Astra Taylor on the Unschooled Life

[annakiss]

Has everyone already seen this? I just found it about a week ago and love Astra's take on unschooling. Very long, but totally worth it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwIyy1Fi-4Q

I'd much rather see her speak than some of the others out there. Would really like seeing her as a headliner at conferences.

[Nazsmum]

Thanks for sharing!

[LauraN]

Wow, that was awesome. When I first noticed how long it was, I told myself I'd only watch a little. But by the end of it, I was sad that it was over--I want more! Thanks for sharing.

[Needle in the Hay]

Oh that was great, thanks for posting it anna. It was long but I started watching it at the park and was able to finish listening to it while making dinner (though I did stop to look at the short slide show).

[terra623]

Yes I saw it and looovved it. She made my son and I both laugh. So smart and such a great personality she has...

[momtokea]

I watched the entire thing this morning. She was fabulous. What an amazing individual. Thank you for sharing!

[PreggieUBA2C]

Dp and I just watched this last night. It was awesome. I searched for a reference to it because if there wasn't one, I was going to post one. :) Now I can just bump.

I also thought I wouldn't watch the whole thing, but like others, I wanted more when it was over. I also really loved that she stuck to her convictions when she was implicitly implored to set aside her well-reasoned, well-expressed judgments. I enjoy rationally principled people, whether or not I agree with them; I am inspired by people whose personal integrity is made manifest. :)

[Piglet68]

I enjoyed her talk, but I thought she did a poor job of answering questions. The usual issues were raised regarding socialization, education level of the parents, supporting adult children who were presumably unprepared to support themselves, etc. I thought her answers were vague and not very encouraging for unschooling. For example, someone asked about whether "blue collar" parents could unschool. She didn't really point out the assumption here that the parents are going to be teachers, she didn't address that well, and sort of hummed and hawed about it. Someone mentioned how her home must have had lots of books and musical instruments and what if another family couldn't afford that or didn't have those things. Um, libraries? Music lessons? Again she was vague. So while I thought she'd be a good example of an unschooled life, I don't think she'd make for a good speaker at places other than where people already understand and embrace unschooling and are simply perhaps looking for examples of unschooled grownups who are capable, intelligent, and well-spoken.

[annakiss]

I don't think she ordinarily speaks about unschooling. I think she brought up issues with equitable access to information and opportunity that unschoolers typically ignore. That's what struck me. I haven't watched in awhile.

I do recall liking that she just said what she thought as though it were perfectly normal and acceptable. She spoke as though what she presented was the obvious truth. It made me not question what she was saying. Of course, I agree with her, so that probably doesn't help that as an argument!

[cheery]

Thanks for posting this video.
 

Originally Posted by Piglet68   ... capable, intelligent, and well-spoken.

Well-spoken - yes she is!  It was a pleasure to listen to her and I would have enjoyed another hour as well. 

Originally Posted by Piglet68  I thought her answers were vague and not very encouraging for unschooling.

 I don't think she aimed to convince anyone to unschool.  She clearly stated that it worked for her family and that she enjoyed it, was grateful for the experience.  But she also raised critical questions, and I appreciated her honesty on that front. 

Someone mentioned how her home must have had lots of books and musical instruments and what if another family couldn't afford that or didn't have those things. Um, libraries? Music lessons?

Libraries are wonderful and most hs / us families couldn't manage with out them.  But they don't necessarily play all the roles that an educated parent would be able to, even if (or esp if) that educated parent was largely hands-off and zen.  I think that uneducated parents, esp if they have self-taught themselves something that they enjoy doing can facilitate as well or better than an educated one.  But there are also a lot of parents, whether educated or not, who are compelled to work long hours in dreary jobs and they may face certain disadvantages when it comes to the kind of trusting facilitation that helps unschooling to thrive.  I am really just thinking aloud here.

I don't think she'd make for a good speaker at places other than where people already understand and embrace unschooling and are simply perhaps looking for examples of unschooled grownups who are capable, intelligent, and well-spoken.

I disagree.  I found her talk quite inspiring and kind of want to protect her from the Unschooling Establishment.  While unschooling conferences are great fun, one also encounters sometimes the evangelical drive and the pep-rally atmosphere.   I think it may actually be better to have talks like this in the general audience rather than among very much like-minded crowds.