory

Alliance For Self Directed Education

Drive: Daniel Pink

Outliers: The Story of Success- Malcolm Gladwell

If you would like to hear more about self directed learning:

Why Self Directed Learning is Important: Madison Kanna

 

<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="7fojf-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="7fojf-0-0">Blake Boles is an advocate for self directed learning. He is an author, speaker and podcaster. He is also the director of Unschool Adventures, a one of a kind travel adventure program for self directed teens. The day we chatted I bundled up for the cold Alberta winter while Blake was enjoying the sun in warm New Zealand.&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9dk25-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="4t8ms-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="4t8ms-0-0">I first learned of Blake through his podcast,&nbsp;Off Trail Learning. Who was this person that speaks so passionately about self directed learning? Yet he never grew up home educated himself?</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="8vttd-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8vttd-0-0">I found his website, watched his videos and came across articles he wrote. I liked his idea of the importance of consent in education and learning. His nomadic lifestyle resonated with me. I knew I wanted to have him on this show. I wanted to hear what he has learned from spending so much time with self directed teens.&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="5agt7-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="5agt7-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="88k53-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="88k53-0-0">On this episode Blake addressed the many questions that I have heard on unschooling and self directed learning.</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="ernvo-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="ernvo-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="7u5qd-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="7u5qd-0-0">Are self directed teens any different from those that are not?&nbsp;If so, where does this difference come from?</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="bih1a-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="aeeb6-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="aeeb6-0-0">What does it mean to "be educated"?&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9e67r-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8ropp-0-0">The difference between unschooling, learning and education.&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="5rnre-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="67ndu-0-0">Is unschooling unrealistic?&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="6e0bf-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="ajqjn-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="ajqjn-0-0">What is he hearing from unschooled teens that enter formal education?&nbsp;</div>
</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="4guun-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="7fa65-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="7fa65-0-0">Is unschooling and self directed learning only accessible to a small minority of families?&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="9nu6t-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9nu6t-0-0">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="csoha-0-0">What shifts are happening in education and where?</div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="61i42" data-offset-key="4ub7h-0-0">
<div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="4ub7h-0-0">I ended the episode asking Blake his advice. What would he say to families that are open to exploring self directed learning? Blake offered many resources and left sage advice even for the skeptics. I am looking forward to hearing more from Blake Boles.</div>
</div>
<p><strong>Resources:</strong></p>
<h4>Blakes Website:</h4>
<h4><a href="https://www.blakeboles.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blakeboles.com</a></h4>
<p><a href="https://www.unschooladventures.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unschool Adventures</a></p>
<h4>Alternative Schools or Self Directed Learning Centres</h4>
<p><a href="https://sudburyvalley.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sudbury Schools</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.northstarteens.org/#learningisnatural" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NorthStar Liberated Learners Network</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.villagehome.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Village Home</a></p>
<p>Blakes <a href="https://www.self-directed.org/tp/three-popular-models/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> on the difference between Agile Learning Centres, liberated learners and Sudbury Schools</p>
<h4>Self Directed Learning and Unschooling Books, Articles and Research</h4>
<p><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/freedom-learn/201406/survey-grown-unschoolers-i-overview-findings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Gray: A Survey of Grown Unschoolers</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.johntaylorgatto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Taylor Gatto</a></p>
<p><a href="http://anunschoolinglife.com/tag/grace-llewellyn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grace Llewellyn</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Self-Driven-Child-Science-Giving-Control/dp/0735222517" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Self Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Mihaly-Csikszentmihalyi/dp/0061339202" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience</a></p>
<p><a href="http://selfdeterminationtheory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Self Determination Theory</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.self-directed.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alliance For Self Directed Education</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.danpink.com/drive./" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drive: Daniel Pink</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outliers: The Story of Success- Malcolm Gladwell</a></p>
<p>If you would like to hear more about self directed learning:</p>
<p><a href="http://imhomeschooling.com/why-self-directed-learning-is-important-madison-kanna/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why Self Directed Learning is Important: Madison Kanna</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids! - A podcast that steps into alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life.

Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids

Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids! - A podcast that steps into homeschooling, alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life.

<p>Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids! - A podcast that steps into homeschooling, alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life.</p>

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