Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?: the case for helping them leave, chart their own paths, and prepare for adulthood at their own pace

I am wildly passionate about this topic so I should say up front that the author didn’t need to sell me on or convince me of anything. But he answers every single protest, furious emotion (usually directed at ME—don’t shoot the messenger, folks) or fear that comes up when I venture into the topic of self-directed education with other adults.A very conversational and super easy/fast read, it gets the job done in its efficient 250ish pages—the job being making the titular question extremely difficult to answer without ones fear and ignorance becoming glaringly apparent.I want to note my appreciation for the gems studding this book including: addressing the great self-directed learning thinkers and writers who have influenced the author right from the get go, acknowledging the (very commonly brought up) issue with privilege and opting out of public education, venturing brilliantly into the topic of video gaming and technology (one of the most common fears and struggles even amongst parents already sold on SDE in general) with confidence-building ideas and truth I had not yet encountered elsewhere, and addressing the cultural poison of the “safety at any cost” mentality, which is another topic that burns me up with indignation on behalf of our kids and the future of the world as a whole.I could not love this book more and plan on loaning it to every single friend that I have ever discussed SDE with before continuing the conversation.

I needed to read this.Blake’s sound advice may have caught us just in time.I appreciate the effort Blake put into compiling this book.I enjoyed the referencing and the personal journeys…his words will stay with me during mine.

This book exceeded my expectations. If you are considering taking your kids out of school this book answers a lot of questions about what options you have. While it focuses on self-directed learning, as opposed to home schooling, I felt that it gives a really well-rounded take on the whole subject at large. I'm someone who likes to do research. I like to know the "whys" of things. The author does a great job of including research and opinions from others about why this can work and how. And he includes tons of resources and footnotes if you want to know more. The title makes it sound like it could be a fluff book, but it's really packed full of great info. I also really like that it is a positive book. While it clearly advocates for self-directed learning, it is not negative about traditional school, homeschool or anything else. And the author makes a really good point that if you choose the self-directed path right now, that doesn't mean it's forever. What your child needs and wants will evolve over time, and may even include a return to conventional school at some point. It's all on the table. I have been considering taking my kids out of school for awhile, but I also am self-employed. This book has showed me the way that I can realistically do both. Thank you Blake.

Boles has written a very balanced review here around unconventional route for modern education. Hugely thought provoking on many levels.

If you are rethinking your child’s education during quarantine, then Blake Boles’s new book, Why are You Still Sending Your Kids to School, might be very enlightening for you. The book gives a wonderful selection of theories and ideas from some of the great minds in alternative education, which was for me a revelation in itself. Boles will broaden your pedagogical horizons and show many equally or more viable ways of educating your children.In his book, Boles makes some pretty interesting arguments. For example, if you are worried about your child constantly playing video games, check out page 117: “The Magic of Intrinsic Motivation.” As a fifteen-year-old, I flagged this page for my mom. Why are You Still Sending Your Kids to School is filled with insighful quotes from experts like game designer Jane McGonigal, who says, “Games make us happy because they are hard work that we choose for ourselves.” Running through the benefits of playing video games, Boles explains the positive educational effects of digital recreation.Thank you, Blake Boles, for again writing a much-needed book for these times of educational chaos, and for introducing us all to so many of your heroes and colleagues in the field of alternative education. There’s just one issue: I’ll never get this book back from my mom. I guess I’ll have to buy another copy.