Sheree - Mornington Peninsula, VIC / Bunurong Country

05/28/23 • 59 min

Sheree grew up an only child and now homeschools her only child, her outgoing 5 year old son on the Mornington Peninsula. As well as delving into Sheree's passion for music and her struggles at school with undiagnosed dyslexia, we chat about socialisation, community and our mutual love for our local toy library.
SUMMARY

The story of how Sheree and Steph met
Growing up in suburban Melbourne, struggling throughout school and never feeling like herself
Her passion for music which propelled her through school was lost completely at university and how she rediscovered this passion later in life but from the angle of pure creation and joy over perfectionism
Her husband's brief experience of homeschooling during his own childhood made him adamant he would homeschool his own kids and Sheree's inital reaction to this was "No, homeschool kids are weird"
Reflecting upon her own education with undiagnosed dyslexia and how this made her a self-learner
The fears she faced adopting this lifestyle - socialisation, what will people think, how will I make it work
Accepting that not everyone in your life will understand and support your choices and that is okay
Busting the myth of the selfish only child
What our homeschool community co-op looks like and how it operates
The incredible resource that is your local toy library
Less is more in homeschool and life

INSPIRATION
The Life Without School podcast
Hi Fam podcast
Have you got a story to tell?
Connect with us on instagram @australianhomeschoolstories or email [email protected]
This podcast is recorded on the land of the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, always will be aboriginal land.
Original music - Hazel by Daniel Garrood @garroodcomposer
Listen on Spotify here

The story of how Sheree and Steph met
Growing up in suburban Melbourne, struggling throughout school and never feeling like herself
Her passion for music which propelled her through school was lost completely at university and how she rediscovered this passion later in life but from the angle of pure creation and joy over perfectionism
Her husband's brief experience of homeschooling during his own childhood made him adamant he would homeschool his own kids and Sheree's inital reaction to this was "No, homeschool kids are weird"
Reflecting upon her own education with undiagnosed dyslexia and how this made her a self-learner
The fears she faced adopting this lifestyle - socialisation, what will people think, how will I make it work
Accepting that not everyone in your life will understand and support your choices and that is okay
Busting the myth of the selfish only child
What our homeschool community co-op looks like and how it operates
The incredible resource that is your local toy library
Less is more in homeschool and life

Previous Episode

Sam & Christian - Perth, WA / Whadjuk Noongar Country

Sam & Christian homeschool two of their three "bare feet little nature loving" children whilst their teenage son until recently has always been in the school system. This down to earth couple share the ups and downs of their experiences with school, how a Steiner playgroup opened their minds to this alternative educational pathway and the joy of living amongst the natural splendours of WA.
SUMMARY

Comparing their son's catholic kinder to their daughter's Steiner playgroup led Christian to suggest they consider homeschool which Sam thought was a crazy idea initially
Not wanting their kids to be stuck behind a desk all day
Once you read all the books and know what you know, you can't go back
Their eldest child's pathway through mainstream schooling, the pressure of getting him into their private school of choice and the devastation Sam felt when he was rejected despite doing backflips to get him in
Despite their son not wanting to be homeschooled, he has still got a lot of the benefits of the homeschooling lifestyle
How Christian's FIFO schedule works for their family and affords more quality time for him with their kids
Sam & Christian's reflection on their own schooling - bullying, bad teachers and just wanting to hang out with their mates
Beginning homeschool with a Waldorf curriculum which quickly evolved into natural learning and following the interests of their kids
Falling into a pot of goodness with their community after speed dating on Facebook homeschool groups to find their tribe
Sam & Christian want their kids to be life long learners, to respect Mother Earth, be free and active and not feel pressured to fit into boxes
Their advice to parents of teens struggling in the system and to Dads who may be reluctant to embrace this lifestyle

RESOURCES
The Good & The Beautiful - curriculum
Born Wise
Educated by Nature
We Are Nature Network
Wild Movement Perth

INSPIRATION
Stark Raving Dad Blog
Brave Writer Podcast - Julie Bogart
Robin Grille Psychologist
BOOKS
The Wild + Free Family - Ainsley Arment
Homegrown - Ben Hewitt
Weapons of Mass Instruction - John Taylor Gatto
Raising Free People - Akilah S Richards
Last Child in the Woods - Richard Louv
How to Raise a Wild Child - Scott D Sampson
(Consider asking your local library to purchase a copy if they don't currently have these books in their collection)
CONNECT
@little.beach.farm Instagram
@wearenaturenetwork Instagram
Have you for a story to tell?
Connect with us on instagram @australianhomeschoolstories or email [email protected]
This podcast is recorded on the land of the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, always will be aboriginal land.
Original music - Hazel by Daniel Garrood @garroodcomposer
Listen on Spotify here

Next Episode

Paul - Bermagui, NSW / Yuin Country

You may know Paul West as the loveable TV presenter, cookbook author, radio host and garden extraordinaire that he is, but you may not know that he has recently taken up the mantle of homeschooling Dad to his two boys, 8 & 6, alongside his wife Alicia in their small country town of Bermagui on the South Coast of NSW. When they are not travelling around the country for Paul's work the West family is deeply embedded in their community and in this episode Paul shares the joys of life in the garden and the simple pleasure of getting to spend more time with his kids.
SUMMARY

Retrospectively appreciating the tight-knit community village he grew up in, which he hopes to replicate for his boys
Paul's reflection on his journey of unremarkably coasting through school leading him in search of worldly life experiences before ending up in the high pressure environment of Melbourne's fine dining scene
The juggle of balancing his career whilst raising their kids has been a continued imagination of how life looks
How they chose to intentionally transition their boys out of school so the whole family could be included in the incredible experiences his work presents together
What a typical homeschooling week looks like for the West family in this season of life
Maximising the enjoyment of the golden era of childhood his kids are in
The amazing outdoor classroom that is the home garden and the friendly dialogue it opens up with the natural world
The future for our kids is digital and when used for creation instead of consumption, screens are an incredible tool for our kids to make use of
Feeling known and a part of their community is a huge priority in their lives, particularly building connections in the early years to be able to lean on their mentorship in the older years
Grow it Local - imagining a world where everyone is gardener
The parallels between gardening and homeschooling
Wanting to be the one who shows his kids the way to be in the world

INSPIRATION
Pip Magazine Podcast - Episode 26 with Paul West
Futuresteading Podcast - Season 3, Episode 25 with Paul West
All the Dirt Podcast - Episode 196 with Paul West
CONNECT
@_paul_west_ instagram
Grow it Local website
@growitlocal instagram
Have you got a story to tell?
Connect with us on instagram @australianhomeschoolstories or email [email protected]
This podcast is recorded on the land of the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, always will be aboriginal land.
Original music - Hazel by Daniel Garrood @garroodcomposer
Listen on Spotify here