EU022: Ten Questions with Lainie Liberti
Lainie Liberti is mom to 16 year-old Miro. They backed into unschooling in 2009 through what was meant to be a one-year mother-and-son backpacking trip. Now in their seventh year of travelling, Lainie is co-producer and host of the weekly online show, For the Love of Learning: Voices of the Alternative Education Movement, and she and Miro host Project World School, inspiring temporary learning communities / retreats around the world for teens and young adults. They also recently gave a talk at TEDx Amsterdam, an independently organized TED event focused on education, whose theme this year was “born to learn.”
Quote of the Week
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” ~ Miriam Beard
Ten Questions for Lainie
Can you share with us a bit about you and Miro, how you found yourselves unschooling, and decided to continue travelling?
What has been one of the more challenging aspects of your unschooling journey so far?
What has been one of the more challenging aspects of your travelling journey so far?
You and Miro identify more with the term worldschooling, and I love how you distinguish between unschooling and worldschooling. You describe your day-to-day lives as radical unschooling, with Miro’s self-directed learning being interest-led. But that there’s also the learning that comes from your travel experiences, immersive learning that’s not necessarily driven by interest, but rather by your environment. Can you talk about that distinction?
I’m sure you have lots of wonderful stories from your worldschooling travels! Can you share one of your favourites?
I really enjoyed being a guest on an episode of For the Love of Learning about attachment parenting. You’ve been hosting the mostly weekly show for over a year now. Can you share with us something you’ve learned that has stayed with you?
When asked about travelling, you’ve written, “My travel advice to you is about the journey inward.” That sounds similar to the roots of the unschooling journey. Can you explain what you mean by that?
In April, you and Miro gave a talk at an education-focused TEDx event in Amsterdam. It was titled, “Unschooling: making the world our classroom.” I watched it and LOVED it! I’ll include the link for everyone in the show notes. Can you tell us about the experience?
What inspired you and Miro to create Project World School? And what kind of feedback have you been getting from past participants?
Looking back now, what, for you, has been the most valuable outcome from choosing unschooling?
Links to things mentioned in the show
Lainie and Miro’s TEDx Talk: Unschooling: making the world our classroom
Websites:
Facebook:
Raising Miro on the Road of Life page
For the Love of Learning Show page
Pam’s episode, For the Love of Learning #47: Attachment Parenting
