#111: Breaking Free: From Teaching to Unschooling

What if everything your child needs for academic success could be learned during their high school years, and everything before that could just be play?Katie from Illinois, a former teacher with a master's degree in gifted education, reveals how her perspective on education transformed when she began homeschooling her three young children. Witnessing her oldest child write perfectly formed letters without any formal instruction became her lightbulb moment – children naturally learn without our intervention.Breaking free from the politics and constraints of traditional teaching wasn't easy. Katie candidly shares her journey from trying to replicate school at home to embracing unschooling, where learning flows from her children's natural curiosities. "I've instructed them with nothing and they're spitting out knowledge," she explains, challenging the notion that parents need teaching credentials to effectively educate their children.Most refreshingly, Katie dismantles the myth that homeschooling must look Instagram-worthy. She admits to days with too much screen time, moments of frustration, and plenty of mess – yet reminds us that children are still thriving compared to institutional alternatives. "They were fed without chemicals, they were not privy to any shelter-in-place drills, they got fresh air, they were loved, and they were not in combat training – that's enough."Whether you're considering homeschooling, already deep in the journey, or simply curious about alternative education approaches, this conversation will challenge conventional wisdom about how and when children truly learn.Curriculum: More before 5 in a RowGames: Alice in Bibleland books, Color cube for preschoolers, Tactile Tic tac toe, ALL versions of memory matching games, Genius Cube (a must- comes with 2 per box so I recommend buying more than one so the whole family can compete), Rack-o, Charades for kids (has picture clues for non readers), Poop tracks - nature lovers fun!, Guess who- strong deductive reasoning, Carpet checkers, Mimiq/Body mimiq card games (go fish style game with fun twists and charade skills- kids LOVE!), Old maid, War, crazy 8s- recommend teaching with regular deck of bicycle cards first for good number skills and then get the fun themed decks once they understand. BEST card holders from Amazon. What is the most important thing we can teach our kids?HOW TO HANDLE AN EMERGENCY!This could mean life or death in some cases!Help a child you know navigate how to handle an emergency situation with ease:Let's Talk, Emergencies! -and don't forget The Activity Book!The Tuttle Twins - use code Cheryl40 for 40% the age 5-11 series!Support the showInstagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast