Ep. 108 Nature is Your Child’s Best Teacher with @schoollessinseattle

We are our children’s first teachers, but we believe nature is one of their greatest teachers. When groups of kids get out in nature together, magic happens. That’s why Madison runs weekly meetups in her area for homeschool families.

Madison is a homeschooling mom and wild + free group leader living in the Seattle area. Her passion for wildschooling and child-led learning comes from her background in elementary education and love for the outdoors. She loves exploring the forests, beaches and mountains of the PNW with her family and leads and hosts weekly outdoor meetups for her wild + free homeschooling group.

Unschooling is a step away from super-structured school curriculum; it is more child-led for each child’s interests. 

Books Mentioned: 

The Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley Arment

The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart

Kid Books Mentioned: 

Elephant and Piggie Series

The Little House on the Prairie Series

Homeschooling Learning:

• They are learning in everything they are doing
• Not everything we need to learn is just the academic part we learn in school
• You see daily progress
• They are learning beyond the textbooks

Homeschool Socialization: 

• School is not the only place to socialize
• There are weekly meetup groups
• Play dates with other homeschool kids (and non-homeschool kids alike)
• Chat with people and become friends at the park, at the grocery store, etc.

A “Typical” Day: 

• Every morning starts with independent reading 
• Then focused reading and math 
• Then hiking, park, beach, or zoo 
• More reading in the evening 

Weekly Meetups: 

• Newborn to 12-years-old usually
• Older ones naturally teach younger ones
• Consistent relationships
• Outdoors – park, hike, beach, or field trips and book club
• Community of parents to share with

Homeschool Challenges: 

• Can be hard to be consistent
• Requires a lot of work and energy
• Less alone time for the adult

Homeschool Benefits: 

• So much of teachers’ time is spent on classroom management, so homeschool requires less hours at a desk
• Can be outside more
• Can follow child’s lead
• Strengthens the family relationship
• Flexibility to travel and adventure
• Individualized education
• Learning in everything you do!

Follow Madison on IG: @schoollessinseattle

 

Thank you to Mounts Store for supporting today’s podcast! www.mountsstore.com to check them out.

Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music