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...an adventure of the mind and spirit. The narrator of this extraordinary tale is a man in search of truth. He answers an ad in a local newspaper from a teacher looking for serious pupils only to find himself alone in an abandonded office with a full-grown gorilla who is nibbling delicately on a slender branch. "you are the teacher?" he asks, incredulously. "I am the teacher, " the gorilla replies. Ishmael is a creature of immense wisdom and he has a story to tell.... As readers everywhere seek out books that offer answers to their burning questions about spirituality, the popularity of this remarkable novel continues to grow at an astounding pace.

...in search of happiness lost.
"If the world could be saved by one book, this might just be the book."

Jean Liedloff, an American writer, spent two and a half years in the South American jungle living with Stone Age Indians. The experience demolished her Western preconceptions of how we should live and led her to a radically different view of what human nature really is. She offers a new understanding of how we have lost much of our natural well-being and shows us practical ways to regain it for our children and for ourselves.

...recapturing the joy in learning and standing up to old school culture. While reformers and policymakers focus on achievement gaps, testing, and accountability, millions of students mentally and emotionally disengage from learning and many gifted teachers leave the field. Ironically, today's schooling is damaging the single most essential component to education--the joy of learning

How do we recognize the "wounds" caused by outdated schooling policies? How do we heal them? In her controversial new book, education writer and critic Kirsten Olson brings to light the devastating consequences of an educational approach that values conformity over creativity, flattens students' interests, and dampens down differences among learners. Drawing on deeply emotional stories, Olson shows that current institutional structures do not produce the kinds of minds and thinking that society really needs. Instead, the system tends to shame, disable, and bore many learners. Most importantly, she presents the experiences of wounded learners who have healed and shows what teachers, parents, and students can do right now to help themselves stay healthy.

...reframing what happened in school. Education and Ecstasy, by George Leonard, was originally written as a call for reform in America's school systems. Published in the Sixties, and then revised in the Eighties, this book reveals the deep-rooted structural problems in American schools-problems which still plague us. Leonard proposes that long school days and tedious homework are not ways to encourage learning; that teachers are overworked and underpaid. He proposes ways to integrate new methods of teaching that are still valuable and applicable today.

...a no-holds-barred assault on outdated teaching methods with dramatic and practical proposals on how education can be made relevant to today's world...

“It will take courage to read this book . . . but those who are asking honest questions—what’s wrong with the worlds in which we live, how do we build communication bridges cross the Generation Gap, what do they want from us?—these people will squirm in the discovery that the answers are really within themselves.”—Saturday Review

“Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner go beyond the now-familiar indictments of American education to propose basic ways of liberating both teachers and students from becoming personnel rather than people . . . the authors have created what may become a primer of ‘the new education’ Their book is intended for anyone, teacher or not, who is concerned with sanity and survival in a world of precipitously rapid change, and it’s worth your reading.”—Playboy

...a student handbook for turning schools around.

...redefining the value of school.

...media turning the adult secrets of sex and violence into popular entertainment and pitching both news and advertising at the intellectual level of ten-year-olds threatens the understanding of adulthood.

...the real and present dangers of handing over politics, education, religion, and journalism to show business. Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985), a historical narrative which warns of a decline in the ability of our mass communications media to share serious ideas. Since television images replace the written word, Postman argues that television confounds serious issues by demeaning and undermining political discourse and by turning real, complex issues into superficial images, less about ideas and thoughts and more about entertainment. He also argues that television is not an effective way of providing education, as it provides only top-down information transfer, rather than the interaction that he believes is necessary to maximize learning. He refers to the relationship between information and human response as the Information-action ratio.

Magical Child, a classic work, profoundly questions the current thinking on childbirth practices, parenting, and educating our children. Its daring ideas about how Western society is damaging our children, and how we can better nurture them and ourselves, ring truer than ever. From the very instant of birth, says Joseph Chilton Pearce, the human child has only one concern: to learn all that there is to learn about the world. This planet is the child's playground, and nothing should interfere with a child's play. Raised this way, the Magical Child is a happy genius, capable of anything, equipped to fulfill his amazing potential.

Expanding on the ideas of internationally acclaimed child psychologist Jean Piaget, Pearce traces the growth of the mind-brain from birth to adulthood. He connects the alarming rise in autism, hyperkinetic behavior, childhood schizophrenia, and adolescent suicide to the all too common errors we make in raising and educating our children. Then he shows how we can restore the astonishing wealth of creative intelligence that is the birthright of every human being. Pearce challenged all our notions about child rearing, and in the process challenges us to re-examine ourselves. Pearce's message is simple: it is never too late to play, for we are all Magical Children.

Arguing that current birthing and child-rearing practices oppose Nature's plan for human development, the author reviews the stages of human development and suggests that Nature's plan includes, at maturation, a spiritual stage of development.

A groundbreaking perspective on Nature's plan for full human creativity and intelligence during the teen years

- Shows what is at the core of today's serious social and psychological problems

- Explores the sexual and spiritual stage of adolescent development

- Details the connection between adolescent brain and heart development and the issue of nature vs. nurture

- By the author of Magical Child (250,000 copies sold)

Something is supposed to happen during the adolescent years--something greater than MTV, video games, and the Internet. Joseph Chilton Pearce describes this something as the natural mandate for post-biological development--the development of the sexual and spiritual senses and expansion of our growth process outside of our bodies and into the physical world that surrounds us. 

...how homeschooling changes everything. Free Range Learning will encourage and excite those who want their children to reap important benefits from this period of "sheltering in place," learning at home. This is a book for anyone simply wanting some fresh ideas at this time, or those who wonder if a commitment to ongoing homeschooling might actually result in longer term benefits! The material in this book is backed by scientific and educational studies, along with the testimonies of scores of parents and kids from around the world. The work here is applicable for young people from pre-school through high school. Studies indicate that adults who were homeschooled are:

• More likely to vote, volunteer and be involved in their communities than graduates of conventional schools.
• Read more books than average.
• More likely to have taken college level courses than the population as a whole.
• Tend to be independent and self-reliant.

Children are naturally "free range" learners. They build knowledge and skills naturally, within the full spectrum of their daily lives, while observing, exploring and pursuing their interests. This book guides any parent or educator in assisting that process. 

This parenting guide presents seven principles for guiding and teaching children in today's turbulent learning environment. It replaces traditional adult-child formulas, rewards, and punishments with playful interaction, creative intelligence, and insight. With the goal of raising happy, healthy, intelligent young people, the book adopts proven strategies that allow top athletes and others to perform at high levels, called variously "zone," "flow," and "play." Using these concepts, parents and other caregivers will learn how to create and maintain "Optimum Learning Relationships" with children of any age.

If you've ever felt that your child wasn't flourishing in school or simply needs something the professionals aren't supplying, you're ready to become a 'guerrilla educator'. Revolutionary and inspiring, Guerrilla Learning explains what's wrong (and what's useful) about our traditional schools and shows you how to take charge of your family's education to raise thinking, creative young people despite the constraints of traditional schooling.

Filled with fun and exciting exercises and projects to do with children of all ages, this remarkable approach to childhood, education, and life will help you release your child's innate abilities and empower him or her in the wider world that awaits beyond the school walls.

...how to quit school and get a real life and education. The inspiring, funny, and information-packed underground classic is back-in a completely revised and updated thirtieth anniversary edition!

The Teenage Liberation Handbook is (still) the only complete guide to unschooling written for youth. It tackles everything.

• Why to consider self-directed education.
• Communicating with reluctant parents.
• "Getting a social life without proms".
• Designing a "tailor-made intellectual extravaganza" and getting into college.
• Finding great mentors, apprenticeships, and volunteer positions.

Devoted fans of the Handbook include not only teenagers and college students but also thousands of parents, teachers, young adult librarians, school counselors, and college professors. The new edition is loaded with updated resource sections, a thoughtful new introduction, and refreshed text throughout.

