Today's interview did not go the direction I was anticipating. It was an absolute joy to record this conversation with Blake Bowles.

For those of you who don't know him, he is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, and he's written a slew of really helpful books.

His most recent title is, Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?

He's also got the art of self-directed learning better than college and

college without high school. Blake hosts the off-trail learning podcast and has

delivered dozens of presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups.

In 2003, Blake was studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley when he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace

Lou Ellen, and other alternative education pioneers. He became inspired by the philosophy of unschooling and so he custom designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory.

After graduating, he joined the not back to school camp community

and began writing and speaking widely. Here's what's fun about Blake. He lives the

very lifestyle he's promoting. He's a high volume cook. He's been a

delivery truck driver, a summer camp director, an Aurora Borealis research

assistant, a math tutor, an outdoor science teacher, a camp medic, a ski resort, and market researcher, wind surfing, all kinds of stuff.

What he's really excited about though, is partnering with young adults who are blazing

their own trails through life. Blake takes them on trips all over the world and

he inspires them to believe that an education doesn't just exist inside the walls of a classroom.

I hope you'll join me in welcoming Blake Woles to the Brave Writer Podcast.

Hey Blake, my gosh, we're already laughing.

How are you?

Hi, Julie, it's great to be here.

I'm great.

I'm so glad you're here.

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