Homeschooling – Rachel Rainbolt

Homeschooling Book List

Posted January 30, 2019February 4, 2019 Rachel RainboltPosted in Homeschooling

contains affiliate links Living a natural learning lifestyle with your kids is all about role modeling: reading, learning, and growing yourself! You can consider these 6 books your unschooling uncurriuclum or homeschooling home study. When I was diving deep into learning all I could about homeschooling for our own sake and then for writing the Sage Homeschooling book, I read all the books and these are the 6 that I believe to be most impactful for you. 1. Sage Homeschooling Sage Homeschooling: Wild and Free offers a natural learning path, for gentle parents who dream of living fully in joy and connection […]

SFP 27: Play with Peter Gray

Posted January 18, 2019January 31, 2019 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 27 and today I’m here with Peter Gray talking about play. Peter is a research professor of psychology at Boston College and founding board member and president of the alliance for self-directed education. You know him from his Psychology Today blog Freedom to Learn and his incredible book Free to Learn. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week I share our adventure at the Pacific Science Center, Great Wolf Lodge, and the Museum of Flight. Follow along on Instagram Highlights Unpacking: We explains what we’ve gotten wrong. Definition: […]

SFP 26: Brave Learner with Julie Bogart

Posted January 17, 2019January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 26 and today I’m here with Julie Bogart talking about being a brave learner. Julie is the force behind the online writing program and podcast Brave Writer, the weekly habit Poetry Teatime, The Homeschool Alliance online coaching community, and the upcoming book Brave Learner. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and can be found sipping a cup of tea, planning her next visit to one of her lifelong-learning kids. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week I share our adventures at Winterfest, Winter Solstice, and the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm. […]

SFP 24: Creativity with Meg McElwee

Posted December 14, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Home, Homeschooling, Minimalism, Mompreneur, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 24 and today I’m here with Meg McElwee talking about creativity. Meg is an aspiring gentle parent of three, former Montessori teacher, homeschooler, work-at-home fiber artist and lover of beauty and creativity in all forms. For the past twelve years, she has run her indie sewing pattern company, Sew Liberated, from her home . . . almost always surrounded by her beloved little ones. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week I share our adventure at our local pioneer fort for a Christmas Regale festival. Follow along on […]

SFP 19: Neurodiversity with Debbie Reber

Posted October 3, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 19 and today I’m here with Debbie Reber talking about neurodiversity. Debbie is a parenting activist, New York Times bestselling author, and the founder of TiLT Parenting, a website, top podcast, and online community for parents who are raising differently wired children. Her most recent book, Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World, came out in June 2018. She currently lives with her son and husband in the Netherlands. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week I share our big September adventure yurt camping on the […]

SFP 17: Socialization with Israel Butson

Posted September 4, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 17 and today I’m here with my friend Israel Butson talking about socialization – the most common question we all get as homeschoolers. Israel is an unschooling dad on a mission to disrupt education and help build a fresh paradigm for a new generation of young learners. Writing and dabbling with his camera daily, you can catch him on his blog Stark Raving Dad, and follow him on Facebookand Instagram. Originally from New Zealand, he now lives with his wife and three children on the Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne. Support […]

SFP 16: Math with Taylor Davis

Posted August 21, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 16 and today I’m here with Taylor Davis talking about Math. Taylor is a former teacher turned passionate life learner, unschooling mama to 3 kids, and advocate for self-directed education. She co-hosts the podcast, One Free Family, with her husband James. She is also a birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, and birth rights activist. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week I share our tour of an Austrian chocolate factory. Follow along on Instagram Highlights School Math: We discuss the way math is taught in school and […]

SFP 15: Screens with Leah McDermott

Posted July 25, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism, Mompreneur, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher This is episode 15 and today I’m here with my friend Leah McDermott talking about screens. Leahis a former Master Educator and now unschooling mama of two who has made it her mission to help bring more natural elements to children’s everyday learning experiences through her business Your Natural Learner. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week We took a birthday trip to a farm on Orca’s Island it was breathtakingly beautiful. Highlights Misconceptions: What’s up with all the fear and shame? We break a lot of misconceptions down. Valuable Tool: […]

SFP 11: Nature with Nicolette Sowder

Posted May 29, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Home, Homeschooling, Minimalism, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher Today I’m here with my friend Nicolette Sowder talking about nature. Nicolette is a nature-connected educator and founder of Wilder Child and Wildschooling. Her passion is to serve as companion and guide for those families, educators and care givers interested in nurturing and growing their relationship with nature. She is also the creator of The Kids Moon Club, a year-long lunar journey designed to guide and encourage families to sync up with moon time. Most days you can find her being led through her farm and forest by her two wildlings. Support the show on […]

My Morning Routine

Posted April 23, 2018April 24, 2018 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism, Mompreneur

My morning routine is essential in setting the tone for my day. It’s something that I design with the greatest of intention and refresh seasonally while collaborating with the kids around their bucket system (it’s essentially the morning clothespins on my bucket, though I don’t use a physical bucket). If you have done Sage Coaching, you know we start by identifying our values, creating our priorities, determining our needs, and then hold space for those in our daily rhythm. This is a powerful dose of self-care to help you be your best all day long (and your needs can co-exist […]