...eleven teenagers who don't go to school tell their own stories. In 1993, eleven homeschooled teenagers described their lives in rich detail, and Real Lives quickly became a homeschooling classic. Erin’s favorite teacher was her horse Nick, blind in one eye. Kyla flew to South America in September of what would have been her senior year—alone, except for her mountain bike. Jeremiah and his sister Serena published a newsletter on peace issues. Patrick, who hoped someday to design video games, had spent the past few years compiling portfolios of his writing and artwork. Rebecca worked at homeless shelters and, through Habitat for Humanity, built houses for people in need. Anne tended honeybees and plucked a bluegrass banjo. Ayanna kept pace with 50 pen-pals—mostly in Africa—while Kevin talked with people all over the world on his ham radio. Amanda performed with a violin quintet and worked through the mail with her writing mentor. Vallie answered questions at a marine science center; Tabitha answered the phone at a crisis line, and helped midwives at births.... ....Now those eleven homeschoolers have grown up and engaged the territory of adulthood, college, and career—and the new edition of Real Lives includes updates from all of them. From gaining admission to an Ivy League institution without taking the SAT to crafting a simple life centered on writing and gardening, they tell where life has taken them and where they have taken life, and offer hindsight and advice for others choosing to learn outside of school.

...raising children to be at home in the world. In today's increasingly interconnected world, how do we prepare our children to succeed and to become happy, informed global citizens? A mother of three, Homa Sabet Tavangar has spent her career helping governments develop globally oriented programs and advising businesses on how to thrive abroad. In Growing Up Global, Tavangar shares with all of us her "parenting toolbox" to help give our children a vital global perspective.

Whether you're mastering a greeting in ten different languages, throwing an internationally themed birthday party, or celebrating a newfound holiday, Growing Up Global provides parents and children with a rich, exciting background for exploring and connecting with far-flung nations they may have only heard about on television. Inside you'll discover

• Fun activities, games, and suggestions for movies, music, books, magazines, service activities, and websites for expanding your family's worldview.
• Simple explanations that will help your children grasp the diversity of world faiths.
• Creative ways to gain geography literacy.
• Handy lists of celebrations and customs that offer a fascinating look at how people from different cultures around the world live everyday life.

The classic guide to teaching children at home for a new generation of homeschooling parents. In 2019, there were more than two million children being homeschooled. That number doubled during the pandemic and is now likely to continue increasing as more parents worry that school might not be the best place for their children to learn and grow.

Teach Your Own helped launch the homeschooling movement; now, its timeless and revolutionary message of recognizing the ways children come to understand the world has been updated for today's environment. Parents and caregivers will discover how to navigate:

• Learning in a classroom versus learning in the world
• The difference between a learning difficulty (which we all experience every time we try to learn anything) and a learning disability.
• Schedules that achieve the homeschooling-work-life balance that you want as a family
• The relationship between learning and play
• Homeschooling and technology

And much more. John Holt's warm understanding of children and his passionate belief in every child's ability to learn have made this book an essential resource for over forty years to homeschooling families.

...ways to help people do things better. Instead of Education is Holt's most direct and radical challenge to the educational status quo and a clarion call to parents to save their children from schools of all kinds. In this breakthrough work Holt lays out the foundation for un-schooling as the vital path to self-directed learning and a creative life.

...a new view of childhood. Originally published in 1960, Summerhill became an instant bestseller and a classic volume of education for an entire generation. Now, this thoroughly expanded and revised version of the original Summerhill reinstates the revolutionary 'free school' traditions begun by Summerhill's founder A.S. Neill.

As American education lags behind the rest of the world, this new edition is more timely than ever. The children of today face struggles far greater than any previous generation and we, as parents and teachers, must teach them now to make choices for themselves and to learn from the outcome of their decisions.

This classic work yet again invites a new view of childhood and presents an essential treatise that challenges us to rethink our approach to education.

