Kerry McDonald - Author of "Unschooled"

We talk a lot about the fact that "lifelong learning" is a required trait in an age where workers need to constantly learn new skills in the face of rapid technological change. However, how does our education prior to college and the world of work affect this ability?

On Episode 22 of Skill, Micah shares a conversation with Kerry McDonald, Author of "Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom". Kerry argues that giving children the freedom to guide their own education process yields the skill of "lifelong learning" we need in the 21st Century.

Kerry's research interests include homeschooling and alternatives to school, self-directed learning, education entrepreneurship, parent empowerment, school choice, and family and child policy. Her articles have appeared at The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, NPR, Education Next, Reason Magazine, City Journal, and Entrepreneur, among others. 

Throughout this conversation, Kerry and Micah cover the following topics:

Kerry and Micah discuss one of the greatest children's books of all time
Kerry explains the key concepts of Self Directed Education (SDE) and the difference between "school" and "education"
The link between "lifelong learning" and SDE
The impact of technology on education and the world of work
Kerry's optimism about alternatives to traditional schools 
Kerry's own experience with SDE with her 3 children
Why people feel uncomfortable giving the freedom to learn to children
How Kerry resolves the tension between instilling "grit" in children, and Self Directed Education, where children have the freedom to "quit" at any time
SDE and raising children that are a "success" in eyes of modern society
The anecdote to rapid technological change
Will change in K12 come from without, or without
The most promising experiments in alternative education models, outside of traditional "school"

Links:

Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom
Sign up for Kerry's newsletter, LiberatED. 
More articles by Kerry, hosted at the Foundation for Economic Freedom
Free to Learn, by Peter Gray
John Holt - Growing Without Schooling

You can connect with Kerry on Twitter @kerry_edu

You can connect with Micah at micah "at" skill.fm OR on Twitter @MicahMerrick

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This episode of the Skill Podcast is presented by Skill FM.

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