SFP 8: Reading with Leah McDermott

Posted April 5, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher Today I’m here with my friend Leah McDermott talking about Reading on the natural learning path. Leah is a former Master Educator and now unschooling mama of two who has made it her mission to help bring more natural elements to children’s everyday learning experiences through her business Your Natural Learner. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week This week I had my first solo adventure when I drove down to Portland for a homeschool conference and stayed 1 night in a hotel all by myself. You guys, I peed, and […]

SFP 5: Adventure with Robyn Robertson

Posted March 5, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Adventure, Homeschooling, Minimalism, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher Today I’m here with my friend Robyn Robertson talking about adventure. “I call myself an unschooling mom, but I’m really a curious student of life. I’ve learned so much about myself and the world through my travels that I wanted to share that with my kids. 5 ½ years ago we decided to make a change and follow our dream of travelling with our kids (or at least try). It was the experiences of life and travel that changed our idea of learning. I started to let go and allowed their natural curiosity […]

SFP 4: Deschooling with Pam Laricchia

Posted February 17, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher Today I’m here with my friend Pam Laricchia talking about Deschooling and how the transition into unschooling mirrors the hero’s journey. Pam is a long-time unschooling mom whose three children left school back in 2002. She loves exploring unschooling and sharing the fascinating things she’s discovered about learning and parenting along the way (through her books, podcast, and website at livingjoyfully.ca). Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week This week I talk about our adventure at Pump It Up and the rambunctious fun that was had by all. Highlights Story: Pam is […]

SFP 2: Role with Jo Watt

Posted February 13, 2018January 31, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes | Listen in Stitcher “My responsibility, the only thing, is to be as kind as I can . . . and the other things will all come from that.” Today I’m here with my friend Jo Watt of the blog and Instagram Girls Unschooled, talking about our role as parents on a natural learning path. Jo is a former teacher turned unschooling mum of 2. Adventure of the Week This week I talk about our adventure day with friends, including Jo and her girls, at the fantastic Lynwood Community Pool, and how West managed to hold onto gratitude […]

Winter Family Gear for Nature Adventurers

Posted December 4, 2017October 31, 2018 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Parenting

Just over a year ago we were living in San Diego with a wardrobe consisting of swim suits, sundresses (shorts and tanks for the kids), and flip flops. Then we took off on a new adventure in the Pacific Northwest and while we were so excited to experience 4 seasons, I was confused and intimidated trying to research and navigate what gear the kids needed for a lifestyle of nature adventures as homeschoolers (wildschooling, if you will). I can confidently say that we’ve now got this thing figured out and I’m sharing it here to save you the months of […]

Book Review: Sage Homeschooling: Wild and Free

Posted October 30, 2017October 30, 2017 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling

contains affiliate links Sage Homeschooling: Wild and Free offers a natural learning path, for gentle parents who dream of living fully in joy and connection with their children while giving them all they need to be successful, with eight secrets to living a fulfilling unschooling life. In this inspirational and secular guide, you will learn how to: deschool, shaking off all the educational programming that weighs you down maintain your relationship focus on connection beyond the early years trust in your children and their natural learning journey embrace the freedom that fosters meaningful productivity and independence utilize collaboration in respectful […]

FREE CHAPTER: Sage Homeschooling: Wild and Free

Posted October 25, 2017October 30, 2017 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling

The new book Sage Homeschooling: Wild and Free is launching and I’m giving you a peek at a FREE CHAPTER! If you enjoy the read, be sure to buy the book and share it with your friends! Let’s share the wisdom of this natural learning lifestyle where connection and freedom abound. Chapter 3: Trust Remember when your child was a baby and you trusted in the validity of their needs and developmental timetable, focused on building trust in your relationship, and understood that trust is the bedrock on which independence blossoms? Great news: nothing has changed. Trusting each other Forging […]

Book Review: Dumbing Us Down

Posted October 6, 2017December 30, 2017 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling

contains affiliate links John Taylor Gatto, upon winning the award for teacher of the year after 30 years in the classroom, delivered a speech that was so shocking that the reverberation is still being felt today. This speech is the first chapter of Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling and it is honest, insightful, and scathing. Essentially, he is an education whistleblower. “School is a twelve-year jail sentence where bad habits are the only curriculum truly learned. I teach schools and win awards doing it. I should know.” Those “bad habits” he is referring to are what he outlines […]

Book Review: The Carpenter and the Gardener

Posted September 23, 2017December 30, 2017 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Parenting

The Carpenter and the Gardener: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children by Alison Gopnik is a book I bought for the metaphor in the title, which struck me as brilliant. Most mainstream parents view parenting and education as carpentry. “You should pay some attention to the kind of material you are working with, and it may have some influence on what you try to do. But essentially your job is to shape that material into a final product that will fit the scheme you had in mind to begin with. And […]

Book Review: Love, Learn, Live

Posted September 6, 2017December 30, 2017 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling

contains affiliate links I just finished reading Love, Learn, Live by Csilla and it was . . . meh. My Instagram bio used to read Loving, Living, Learning so when I saw this book recommended by an unschooling blog I really like, I thought it likely to be something I would enjoy. It is written by a homeschooling mother and consultant from Australia and while there was some goodness in it, I found it simple, uninspiring, and uninformative. The book is not bad! It just felt more self-congratulatory than helpful. Overall, it’s nice to peek behind the curtain of another homeschooling family […]