An Unschooling Expert Answers Your Questions!

[@Poochiepoochie54321]

The thing I noticed is how he smiles through the entire interview. This is all about loving to learn and bonding with your family along the way. It's about modeling not talking at your kids.

[@magicalpatterns]

This is the answer to my severe anxiety. Thank you so much. I’m a very ill mom (bedridden) and my son learned how to read by himself. I have no idea how but he did. Then I realized that any question he has I become an instant teacher even if is 5 minutes explanation and he won’t forget even if I say it ones.

[@jessicagavia9593]

I’m exploring ways to homeschool my eldest daughter who is about to graduate 8th grade public school. I’ve already decided to homeschool my younger two that are 3 & 1. I came across “unschooling” on KZbin and I honestly feel likes it’s the answer to my struggles with my eldest. She’s always had trouble focusing and absorbing everything’s she’s learned in school but she has her own interests that if not part of the curriculum, she never has the chance to deep dive into and thrive. Thank you for this great video. It’s just what I needed to confirm that path I want to take with my kids. Sounds so wholesome and natural. ❤

[@BethPavlik]

I'm so happy it was helpful to you, Jessica.

[@Beepbopboop19]

How's it going? Is she dping well with unschooling?

[@KHomestead]

Love what he said about correcting the child respectfully. Reminds me of the phrase "children are born persons" from Charlotte Mason ❤

[@BethPavlik]

I love it, too.

[@Poochiepoochie54321]

I think of my public school yrs and how I was constantly punished for being me. Not physical violence but more of a slow drip of demeaning criticism.

[@blotto3422]

I feel like I didn't have a relationship with my father until I first heard him say "I don't know." It took him about 38 years to say it.

[@funkdrunk]

now you can just say: "ask ChatGPT" :)

[@realityobserver7521]

This was a profoundly helpful interview. I'm amazed you were able to get an interview with him as he is such a key figure in the unschooling world. Kudos to you!! Listening to him talk about his daughter and her experience with the junior college was a huge breath of fresh air! I will refer back to this interview when the doubt starts to creep up, which it always does when we take the path less traveled. I appreciate the work you put into this thank you!!

[@BethPavlik]

I agree, he was incredibly gracious and kind to give me some of his time.

[@snowps1]

I loved my Brother Word Processor that I bought to take to college in 1994. They were fun little machines.

[@stephmoore22]

Great GREAT great conversation. Sharing with my husband. ❤ thank you!

[@BethPavlik]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@amberemma6136]

To Pat- I am so glad you told your daughters story and explained what happened within social work. I am an advocate for abolishing or seriously reforming our children's services because of the horrible injustices and violation of rights. Maybe your daughter knows about these movement's? I think her story would be very welcome in that movement because she has worked on the inside of it. just a thought though. really says alot about the kind of person she became to be able to see those wrongs and the character and principles to say no. most don't even see it at all.

[@mrs.rogersneighborhood]

Yes, learning in the flow of life!

[@mistydays74]

I homeschooled my oldest son in Georgia for half of 8th grade which would have been possibly 2005ish and all we had to provide to the state was an attendance record. Since we were schooling at home I was like ummm yeah he's here haha. Now we are in Florida and I have a son in 5th that I pulled out of school and put into online school and now just pulled him out of that and we are gonna unschool. We are supposed to keep the portfolio but I have already found several evaluators in Facebook groups who make it sound like a breeze. Thanks for this video!

[@saraguaraldi6559]

Excellent interview! It’s definitely made me feel more confident about moving towards a more unschooling approach in my homeschool.

[@BethPavlik]

I’m so glad!

[@naturallyglenlee2365]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I'm a UK home schooler who can officially understand what it means to say actually we are unschoolers! This has been so helpful and interesting to give such peace of mind that we are doing the right thing and that you can relax with your thinking towards education. What we are doing is enough and that life skills are all around us. I love the idea of keeping a journal of their learning experience. This video in particular has helped me to relax about our journey and to think about it from my childrens' perspective more. They are not receptors to just absorb our knowledge. They are teaching me everyday new things and given me a passion to readdress my fear of maths and that it can be fun it doesn't need to be stressful for any of us! We are all always learning and we can do it together you don't have to be a mastermind to home school/unschool. Beth you are a breath of fresh air to quote the commentator below! So thanks again!!

