Radical Learning Talks

Have you ever wondered why the school system looks the way it does—and if it’s really serving our kids? In this episode, we dive into the history of conventional education and how it was designed to prioritize obedience over curiosity. We explore the lasting impact this has on children, families, and society, and discuss why it’s time to shift toward education that centers relationships, individua...

Do kids today truly have the freedom to be themselves? In this episode, we explore youth rights and how the conventional education system often limits young people’s voices and agency. We discuss why it's essential to recognize and respect kids' inherent power and choice, especially in their own learning, and envision what authentically youth-centered education could look like. Whether you're a pa...

How do you support a child’s independence while keeping them safe? It’s tricky, but in this episode, we’re breaking down that delicate balance. We talk about how to foster autonomy and agency in kids, all while knowing when to step in to guide them through life’s challenges. From setting boundaries that make sense to learning when to support kids take healthy risks, we dig into what it means to tr...

Can parents really be friends with their kids? In this episode, we dig into that big question and break down the myths around adultism and power dynamics. We talk about how sharing power with kids can build real trust, deep connection, and authentic relationships—without losing the boundaries that come with being a parent. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance being a friend and a parent, or if i...

Ever been asked, “But how do unschooled kids socialize?” It’s one of the most common questions homeschooling parents hear. In this episode, we dive into the true meaning of socialization and reveal how conventional schools, with their rigid hierarchies, often hinder genuine connection. We explore a more natural, individualized approach to social development and share why you can trust your child's...

How can you teach your kid if you're not a teacher? This is one of the most common questions homeschoolers and unschoolers get. In this episode we examine the relationship between teaching and learning. Is there a connection? Is it only possible to learn when someone teaches us? And, what can it look like when we learn through our own motivation and experiences? Ready to shake up some old beli...

In this episode we adress a common concern of many folks that are new to unschooling… If kids only focus on what they like and do and what seems fun, how will they ever develop the resilience to deal with life’s hardships? It’s a valid question! But… what’s behind it? And what misconceptions and misunderstandings do many adults hold around young people’s capacity to navigate challenges through the...

How do you navigate between trusting your kid’s natural learning process and supporting them in doing really hard things that they might feel they’re not ready for? How do you let go and help them spread their wings when you don’t know if they will fly? In this episode Sari asks Becka to share a recent intimate moment when her son had to renew his passport and she wasn’t allowed to accompany him,...

What are the differences between homeschooling and unschooling? And why is it that so many homeschooling kids aren’t thriving? When we leave school behind without also ditching the structures and patterns that make up the schooling experience, it can have some unwanted effects in our kids. In this episode we explore some important questions for homeschooling & unschooling parents alike: Who de...

In this episode of Radical Learning Talks, we talk about what culture creation is and why we find it to be one of the most important things to focus on when choosing to walk the unconventional path of Self-Directed Education. Culture creation is about putting words on what is important for everyone, and consciously embodying those values. This link is often what’s missing for most people who want...

Have you ever heard of Not Back to School Camp? In this sparkling interview, we chat with NBSC-camper Zoe and ex-camper now advisor Christian, about what this intentional space for unschoolers to connect and explore together is all about! They share stories from previous camp years, the purpose and philosophy of camp, how camp supports youth autonomy and agency and what plays out the weeks that th...

As we celebrate Pride month, join us for this deep and joyful conversation around authenticity and the right to be who we truly are! We have Cuee in the house: a black trans man and hip hop artist that we got to know over a year ago in our Shift training in Puerto Rico. We chat about the importance of belonging to yourself instead of trying to fit in, and the difference it makes to grow up surroun...

How do you deschool friendships? We don’t really have an answer to that, but in this episode we explore our respective journeys through friendships. We share how our perceptions around what a friendship is have evolved; what we’ve learned from having been ditched by some and what has lead us to walk away from others; how our capacities for holding another have developed; and how our own friendship...

Marni Kammersell is a neurodivergent parent to three neurodivergent children and passionate about a lot of things, including the neurodiversity paradigm, self-directed education and non-coercive relationships. As a neurodiversity educator, Marni specializes in supporting parents and families in understanding experience through the lens of the nervous system. This unusual and thought provoking conv...

In this episode we address a question proposed by one of our listeners… Is it possible to unschool an only child? What does unschooling look like to children with no siblings? What are the challenges? And are there any benefits to that? In this episode we share our thoughts around unschooling only kids through our lives experience and perspective as mamas to two only children! Also… If you have su...

In this episode we chat with Amanda Diekman, also known as Low Demand Amanda - an autistic adult, parent coach, author in the neurodiversity space and leading voice in the movement for low demand parenting practices. Amanda shares about the low demand approach to supporting neurodivergent kids by dropping demands, centering their humanity and moving away from ableism. We talk about so much includi...

In this weeks episode we have Meenadchi in the house! Meenadchi is a somatic healing practitioner and the author of Decolonizing Non-Violent Communication. We invited her to Radical Learning Talks to talk about money and how we can deschool our relationship to money. If you think money is the root of all evil… or feel bad for having more than others… or are having a hard time generating enough for...

This episode is an unsual conversation that took place on the last day of our The Shift training we did in Ojai, February 2024. It was requested by one of the participants, and so those of us who wanted gathered and talked about the relationship bewteen peace and self-directed education. The conversation was recorded but not initially intended as an episode for Radical Learning Talks. It was after...

Burnout is real. And it’s no stranger to unschooling and/or running alternative education projects! But what does burnout even mean?! Well, it’s not just about being exhausted or simple tasks seeming impossible. It’s when your system actually starts breaking down and you begin loose cognitive functioning because you are operating well above your capacity or means. Too many of us have been there an...

Once again, we have the great honor of having Dr. Sundiata Soon-Jahta on our podcast! This time, we talk about how social justice movements can often perpetuate the very systems of oppression and power-over dynamics that we’re trying to walk away from, resulting in what Dr. Sundiata shares is a system archetype called a “feedback loop”. The solution? Well, as a systems thinker and anti-oppression...

It’s not often we decide to get together and offer The Shift, our 7-day in person Deschooling Intensive. For those who’ve taken it, they know the magic that is involved. For those who haven’t yet, it might be hard to understand what the fuss is all about. So, we decided to record an episode on what’s up with The Shift, so that you can get a clearer and better understadning of why this offering is...

For us, unschooling is about so much more than learning or who gets to decide what it is and how and when it unfolds. It's about dismantling the power structures that keep all of us less than who we are or have the potential to be. And this starts with looking at our own limiting thoughts and beliefs. In this episode of Radical Learning Talks we chat Orion, a healing companion and trans man wh...

Many adults spend so much time preparing kids for adulthood in ways that society has predetermined as the necessary or “right way”. Yet, we don’t realize that this comes at the expense of their childhood. And, many of us have even lost touch with what childhood is all about. In this episode we talk about the clash we often see between what many adults seem to want for their kids, and the societal...

We like to think about deschooling as meeting and expanding beyond our edges into new versions of ourselves that better align with our desired way to live and show up in the world. But what happens when our change rubs people we care about the wrong way? What happens when we or they don’t quite feel like we belong anymore? In this episode which is coming out juuuust in time for the holidays, we ta...

Raising kids with respect, consent, autonomy and freedom in our society is definitely going against the norm. It can then be very confusing to see our free-ranged kids question their independence and freedom, push back against limits and behave in ways that society would easily label as “spoiled or bratty”. On one hand, it’s easy to blame our parenting and on the other, let’s face it… it’s trigger...