I've got a great educational resource - well, really, a LIFE resource - that I'm excited to share with our Wandering Educators. It's Life Learning Magazine, and it's a treasure trove of learning and inspiration. Created and published by Wendy Priesnitz, Life Learning Magazine covers the kind of learning I love to do - following my passions.

We caught up with Wendy and asked her about the backstory to Life Learning Magazine, truths of unschooling, and why unschooling is a good fit for some travelers. Here's what she had to say...

Please tell us about Life Learning Magazine...

Life Learning is a reader-supported magazine that focuses on the principles of self-directed, life-based learning for people of all ages but primarily supports unschooling families. It began in 2002 in print and switched to digital format in 2008. Subscribers live around the world – in the U.S., Canada, EU, UK, Australia, and many other countries.

What was the genesis of your magazine?

I founded Life Learning Magazine in 2002. Since 1976, my husband and I had been publishing Natural Life Magazine, which we started as a home business so we could both be available to our young unschooled daughters. I have been advocating for, and writing and speaking about, home-based learning ever since, and Natural Life has always published articles on the topic; in fact, John Holt came to us for advice when he was starting to publish his Growing Without Schooling newsletter. By the early 2000s, we felt that the time was right for a separate magazine for those at the progressive end of the homeschooling spectrum. When we heard that Growing Without Schooling was going out of business at the end of 2001, we sped up the launch, acquired their subscriber list, and mailed the first issue of Life Learning Magazine to their readers.

Wendy and daughters in 1978

VW Van, 1978

What might people be surprised to learn about unschooling?

Some people think of unschooling as lazy or “unparenting.” In fact, facilitating a child’s freedom can be quite challenging. It requires an abundance of trust in children’s ability to learn without being taught, and a strong belief in their intrinsic motivation. A life learning parent must know when to encourage or facilitate, and when not to interfere in their child’s activities.

How does unschooling fit travelers?

Since unschooling is all about learning from the experiences of everyday life, it’s a great fit for travelers. When we travel, we have great experiences to learn from! Also, since unschooling doesn’t require curriculum materials, text books, or other school-type paraphernalia, it’s perfect for a mobile lifestyle.

What's up next for you?

I am currently working on two new books – my 11th and 12th. The one closest to being finished is called It Hasn’t Shut Me Up; it’s a memoir about being a daughter who turned into a rebel unschooling mother. It has been much more difficult to write about those relationships than I originally thought and I’ve almost abandoned it a few times. It’s now close to being complete and I hope my perspective will be helpful to other women. The other one, which is still at the research stage, is called In Praise of Messy. (Here’s a link to a blog post I wrote about that book.) I’m excited about it because it ties together everything that I’ve been writing about for the past 37 years, including unschooling and environmental issues.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

Life Learning Magazine is written mostly by unschoolers – parents and young people. We invite readers to share their experiences, thoughts, and questions. Contributors receive a free subscription in exchange. Guidelines can be found on the website. http://www.lifelearningmagazine.com/write.html

Thanks so much, Wendy! We love Life Learning Magazine!