S6E122: Resilience with Leah McDermott

S6E122: Resilience with Leah McDermott

Author: Robyn Robertson March 23, 2022 Duration: 1:16:15

Resilience

This special recorded interview is from the March 2022 How To Be An Awesome Homeschooler Summit. The summit theme was the 3 R's of learning which for us is not the traditional reading, wRiting, aRithmetic. The 3 R's are; Reclaim, Resist, Resilience.

Leah McDermott, founder of Your Natural Learner was our keynote speakers to the theme of Resilience. Resilience for homeschool parents as well as our children. Leah joined me to close out the day with this special interview.

Leah McDermott~ Mom, Grown Homeschooler, Educator, Unschooler

First and foremost, Leah is a mom. She has three rambunctious little boys who love spending every single second that they can out in nature.

Leah’s story begins as a homeschooled child. Her father was in the military, so her parents began homeschooling her in third grade out of necessity at first, but eventually because of a disappointment in the complete lack of engaging material found in the classrooms (keep in mind this was over 20 years ago!) 

Sadly, not much has changed for the better. Her homeschool days were filled with family activities, independent learning, field trips, and worldwide adventures. She made it into her first choice for college with multiple scholarships. Leah received her Bachelors in Elementary Education, followed by a Masters of Education as a certified Reading Specialist, followed by a second Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. After three years of teaching in both rural and urban elementary schools, she decided to leave the profession after having her oldest son. 

When her son turned two, and began to show interest in learning, Leah found that she naturally was providing exciting learning opportunities for him, and had many mothers begin asking her to share my experiences with them. And now..here she is…

From Homeschool To School To No School

Leah and I got into all of the ideas we hold onto around learning, children and development:

  • The difference between the traditional system and what the data shows from neuroscience around development and learning. (How we learn best does not match what we do in the traditional education system)

  • The Deschooling process and how it can be an even bigger for parents that come to homeschooling as trained educators.

  • Learning to write

  • Screens and time with screens

  • Trusting the natural learning process

How To Be An Awesome Homeschooler Summit

If you enjoyed this episode, the full day recordings are available on the website, How To Be An Awesome Homeschooler. The Recordings include:

Reclaim~ Ainsley Arment of Wild+Free

Reclaim The Teen Years~Kelly Edwards creator of the 90 Minute School Day and Robyn Robertson of Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids

Resist~Karen Ricks of Our Kitchen Classroom

Play With Your Food Workshop with Karen Ricks

Resist~ Karema Akilah founder of The Genius School

Resilience~Leah McDermott of Your Natural Learner

If you have enjoyed this podcast and would like to be part of the community or support our work, join or follow us here…..

Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids

Clubhouse~Honey! I’m Homeschooling Club

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Robyn Robertson hosts Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids, a conversation that goes far beyond curriculum choices and into the heart of what it means to learn and grow together as a family. This isn't about presenting a perfect blueprint; instead, each episode feels like an honest chat with a friend who gets it, exploring the nuanced realities of choosing an educational path outside the conventional system. You'll hear from a diverse range of voices-experienced homeschoolers, unschooling advocates, educational researchers, and parents just figuring it out-all sharing their stories, challenges, and triumphs. The discussions naturally weave through parenting philosophies, cultural perspectives on childhood, and practical advice for nurturing a rich, engaging home life. Tuning into this podcast means finding a supportive community and thoughtful reflections on creating a family culture that prioritizes connection, curiosity, and joy. It’s for anyone curious about alternative education or simply seeking inspiration for a more intentional and fulfilling life with their kids.
Author: Language: en-ca Episodes: 100

Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids
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