Homeschooling Archives - Rachel Rainbolt

SFP 42: Playschool with Teacher Tom

Posted January 21, 2020January 21, 2020 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes This is episode 42 and today I’m here with Teacher Tom talking about playschool. Tom “Teacher Tom” Hobson is a preschool teacher, writer, speaker, artist, and author. After nearly 20 years as a teacher at the Woodland Park Cooperative School teaching children from 2-5, he has stepped into a new role as Head of Education for Weekdays where he helps teachers, daycare providers, and parents to start their own play-based neighborhood preschools and daycares. He is best known, however, for his namesake blog “Teacher Tom’s Blog” where he has posted daily for the past decade, sharing his thoughts […]

SFP 40: Protecting Passions with Roya Dedeaux

Posted December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes This is episode 40 and today I’m here with Roya Dedeaux talking about supporting our child’s interests. Roya is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and grown homeschooler who lives with her husband, two kids, and assorted chickens and dogs in Southern California. Roya has a M.S. in Counseling and a B.A. in Recreation and Leisure Studies, which is the perfect combination of her interests: how play and recreation impact mental health and relationships. She has a private practice in Los Alamitos and provides in-person and online sessions for clients of all ages. Her therapy website is www.royadedeaux.com. […]

10 Family Adventure Highlights from Maui

Posted November 15, 2019November 15, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling

If nature adventuring as a family is your jam and Maui is your family travel destination, then skip the hours of research I already did and copy our vacation highlights (sharing is caring, right?)! Let’s start with some logistics. We spent 11 days on the Hawaiian island of Maui, which felt like just the right amount of time to experience all we dreamed of at the slow pace that leaves the space to absorb and enjoy it. As homeschoolers especially, we need the freedom to explore and question and process. This is a lifestyle for us, so we are intentional […]

SFP 36: Worldschooling with Brandon and Jen Pearce

Posted September 7, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism, Parenting, Podcast

Listen in iTunes This is episode 36 and today I’m here with Brandon and Jen Pearce talking about worldschooling. Brandon and Jennifer Pearce are the founders of the Family Adventure Summit, and co-founders of the At Home in the World Retreats. They have been traveling long-term with their three daughters (ages 16, 14, and 8) for the past 10 years, living in and/or visiting 45+ countries. Their website is PearceOnEarth.com. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week This week I share Sky’s adventure with some sewing mentorship. Follow along on Instagram Highlights Pearce and Jen go over the […]

SFP 34: Creating Community with Lucy Aitkenread

Posted July 12, 2019July 12, 2019 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Podcast

Listen in iTunes This is episode 35 and today I’m here with Lucy Aitkenread talking about creating community. Lucy Aitkenread is founder of Parent Allies, a place that resources parents to be allies to their children. She lives off the grid in New Zealand with her family, where she creates videos and writes, facilitates retreats and workshops about how we can live compassionately – with our families, communities, ourselves and the earth. Support the show on Patreon Adventure of the Week I share our adventure at the Playing with FIRE documentary screening. Follow along on Instagram Highlights We talk about […]

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 Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted 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, 2018June 10, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism, 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, 2018June 10, 2019 Rachel Rainbolt4 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism, 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, 2018June 10, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in 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, 2018August 14, 2019 Rachel Rainbolt2 CommentsPosted in Homeschooling, Minimalism

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, 2018June 10, 2019 Rachel RainboltLeave a commentPosted in 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 Rainbolt4 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 […]