Ep. 29 - Meet Your Natural Learner with Leah McDermott

90-Minute School Day

Ready to explore the transformative power of child-led learning?

Meet Leah McDermott, an unschooling mom of three, former educator, grown homeschooler, and natural learning advocate. In this episode, Leah shares her unique journey from being homeschooled to teaching in the traditional classroom to unschooling, where she discovered that play, curiosity, trust, and connection are the true catalysts for deep and meaningful education.

Join us as we dive into the heart of natural learning, discussing why recognizing your child’s innate strengths, talents, and interests is essential to unlocking their full potential.

Key Takeaways:

• From Classroom to Natural Learning: Leah’s personal story behind why she left behind conventional teaching and it’s methods to embrace the freedom of unschooling, and how it transformed her children’s learning experiences and the experiences of family.
• Natural Development & Play: How understanding the natural stages of human development can help parents better support their children’s learning, and why play is an essential part of this process.
• Strengths, Intelligences, and Interests: How to identify and nurture your child’s unique learning style by observing what sparks their curiosity, personal shares, and how these strengths intersect with their emotional and intellectual growth.
• Educational Trauma & Healing: Leah discusses the subtle ways traditional education can create "educational trauma" and how a natural learning approach fosters healing by focusing on trust, nervous system safety, and connection.
• Practical Tips: Simple, actionable strategies for parents to create a learning environment that honors their child’s individuality, while avoiding the pressure of meeting conventional expectations.

Whether you're new to homeschooling or simply looking to deepen your connection with your child, Leah’s wisdom will inspire you to trust the process, embrace the journey, and see learning through a new lens. This episode is a call to let go of educational checklists and instead celebrate the joy of learning naturally, together.

Connect with Leah: Leah is an unschooling mom of three adventurous boys who thrive in nature. With a background in education, including two Master’s degrees in Reading and Curriculum, Leah shifted her focus from traditional teaching to embrace the world of natural learning at home. Today, she empowers families globally to rediscover the joy of learning through nature, play, and child-led exploration.

You can find Leah on Instagram @yournaturallearner, listen to her podcast, The Diary of An Unschooler, or connect via her website bridgeacademy.us.

Episode Resources:

• Read about Kirsten Olson’s research on 7 school wounds (educational trauma) in this article by Dr. Peter Gray
• Learn more about Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences in this article.
• Join Day In The Life Community! If you’re an eclectic homeschooler or unschooler looking for daily community and support, this is for you. Connect with fellow homeschooling parents weekly on Zoom and daily in small groups. Share your homeschooling journey, overcome fears, celebrate successes, and find the resources you need to build relationships, understanding, and connection.
• Learn about Guide Training™, a live group learning environment, to begin or deepen your deschooling, offered twice a year.
• One-on-one coaching
• Self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method.
• Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™.