Unschooling Resources
There is a wealth of information out there that validates self-directed learning as an effective approach to education. Still, the process of deschooling can be hard as you are made to question your beliefs about learning, education, school, and development. Listed on this resource page are a few references to get you started and support you during this paradigm shift.
Articles
Here are some great articles and essays that are a quicker read and further the cause of self-directed learning.
What Is Self-Directed Education?
Why Do People Choose Self-Directed Education?
Survey of Unschoolers is a series of reports by Peter Gray where he thoroughly investigates the impact of self-directed education
Why Our Coercive System of Schooling Should Topple
What The Modern World Has Forgotten About Children and Learning
A Radical Way of Unleashing a Generation of Geniuses
Back to Basics is a portion of a larger work that interrogates the fundamental purpose and need for schooling
Books
Though there are several, these books have become somewhat canon and fundamental to starting and supporting someone on the deschooling path.
Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work by Akilah S. Richards
Free To Learn by Peter Gray
Summerhill by A.S. Neil
Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar by James Marcus Bach
The Art of Self-Directed Learning by Blake Boles
Free At Last by Daniel Greenburg
People
Below we link to the main websites and blogs of prolific and notable scholars, educators, and practitioners in the realm of unschooling and self-directed education. Each of them with their own perspectives, theories, and approaches. Each of them gateways to massive amounts of stories and information about this realm of alternative education.
Organizations
The following websites exist to promote, connect, inform, and organize around the realm of self-directed education.
The Alliance for Self-Directed Education
Videos
What Is Self Directed Learning?
An introductory illustration from Peter Gray and the Alliance for Self-Directed Education
Changing Education Paradigms
An RSA Animate of another great Ken Robinson talk on Education
Exploring the Realm of Self-Directed Education
Akilah S. Richards and Laura Kriegel from the Alliance for Self-Directed Education explain how unschooling, free/democratic schools, learning centers, co-ops and more relate.
Culture Hacking Education
Eric Bear, a pioneer and missionary for Agile Learning Centers gives an invigorating TED Talk on the marvel of blending Agile tools and self-directed education.
The Way We View Children
Ryan, ALC Facilitator on viewing children as humans, rather than candidates for humanity.
What If We Trusted You?
A great talk by Jerry Michalski about how traditional schools are set up around the belief that children do not want to learn.
The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us?
An articulate RSA Animate of Dan Pink’s famous talk.
Do School Kill Creativity?
Famous TED talk from Ken Robinson
The Crisis Of An Outdated Paradigm
Tomis, ALC Facilitator on the crisis created by our outdated educational paradigm.
The Origins Of Agile
Tomis, ALC Facilitator on the origins of “Agile” and how these concepts inform Agile Learning Centers.
Agile Programming For The Family
Bruce Feiler’s TED Talk about using Agile principles in managing and creating culture in your family.
Teaching vs. Facilitating
Abby, ALC Facilitator on the difference between teaching in traditional schools and facilitating in an ALC.
Hackschooling Makes Me Happy
A 13 year old homeschooler, Logan LaPlante, describes how he hacks his own education to create the life he wants for himself.
Want To Innovate? Become A Now-ist
Joi Ito, director of MIT Media Lab, discusses how being Agile helps you become more innovative in the moment, a skill that is more relevant in the digitally connected 21st Century.