A compelling story about one family's journey into the unknown territory of homeschooling, told with skill by Alison McKee, a gifted teacher with a wide experience in traditional education and a special sensitivity to the individual needs of children. Trusting her own children to "show me the way" was a difficult challenge - but one that gave unexpected and rich rewards. Anyone familiar with the writings of John Holt will be interested to learn how things worked out for a family that decided to test his belief that children are the best directors of their own education. McKee offers the reader insights on how children learn, plenty of illustrations and practical advice about how "unschooling" works, and thoughtful commentary on the state of education today. This book will reassure parents considering homeschooling that nurturing children's natural desire to learn can empower their children to become enthusiastic life-long learners.

...your complete guide to successfully homeschooling the 13- to 18-year-old. Discover the Rewards of Homeschooling Your Teen

• Create unlimited learning on a limited budget.
• Discover teaching methods for teens with different learning styles.
• Utilize the best resources and technology.
• Prepare your teen for college, career, and adult life.

The teen years can be the most exciting time in your child's life. He or she is becoming an independent young adult and beginning to make decisions for the future. Yet growing concern about the negative social pressures, safety, and efficiency of our traditional high schools has prompted many parents just like you to teach their teenagers at home. With Homeschooling: The Teen Years as your guide, you'll discover it's not as daunting a task as you've been led to believe. Using real-life stories from dozens of families, this book reveals the secrets of making homeschooling work for you and your teen. You'll discover how to:

• Work with your teen to create a unique, individual learning experience.
• Make coursework interesting, challenging, and fun.
• Allow your teen to discover the best vocational path, including selecting a college.
• Know when your teen has "completed" high school.

Contains three of the most helpful sentences I've ever read on the question of homeschooling: 'Just start.' 'You will make mistakes.' 'No big deal.' What excellent advice! One of the most thoroughly helpful books I've read in years.

...a revolution has begun. Unschooling includes trusting your child in what they choose to learn. Radical Unschooling, which expands unschooling philosophy to parenting, means you extend that same trust to other areas of your child’s life, like foods, media, television… (It) requires thinking outside the box and a huge dose of courage.

Parenting is supposed to be joyful, and it can be when we learn to connect with, rather than control, our children. We were raised in a different era, where the majority of the parenting focused on obedience and doing what we were told…Once you understand that there is a more respectful, fulfilling way to live in harmony with not only our children, but also with others, you are well on your way. Just learning that a new parenting paradigm exists is often the first step in someone’s journey to a new awakening.

Schools have failed our individual needs, supporting false and misleading notions of 'progress' and development fostered by the belief that ever-increasing production, consumption and profit are proper yardsticks for measuring the quality of human life. Our universities have become recruiting centers for the personnel of the consumer society, certifying citizens for service, while at the same time disposing of those judged unfit for the competitive rat race. In this bold and provocative book, Illich suggest some radical and exciting reforms for the education system.

...the hidden curriculum of compulsory schooling. Throw off the shackles of formal schooling and embark upon a rich journey of self-directed, life-long learning

After over 100 years of mandatory schooling in the U.S., literacy rates have dropped, families are fragmented, learning 'disabilities' are skyrocketing, and children and youth are increasingly disaffected. Thirty years of teaching in the public school system led John Taylor Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory governmental schooling is to blame, accomplishing little but to teach young people to follow orders like cogs in an industrial machine.

He became a fierce advocate of families and young people taking back education and learning, arguing that, "Genius is as common as dirt," but conventional schooling drives out the natural curiosity and problem-solving skills we're born with, replacing it with rule-following, fragmented time, and disillusionment.

Gatto's radical treatise on public education, a bestseller for 25 years, continues to bang the drum for an unshackling of children and learning from formal schooling. Now, in an ever-more-rapidly changing world with an explosion of alternative routes to learning, it's poised to continue to shake the world of institutional education for many more years.

Featuring a new foreword from Zachary Slayback, an Ivy League dropout and cofounder of tech start-up career foundry Praxis, this 25th anniversary edition will inspire new generations of parents and students to take control of learning and kickstart an empowered society of self-directed lifetime-learners.

