Guiding Principle 3: Self-Direction.
Most simply, this means following one’s own curiosity and interest. Self-direction enables us to explore the world around us in a meaningful, relevant, and contextual way, aligned with our own state of readiness and need.
People should have the opportunity to be meaningfully involved in making decisions that affect them.
An abundant self-directed education has prerequisites:
- Security, which comes from – unconditional acceptance, physical safety and access to attuned accompaniment from trusted others when needed.
- Access to sensorially diverse learning spaces.
- Plenty of time to safely explore our natural, physical, social and emotional worlds.
- Access to new experiences, to human and more-than-human creativity, to a broad age range of community members and to their stories.
- Access to resourceful, warm guidance from others who share a love of learning and exploration.
- Freedom for an externally imposed curriculum; understanding that anything can be interesting and worth spending time on – this enables learning beyond the traditional subject silos, and supports all the seen and unseen learning that can arise from self-driven, meaningful activity and problem solving
Interested in learning more about Self Directed learning?
We are grateful for Sophie Christophy and to the folk at the Cabin and the Lodge for formulating and sharing the philosophy of Consent-Based Self-Directed Education and for their continued work and activism which inspires and accompanies us. See also the Alliance for Self Directed Learning (this video offers an excellent snap shot) and the work of psychologist Peter Gray.
Dr Naomi Fisher is a Clinical Psychologist author and expert in the field of neurodiversity and self-directed education.
Also, get in touch, we love talking about this.