[@BethPavlik]

Thank you so much for your comment! I'm so glad you found the interview helpful.

[@meganwilder-shuler2271]

This was such a great interview. Thank you so much for this. I'm still considering taking my 16 year old daughter out of High school to homeschool, but nervous about all the details and my capabilities as to teach her along with teaching my 1st grader and kindergarten. This was very helpful 🙂

[@BethPavlik]

I’m so glad to hear it was helpful to you. I believe in your capabilities. 💜

[@MutantDustBunny]

Please dont make yourself into a "teacher" of your learners, just a fellow learner. Aren't we all learners? Isn't learning fun? Dont be a teacher, teachers remove the agency of the child and that robs them of the opportunity to make mistakes and learn authentically. Give your children opportunities to create, direct, lead and problem solve. Value good questions over "right" answers.

[@annemcdonald3770]

Thank you for this interview! This helped answer some questions I had and really put my perspective on unschooling in the right light!

[@BethPavlik]

You’re welcome!

[@desertdweller9255]

What a wonderful interview! Thank you both for sharing your time and expertise! I have one concern. I'm completely sold on the idea of homeschooling my children but I'm worried I won't have enough knowledge to guide them properly. I'm an avid learner and would love to share that passion with my kids but I still fear that I'm going to forget to teach them something or even miss an entire subject of of learning altogether! What are the chances of that happening?

[@funkdrunk]

kids have access to the entire world of knowledge. Things go slowly but methodically. There is no burden on you to remember anything, because all useful things come to view sooner or later. Once a good passion sets in, knowledge flows in

[@desertdweller9255]

@@funkdrunk Thanks for your feedback!

[@denisekanchev4377]

Thank you! Very helpful interview.

[@AmberGates]

Colorado has national standardized testing in grades 3,5,7,9 and 11. Thank you both for a GREAT video. I appreciate you. 💐

[@BethPavlik]

Thanks for sharing that, Amber.

[@Dreblueskies]

What a hidden gem 💎 cannot wait to listen to this interview!!! 🙌

[@BethPavlik]

Good to see you again, Dre!

[@ireneanderson7699]

Hi, I know I'm a year late seeing this interview. New York requires standardized testing every other year until 8th grade. You have to take them every year 9-12. It's an issue I worry about with my oldest.

[@loracorwyn3713]

Great watch while I’m making thanksgiving dinner! Thank you guys great interview

[@BethPavlik]

Happy Thanksgiving, Lora!

[@loracorwyn3713]

You too Beth !

[@Erika_nadine]

Thank you for this Beth!

[@BethPavlik]

You’re welcome!

[@Tiabobia17]

I just started unschooling my 5th grader. If we continue this journey all through his young life, how does one get a high school diploma or GED? If most jobs and colleges require them? Or is that what I’m being told and there is 1/2 truths to it?

[@janai0511]

Love this very helpful thank you!

[@BethPavlik]

You’re welcome!

[@إبداعالتدريس]

Thanks ❤

[@teresaparvin7327]

You DO need a high school diploma for most things in life at minimum.

[@Shayne_T]

I dropped out of highschool---in fact, I decided that school was ridiculous at quite a young age. I love learning, and haven't stopped learning since---I just could not stand learning in such an unnatural environment! I have to agree with you, though, they do require a High school diploma everywhere you go, which is absolutely ridiculous! There are so many intelligent and hard working folks who are so creative and open.. but they want to see that useless diploma. Anywho, I ended up completing an online program to recieve my HS diploma. The only time a diploma is actually required is if someone is going to operate on someone.. a surgeon, a dentist... a lawyer.. etc.

[@catherineetter2576]

That's awesome, thank you soo much. Is there any way that you can get the links for the books he mentioned?

[@BethPavlik]

They are in the description of this video 😊