School Sucks Project self-knowledge, self-education, self-mastery

Blake Boles works to create alternatives to traditional school for self-directed young people. He directs the company Unschool Adventures and is the author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. Part One of Two This show is an introduction to the life and work of Blake Boles, and the next show will be a discussion of this book The Art of Self-Directed Learning. Today Blake and I discuss his background as a successful high school and college student, and how his ideas and career path changed with the discovery of John Taylor Gatto. "It was Gatto who inspired me, at age 21, to leave my own path in the sciences to become a ...

Cynthia Day is the founder of and a teacher at the Days of Wonder School in Batavia, OH. I invited her on the show as part of a continuing effort to showcase successful and inspiring alternative education models, along with desirable attributes of voluntary learning communities. Cynthia began her teaching career in public school, but within a matter of years she discovered that the environment and culture presented serious obstacles to addressing the emotional and educational needs of her students. I had similar experiences; we compare stories. She ultimately left teaching to focus on homeschooling her own children. When they reached adulthood, she shifted her attention into creating an alternative school that encompassed the best aspects of homeschooling. The ultimate ...

Today, everyone is asking "is college worth it?" Oh, wait a minute...no they're not. In fact, considering the looming student loan debt crisis and troubling graduation numbers, almost nobody is thinking deeply and carefully enough about this question. Furthermore, most students, parents, teachers and guidance counselors still view college as the only path a "college track" high schooler should consider. College is simply regarded as inevitable; it's the 13th grade. Enter Dr. Bryan Caplan. Bryan is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University and the author of a provocative new book titled The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money. His thesis: "Civilized societies revolve around education now, but there is a ...

(AUDIO, 16 minutes) -Pittsburgh to Columbus -I talk about Pittsburgh. It was amazing. Or click HERE On October 15th Brett began a road trip across the country to interview listeners, parents and children about self-directed education, home education and other alternatives to public school/higher education. The School Sucks Across America Tour will last over 40 days and it includes stops in over 30 cities across the country. Through a series of interviews, Brett aims to take "alternative education" out of the abstract and to bring real life examples to thousands of young people. Related Posts[BONUS] Drive Journal – Day 11Tags: education, country, brett, days, includes, young, stops, will, tour, school[BONUS] Drive Journal - Day 2Tags: education, brett, country, tour, days, ...

(AUDIO, 16 minutes) -Indiana County to Butler, PA -My visit to the Biconik farm. You might remember discussions about their permaculture in our Autonomy Through Agorism series -My reunion with Mandrik Or click HERE On October 15th Brett began a road trip across the country to interview listeners, parents and children about self-directed education, home education and other alternatives to public school/higher education. The School Sucks Across America Tour will last over 40 days and it includes stops in over 30 cities across the country. Through a series of interviews, Brett aims to take "alternative education" out of the abstract and to bring real life examples to thousands of young people. Related Posts[BONUS] Drive Journal - Day 2Tags: education, brett, ...

(AUDIO, 16 minutes) -In York, PA -My thoughts on my visit to The Circle School and the conversations with students -I start answering listener "ask me anything" questions Or click HERE On October 15th Brett began a road trip across the country to interview listeners, parents and children about self-directed education, home education and other alternatives to public school/higher education. The School Sucks Across America Tour will last over 40 days and it includes stops in over 30 cities across the country. Through a series of interviews, Brett aims to take "alternative education" out of the abstract and to bring real life examples to thousands of young people. Related Posts[BONUS] Drive Journal - Day 2Tags: education, brett, country, tour, days, ...