Tipping Points
April,  2025

The Earth is Our Teacher: Resisting Educational Oppression

They say education has a single path, A paved road with fences and gates, Rules marked by bells and registers, Grades like shackles — Pass, […]

Naming Conventions for Rights-Centric Educational Models

A young working group identified new names for the formerly self-directed model of education.

Walking the path less traveled

Sari González shares the beginnings of her personal unschooling and deschooling practice in this piece about trust, doubt, and finding comfort in the discomfort of not having all the answers.

Meet the author interview with Rudi Gesch

Rudi Gesch, author of new version of the classic “No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” shares more about the story behind the story in his new book advocating for risky play.

There’s an elephant in the room who needs medical attention

An exploration of trans youth medical care access by an SDE parent in collaboration with my young trans self-directed child.
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Previous Stories

Furniture is for Climbing

And other comfort-challenging experiences with my toddler

Not Back to School Camp – An Outsider’s Perspective

On his path toward self-discovery, the author started a conversation with Chat GPT that led him to the world of self-directed education which eventually brought him a deeper sense of purpose and belonging through time spent with young people at Not Back To School Camp.

Keeping the Peace Amongst the Criticism and Questioning of Unschooling During the Holidays

For many, holidays can mean more time gathering with friends and family. Sometimes that comes along with criticism or questions of the choice to engage in Self-Directed Education. Responding with grace isn’t always easy when caught off guard in the moment but the suggestions and reminders here may help bring comfort heading into these types of gatherings.

Will the Sudbury JC ever evolve? Part two in an ongoing conversation

Looking at historical and current perspectives on the use and practice of judicial committee in Sudbury settings brings new thoughts on how it could evolve.

When we know better, we do better: Will the Sudbury JC ever evolve?

One parent shares a more in-depth look at the impact of Sudbury’s Judicial Committee practice on her family’s life.

Adapting to Thrive: The Chagrin Valley Learning Collective

The story of how one former teacher bought a farm and started weaving the concepts of permaculture with the principles of self-directed education to build a unique alternative to school for families in the Chagrin Valley of Ohio.

How Sweden is Failing Its Children

Sweden is known for being a child-friendly society. However, with educational laws rewritten in the last 10 years, Sweden has become extremely controlling over the schooling of its children. This is leaving the young people of Sweden in a dire predicament.

College/Higher Education Resource Directory for Self-Directed Learners

This guide explores making the decision whether to attend college or not, how to choose one, the application process, how to keep your self-directed values in college, and more.

A Self-Directed Learner’s Decision to Attend College

This personal story shares what it was like to decide whether to pursue higher education after growing up as a self-directed learner.

The Mathematics of the Ordinary

The mathematics found all around us in play and life are plenty to evoke wonder, interest, and conjecture. School math – which can also be seen in homeschooling and unschooling spaces – is taught as a lifeless set of rules with no context and techniques that are not much fun or very useful.

SDE Facilitator Supports and Resources

Whether one is currently working as an SDE facilitator or is in charge of hiring SDE facilitators, this article shares insights into daily and long-term supports, resources, and practices that current SDE facilitators have found useful.

How to Become an SDE Facilitator

Whether one is thinking about becoming an SDE facilitator or has ever wondered what an SDE facilitator does, this article shares insights into the commonalities across different SDE centers and explores key aspects associated with working as an SDE facilitator.

Unfactual Facts

A collection of made-up statistics about schooling culture that, on first glance, could sound plausible, until one starts to really consider what is being stated as fact.

Spotlighting the Issues with ‘Schooling’ in Slovenia

It is necessary to raise awareness about how some countries, such as the Republic of Slovenia, have legislated grammatically incorrect statements, such as, “compulsory schooling” rather than “compulsory education,” which has led to many violations of the Rights of the Child.

The Roles We Play: How Adultism and Schooling Dehumanize Us All

This article takes a closer look at how the roles that students, teachers, and parents are often cast into dehumanize us and how to move away from oppressive and adultist roles towards more authentic ways of being.

From the Archive

Self-Directed Education: Inequitable or Radical?

Many people worry that Self-Directed Education is too risky for children from less privileged households. But is our duty to expose kids to the types of knowledge that confer privilege, or to help them develop their fullest, most meaningful lives?

The SDE Weekend 3: Holding creative space for self-directed learners

A workshop on the role storytelling can play in self-directed education and how we can support ourselves and others in creating and collaborating

Back Home: self-directed learning in fiction

Most children’s books reinforce the hidden curriculum of compulsory schooling. Back Home by Michelle Magorian is an exception, with the heroine Rusty ending up at an early democratic school which is presented as a common sense and humane approach to education.
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Tipping Points Press

Books for Sale

Profit from these books goes to support ASDE and Tipping Points Press.

book cover Rigged
by Hazel Smack

Purchase

The first $8,000 of profits from these books by Peter Gray will be used as advances to publish the writing of Women of Color. Half of all proceeds there after will also be used as advances for Women of Color authors.