Knowledge that is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind. ~ Plato
Self Directed Education (SDE) is a fast-growing approach to learning and education, grounded in the science of learning and performance, and backed by substantial research*.
Home education, focusing on Self Directed Education, involves parents partnering with their children to enable high levels of 'creative freedom'; at the same time, parents present a full range of learning opportunities that their child is exposed to, both in and out of the home. SDE is based on immersion and interest-led learning.
All adults in democracies learn and live this way too, even if they choose to sometimes learn by attending formal lessons or following a curriculum - for example, by choosing a University education.
A Self Directed student can also choose teacher-led classes, if that is how they would prefer to learn a particular subject or skill.
This educational pedagogy works extremely well, in line with research findings in the study of Self Determination Theory*, which is the practice of developing autonomy, competence (or mastery) and relatedness.
These skills develop due to 'intrinsic motivation', which is naturally high in SDE because of the sense of control of oneself, and having an invested stake in one’s own educational choices, also known as personal agency.
Self Directed Education and 'Self Determination' also typically lead to a greater sense of responsibility, clarity regarding one’s preferences and dislikes, and developing maturity. Drive increases, such that young people educated this way are more likely to become 'self-starters' from a young age.
By learning in a self-directed manner, a home educated child or teenager - especially one whose parents choose the SDE approach - tends to develop natural information-gathering skills very early on in life; this manner of education more naturally resembles that of university students, who have to manage themselves, and how adults live and learn in ‘the real world’. This is because if the child wants to learn something, they are more likely to be excited by the topic or object of interest. Parents should support them fully, and help them reach all their goals, filling in necessary gaps that arise.
Home education, and especially Self Directed Education, also enables the learner to immerse themselves and deep-dive into mastering subjects and areas of interest that perhaps are not taught in mainstream schooling.
As in my case, for example, many Self Directed Learners come from families engaged in entrepreneurship, and therefore start experimenting with business projects from a relatively young age.
There is also a higher percentage of teenagers and young adults, educated this way, who go on to run their own businesses, because the skill sets learned naturally match the entrepreneurial way of thinking and working.
Because I have a vast array of interests - ranging from art and design, to sports and fitness, to music - along with the fact that I have had plenty of time to invest in my passions, I have benefitted from learning a lot about these subjects and professions, which I might not have been able to immerse myself in quite as deeply had I not been home educated.
Arguably, one of the main challenges with traditional schooling is standardised testing and the grading system. Many students who are not achieving good grades come to quickly believe they are unintelligent and see themselves as failures, whilst in reality perhaps they are just not academically 'wired', or are not great at sitting exams; it is possible that nerves or anxiety alone, for example, result in poor exam outcomes.
Exam results do not necessarily correlate with long-term future life outcomes, success or income levels, and nor do they demonstrate the full range of human intelligence.
Even worse, when exam results are low, these negative self-beliefs can persist for a lifetime and can therefore be very damaging to some individuals’ long term outcomes.
Of course, this does not mean that teachers are not extremely dedicated, inspiring or highly useful and engaging to many learners, because most are! It is purely that school does not serve all children or teenagers well and, more importantly, that the school system itself - especially regarding standardised exams and grading - can do damage.
(In fact there is a relatively high proportion of teachers who move into the fields of Self Directed Education and home education, including New York ‘Teacher of the Year’ multiple award winner, John Taylor Gatto, who campaigned relentlessly for change in schools and education, promoting SDE until his death.)
Peter Gray, an American psychology researcher and PhD scholar, argues that school-based environments can hinder and reduce a child’s natural learning abilities. According to his research, children are born neurologically wired and intrinsically driven to learn, constantly seeking out opportunities to learn from. (By thinking of toddlers and young children, we can see that makes sense!).
Humans have evolved to naturally gravitate towards that which interests them. But for this to succeed, they need to be growing in a healthy environment, under thriving conditions, which includes plenty of enriching opportunities and exposure, social opportunities with other children/ teenagers of mixed ages, and dedicated encouragement and 'facilitation' from an invested adult - or better still, from several adult mentors.
Dr. Gray also advises us of the critical importance of play, in his 'Freedom to Learn' book, which he states is a vital need for all young mammals, in order for them to develop healthily.
Playing is a crucial part of growing up, as it helps children to develop skills, along with enabling them to discover what they do and do not enjoy. Whilst playing, children are learning to make their own decisions, and therefore they learn about natural consequences, too.
Additionally, when children play freely in groups that are not being directed by adults, they develop social skills for life at an early age. A self-directed version of home education, for younger children especially, involves plenty of play, which is intrinsically educational itself.
Home-educated children and teenagers, along with their parents and/or adult mentors, learn from a wide range of resources, places and people.
Parents or guardians are responsible for their child’s education, by law (see the Education Act 1996). When it comes to how this looks in a home-educating family, the parents are actively involved in introducing their child to all manner of inspiration, materials, people and opportunities, whilst mentoring, facilitating and even teaching their child or taking their child to various classes (where this works for the child and their needs, goals and educational journey).
In SDE, it is critical that the child either directly steers or is highly actively involved with planning their own educational direction; parents should guide, encourage and engage, which is virtually a full-time job. Children and teens quickly learn how to learn something, or how to achieve a goal, and often enjoy managing themselves when they have focused objectives in mind. This comes back to Self Determination Theory and intrinsic motivation.
Community - and regularly socialising with peers and friends - is also an important part of a home-educated child’s or teenager’s life. Like me, most home educated children attend several home-ed social groups, field trips, sports groups or educational cooperatives, every week.
Researchers and experts in SDE state that socialising with peers and the wider community is one of the most critical ways through which young people learn and develop. (The outcomes of Sudbury Valley schools have shown that peer contact, in an environment that is full of resources and mentors, may be the most important of all influences.)
Regarding resources inside and outside the home, children and teens learn from adults and peers, as well as visits and field trips - of which there are many examples:
Visits to science centres and workshops, museums, art galleries, theatre and cinema, libraries, beaches and the countryside, university workshops, etc.
Travels both abroad and in one’s home country.
Participation in home-ed groups, tutor-led classes, industry events, home-ed camps, sports groups, other activity groups, etc.
Learning through the internet - such as online courses, e-books, YouTube videos, podcasts, social media, etc.
Or they may learn by themselves, simply through play and experimentation.
Parents provide learners with all kinds of materials including science equipment and kits, art and craft materials, musical instruments and lessons, books, and textbooks if they wish.
The future of education, and even school, is rapidly changing, with more and more parents choosing alternative educational paths for their child's education. As a result, learning opportunities and communities are becoming more and more diverse.
There is even a fast-growing movement of teachers and unions who are campaigning for major change when it comes to standardised tests and how mainstream schools assess their students.
My opinion is if parents and their children are lucky enough to have the privilege of being able to choose, it makes most sense to observe a child closely regarding their temperament and preferences and, as they get older, to give them the option of choosing which educational route they feel works best for them.
If the child or teenager feels at peace with their learning and their own educational goals, then learning will be deep, and mental health will be strong.
For further information about Self Directed Education, home education, and the highly positive outcomes regarding further education, University degree attainment, mental health and future life success - for those who have followed this recognised and growing educational path - please see the following resources:
