Podcast: Homeschool Unrefined with Maren Goerss & Angela Sizer

Brave Writer Podcast

Homeschooling should be an option for everyone. That doesn’t sound like a controversial statement, and yet many of us struggle to make our homeschool right for us and our family.

Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer are the dynamic duo behind Homeschool Unrefined, an inclusive and non-sectarian podcast and community all about keeping homeschool simple, real, and fun.

These friends of more than 20 years carry a breezy chemistry that bleeds into every topic they touch. They are both former public school teachers with master’s degrees in education and they want parents to know that homeschooling can be less about lesson-plans and more about nurturing the inherent, natural love of learning already within our kids.

Listen to the Podcast

Show Notes

The Mission of Homeschool Unrefined

Maren and Angela had a vision for homeschools that redefined the way people were approaching their family’s education. Their goal was straightforward: keep homeschool simple, real, and fun. With their educational background, they understood how kids learn and they wanted to encourage people to support that. A student-led philosophy is a better way to learn than a parent-led one.

Understanding Critical Thinking

Critical thinking means asking questions, analyzing, and being humble enough to know that you don’t always know everything. These are things that we all do naturally, but as we mature, society teaches us to stop asking questions because we mistakenly fear that others will perceive our lack of knowledge as weakness.

Along with humility is the concept of self-awareness — the two go hand in hand. Self-awareness is the application of critical thinking to yourself. It’s essential to encourage this in kids (and yourself), so that it remains a priority throughout their life.

Helping Kids Think Critically

We live in a world where everyone is passionate about their beliefs. That’s generally a good thing, but when your kid says, “Everyone on TikTok thinks this,” you can show them how to find a counterpoint with a quick search. We want kids to recognize that there are always different perspectives.

Critical thinking should be something that comes naturally in conversation. Training our kids to be empathetic, and try to understand why someone may think the way that they do, leads to a greater understanding of others and our place in the world.

You have to make children feel safe when questioning things, so be willing to change your mind. If you’re teaching kids to think critically, when they present a logical argument, you have to be eager to hear it. Moreso, you have to be willing to let them sometimes — not always — win you over.

Being an Inclusive Homeschooler

Angela and Maren have always been vocal about diversity and racial injustice. As two white women, they believe that we’re missing out on a lot of rich learning and humanity if we close ourselves off from people we perceive to be different. We want to avoid forming a finite community. If we ensure that our kids feel connected, empowered, and loved, then they can do anything.

Homeschool Unrefined is selling their Back to School Summit which includes all the information and inspiration you’ll need to start homeschooling, including 3 audio classes, digital printable worksheets, App School Guide, and a Curriculum Guide, all for $25.

Here’s the link for more info:  https://www.homeschoolunrefined.com/summit

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