Podcast Episode #22 – A Focus on Passion in Education

Journey to Unschooling

In my continued conversation with Tanya and her 16 year old son Gavin about their educational choices, you’ll hear a refreshing perspective on following your intuition and trusting yourself.

Tanya calls on parents to turn trust we’ve traditionally given to societal systems back to ourselves and our children – whether kids are in schools or not.

Gavin shares his perspective on his learning and his current interests, which includes photography. He describes what unschooling looks like for him on a regular day.

Both Tanya and Gavin emphasize personal freedom, and the impact it has on education. It takes time and space to follow interests into passions into skills. Gavin is grateful he has this in his life. Tanya is grateful for the ease and peace unschooling has provided the family. They both urge other families to have both the patience and courage to follow a unique path that feels good for everyone.

The advice they impart touches on the current collective discussion around education, freedom, and what’s really important in this journey. This warm conversation is both enlightening and encouraging.

Resources:

Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org

Follow the Sharkey family on social media:

Family: www.instagram.com/theperfectlyflawedfamily

Gavin’s Photography: http://www.instagram.com/gavinsharkeyphotography

Addy’s Makeup: www.instagram.com/Adelaide’s_Makeup

In our 7th year of unschooling, the Sharkey family is currently based out of Brooklyn, NY after being longtime resident of St. Petersburg, FL. We have a love of travel and embracing new experiences. We enjoy inviting people from around the world to stay with us through Couchsurfing.com, and offer our house and pet-sitting services through trustedhousesitters.com.

Author

Rebecca Thompson Hitt

Rebecca Thompson Hitt, MS, MFT is the founder and executive director of The Consciously Parenting Project (2007). Rebecca loves supporting individuals and parents to grow themselves up in their current relationship challenges. She delights in empowering people to find peace and connection with their loved ones, supporting the transformation of the way we understand our connections. Her holistic approach, which includes our earliest experiences and nervous system patterns, her gentleness and compassion, and her deep listening without pathologizing, helps us to see ourselves and those we care about with new eyes, supporting the transformation needed in the world starting with our closest relationships. With over 30 years of professional experience working with individuals, couples, and families, in addition to her own personal healing work raising her now young adult sons, Rebecca is dedicated to transforming our relationships stories, one relationship and one family at a time.

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