"Birds fly, fish swim, man thinks and learns. Therefore, we do not need to motivate children into learning by wheedling, bribing or bullying. We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure they are learning. What we need to do, and all we need to do, is bring as much of the world as we can into their lives; give children as much help and guidance as they ask for; listen respectfully when they feel like talking; and then get out of the way. We can trust them to do the rest." John Holt in How Children Learn
Peter Gray is a research professor of psychology at Boston College. He has conducted and published research in comparative, evolutionary, developmental, and educational psychology; published articles on innovative teaching methods and alternative approaches to education; and is author of Psychology (Worth Publishers), an introductory college textbook now in its 5th edition. He did his undergraduate study at Columbia University and earned a Ph.D. in biological sciences at Rockefeller University. He is currently working on a book about the lifelong nature and functions of human play, tentatively titled Born to Play. His own play includes not only his research and writing, but also long distance bicycling, kayaking, and back-woods skiing.
His Psychology Today blog is Freedom to Learn.
Carsie Blanton is a singer-songwriter with two albums and grown unschooler. She has also worked at Not Back to School Camp. Her web site is www.carsieblanton.com.
Caroline Bays is an unschooling mom of two young adults. She lives in Massachusetts.
Ren Allen has birthed four amazing autodidacts (also called children) that have helped her learn more about natural learning than all the books ever read! She began the parenting journey 20 years ago and through that adventure, turned everything she believed to be true about parenting upside down. Her career as a makeup artist has helped her meet many interesting people and discover new forms of inspiration. She also enjoys art, photography, writing, travel, herbal medicine, gardening, hosting unschooling gatherings and eating truffles with a good cup of darjeeling. You can find Ren's blog at RadicalUnschooling.blogspot.com.
Julian Baptista is a grown unschooler who is currently attending Goddard College studying music and social justice, and is also beginning his career as a musician. His first album, Lost in the Crowd, will be released before the conference. You can learn more about him at www.JulianBaptista.com.
Cameron Lovejoy, 22, left school at age 12 after consulting his parents about homeschooling because he was certain that school was interfering with his passions. After much research, his mother found the writings of John Holt; after two years of deschooling, he found his love of learning again. Currently, his passion for farming is fulfilled by several unschooling farms around the country that he works on for weeks at a time while simultaneously traveling around the states working for and visiting other unschooling families, presenting at unschooling conferences, and learning from real life experiences, jobs, and books. During his travels, he also works as a marketing intern for Unschool Adventures, assists Blake Boles with his Homeschool Leadership Retreats, works in the kitchen at Not Back To School Camp, hosts the My Life, My World conference calls for unschoolers with Amy Childs, directs his own unschooling conference- The Autodidact Symposium http://theautodidactsymposium.com/home.htm in March of 2010, and is an avid swing dancer.
Drew Dorsey is the dad of three awesome kids who have never been to school. Over the years, Drew has gone from a fairly traditional approach to parenting to that of a radical unschooling one. When he is not working (in a public school ~ go figure), he can usually be found shooting bows and arrows, making stuff with wood, or being owned in an epic sword battle… all with his kids.
Someday he hopes to convince his wife to go earn the money so he can stay home and have all the fun. Drew was happy to have the chance to exchange ideas at last years conference, and is looking forward to spending some time with you great people again in 2010.
Debra and Rick Rossing are both products of public schools, but we've always done our best learning on our own. We were introduced to homeschooling before our only child, Joshua, was born. He started the domino effect that led to Radical Unschooling. Rick is an at home dad with a degree in Biblical Studies and a growing hobby/business making cool, colorful stuff with duct tape. Deb works outside the home fulltime as a software tester and is a long time contributor to unschooling discussion groups under the screen name "soggyboysmom". We share our CT home with a Lab mix named Bucky and a variable assortment of fish.
Rue Kream is living happily ever after with her husband, Jon, and two children, Dagny and Rowan. She is a passionate advocate of unschooling and respectful parenting. Her first book, Parenting A Free Child: An Unschooled Life, is available at http://www.freechild.info/
Jeff Sabo was raised in the traditional "Doctor Spock" way, was a victim of Connecticut public schools, got a couple of college degrees, and spent 8 years in the Army. But when he got together with his wife, Ginger, they quickly realized that they wanted to live and parent in ways that felt more natural. With their children Annie (20), Kai (11), and Kade (8), they have spent the past 12 years following their hearts and exploring various parts of the US, including Monterey, State College, Nashville, San Diego, and Corvallis, OR. About five years ago, they discovered unschooling through the readings of John Holt and Rue Kream, and have been learning and growing with unschooling ever since. He writes a blog http://www.freeboysdad.blogspot.com/ about parenting, partnering, and unschooling.
Beth Toolan: My autodidact journey began when I was elected patrol leader at Girl Scout camp. My claim to fame was creating a hand washing station from a bleach bottle tied to a juice can which held soap. Since then I have led wilderness trips and corporate retreats, gone to school to learn to be a lumberjack, directed services at a rape crisis center, served on nonprofit boards, taught preschool, and worked as a professional Girl Scout. I currently teach at Northeastern University, am Executive Director of the Waltham Partnership for Youth and am writing a book ontrust-based leadership. Learning is very important to me, and I spend a lot of time exploring the world with my family. I value kindness, creativity, laughter, and honesty. One thing I often say is, "It's all about relationships. My blog is about trust: http://bethtoolan.blogspot.com/