Unschooling isn't a technique - it's living and learning naturally, lovingly, and respectfully together. The Unschooling Unmanual features 11 essays by 8 writers: Nanda Van Gestel, Jan Hunt, Daniel Quinn, Rue Kream, Kim Houssenloge, Earl Stevens, and Mary Van Doren.

Through engaging personal stories, examples, and essays, the writers offer inspiration and encouragement for seasoned and prospective unschoolers alike.

This 2nd edition now includes Jan Hunt's Ten Tips for New Unschooling Parents.

...skip the SAT, save thousands on tuition, and get a truly international education. Good-bye, Old School. Hello, Bold School!

In 2005, Maya Frost and her husband sold everything and left their suburban American lifestyle behind in order to have an adventure abroad. The tricky part: they had to shepherd their four teenage daughters through high school and into college. This hilarious and conspiratorial how-to handbook describes the affordable, accessible, and stunningly advantageous options they stumbled upon that any American student can leverage to get an outrageously relevant global education.

Ready to ditch the drama of the traditional hypercompetitive SAT/AP/GPA path? Meet the bold American students who are catapulting into the global economy at twenty with a red-hot college diploma, sizzling 21st-century skills, a blazing sense of direction-and no debt.

You'll discover:

• The one thing preventing your student from blasting forward.
• Why Advanced Placement isn't so advanced.
• Why international programs fail to provide a truly global education.
• The most critical time for your student to study abroad.
• The best exchange program in the world ($3,000 or less per year).
• The strategic way to fast-forward through high school
• How to maximize a family sabbatical.
• How to live the life of your dreams abroad-and save thousands for college.

Packed with myth-busting facts, laughable loopholes, insider insights, astonishing success stories, and poignant tales from the Frost daughters themselves, this inspiring romp is guaranteed to get you cheering.

...how to use the whole world as your child's classroom. Unschooling, a by-product of the widespread homeschooling movement, is a unique approach to education--one that uses children's natural curiosity to propel them into a world of learning. This practical guides reveals the secrets of unschooling success even as it addresses the misconceptions and criticism unschoolers may encounter.

...your complete guide to getting off to the right start. Discover the Rewards of Homeschooling Your Young Child. Young children are full of curiosity, imagination, and a sense of wonder. They're willing to try new things and possess a natural joy of discovery. Yet in a traditional school, these natural behavior traits are too often squelched. That's why more and more parents just like you are choosing to teach their children at home during these critical years--the years that lay the foundation for developing learning skills that last a lifetime. Inside, respected homeschooling author Linda Dobson shows you how homeschooling can work for you and your young child. You'll discover how to:

• Tailor homeschooling to fit your family's unique needs.
• Know when your child is ready to learn to read.
• Teach your child arithmetic without fear--even if you're math-challenged.
• Give your child unlimited learning on a limited budget.

The original Spiritual Midwifery, published in 1976, introduced an entire generation of young women to the possibility of home birth and breast feeding. It also breathed new life into the all-but-vanished field of midwifery. This classic book on home birth is now in its fourth edition, with updated information on the safety of natural childbirth, new birthing stories, and the most recent statistics on births managed by The Farm Midwives. Ina May also provides new information about potentially dangerous techniques routinely used in hospitals during and after birth, as well as the latest findings about VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). Improved instructions for handling breech births are also given. Included are stories of working with Amish women, showing a different culture with a similar appreciation for natural childbirth. Photos, illustrations Over 540,000 copies sold!

The friendly John Percival Hackworth is a nanotechnician who just finished developing a 'book', A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, which is actually an interactive-supercomputer designed to teach a young girl to take her authority back and think for herself in a stifling society. It performs its functions perfectly. Unfortunately Hackworth loses the book, and it falls into the hands of a street urchin whose Box is expanded by the book to the point that she changes the culture of Shanghai.

If you want a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer for yourself (or Young Gentleman's Illustrated Primer... for that matter...) you might find it alive and waiting for you for free online at StartOver.xyz.