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"Birds fly, fish swim, man thinks and learns. Therefore, we do not need to motivate children into learning by wheedling, bribing or bullying. We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure they are learning. What we need to do, and all we need to do, is bring as much of the world as we can into [their lives]; give children as much help and guidance as they ask for; listen respectfully when they feel like talking; and then get out of the way. We can trust them to do the rest."


—John Holt, How Children Learn  

  


Welcome to OrganicLearning.org

What is Organic Learning?

Organic learning is another way of describing what educational reformer John Holt termed "unschooling"—learning in the world instead of in school. However, organic learning is so much more than that! It's about living joyfully with children in trust and freedom as they explore their lives and the world around them.

There are many different ways to describe the learning that takes place in freedom:

  • Radical Unschooling
  • Whole Life Learning
  • Autodidacticism
  • Self-directed Learning
  • Child-led Learning

For some time, now, unschooling has been defined more by what it is not than by what it truly is, limiting the term to a reactionary status. While unschoolers don't do school, they do many other things. They follow their passions, explore their world, live inquisitive lives and think freely.

Why OrganicLearning.org?

OrganicLearning.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and encouraging organic learners and their families world wide, bringing information and communities together. Here, you will find information about what organic learning looks like, how to connect with other organic learners and how organic learning can work for your family.

Who Are We?

We are a group of unschooling parents of various beliefs and backgrounds dedicated to helping families learn organically through life together. We understand the difficulty of living outside the mainstream of culture as well as the importance of positive role models and the open exchange of ideas for support in this lifestyle. Our deep respect for children as people together with our commitment to helping them explore their world are our uniting principles.