The Advantages of a Self Directed Education: How and Why I was Home Educated…

Written by Theo Crowther

Knowledge that is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.

– Plato

Self Directed Education (SDE) is a fast-growing approach to learning and home education, grounded in the science of learning and performance, and backed by substantial research*. Home education, focusing on Self Directed Education, involves parents partnering with their children to enable high levels of 'creative freedom and ownership'; at the same time, parents maximise a full range of learning opportunities that their child is exposed to, both in and out of the home. SDE is based on immersion and interest-led learning.  All adults in democracies learn and live this way too, even if they choose to sometimes learn by attending formal lessons or following a curriculum - for example, by choosing formal Further Education. A Self Directed student can also choose teacher-led classes, if that is how they would prefer to learn a particular subject or skill.

This educational pedagogy works extremely well, in line with research findings in the study of Self Determination Theory* - the practice of developing autonomy, competence (or mastery) and relatedness.  These skills develop due to 'intrinsic motivation', which is high in SDE because of the sense of control of oneself, ownership and having a stake in our educational choices, also known as personal agency. On balance, Self Directed Education and 'Self Determination' also lead to a greater sense of responsibility, clarity regarding our preferences and dislikes, and developing maturity. Drive increases, such that young people educated this way are more likely to become 'self-starters' from a young age.  

By learning in a self-directed manner, a home educated child - especially one whose parents choose the SDE approach - tends to develop natural information gathering skills very early on in life; this manner of education more naturally resembles that of university students, who have to manage themselves, and of how adults live and learn in ‘the real world’.  This is because if the child wants to learn something, they will be exceptionally motivated to find out more about the topic or object of interest.  Parents of course support them fully, and help them reach all their goals, filling in gaps that arise.

Interests, passions & immersive learning:

Home education, and especially Self Directed Education, also enables the learner to immerse themselves and deep-dive into mastering subjects and areas of interest that perhaps are not taught in mainstream schooling. As in my case, for example, many Self Directed Learners come from families engaged in entrepreneurship, and so they start experimenting with business projects from a relatively young age. There is also a higher percentage of teenagers and young adults, educated this way, who go on to run their own businesses, because the skill sets learned naturally match the entrepreneurial way of thinking and working.

Because I have a passionate interest in studying global theme park ride manufacturers, ride designs and theming, and theme park planning and media, along with the fact that I had plenty of time to invest, I have also learned an enormous amount about these subjects and professions, which I probably would not have had the time to achieve so deeply had I not been home educated.

Arguably, one of the main challenges with traditional schooling is standardised testing and the grading system.  Most children who are not achieving good grades come to quickly believe they are unintelligent and see themselves as failures, whilst in reality perhaps they are just not academically 'wired', or are not great at sitting exams; it is possible that nerves or anxiety alone result in poor exam results. Exam results do not necessarily correlate with longterm future life outcomes, success or income levels, and nor do they demonstrate the full range of human intelligence.  Even worse, when exam results are low, these negative self-beliefs can persist for a lifetime and can therefore be very damaging to some individuals.

Of course this does not mean that teachers are not extremely dedicated, inspiring or highly useful to some learners, because most are! It is purely that school does not serve all children or teenagers well and, more importantly, that the school system itself - especially regarding standardised exams and grading - can do damage.  (In fact there is a relatively high proportion of teachers who move into the fields of Self Directed Education and home education, including New York ‘Teacher of the Year’ multiple award winner, John Taylor Gatto, who campaigned relentlessly for change in schools and education, promoting SDE until his death.)

We are born to learn…

Peter Gray, an American psychology researcher and PhD scholar, argues that school-based environments can hinder and reduce a child’s natural learning abilities. According to his research, children are born neurologically wired and intrinsically driven to learn, constantly seeking out opportunities to learn from. (Think of toddlers and young children, and we can see that makes sense!). Humans have evolved to naturally gravitate towards that which interests them.  But for this to succeed, they do need to be growing in a healthy environment, under thriving conditions, which includes plenty of enriching opportunities and exposure, social opportunities with other children/ teenagers of mixed ages, and dedicated encouragement and 'facilitation' from an invested adult - or better still, from several adult mentors.

Dr. Gray also advises us of the critical importance of play, in his 'Freedom to Learn' book, which he states is a vital need for all young mammals, in order for them to develop healthily.  Playing is a crucial part of growing up, as it helps children to develop skills, along with enabling them to discover what they do and don’t enjoy. A child in play is learning to make his or her own decisions, and therefore learns about natural consequences too. Additionally, when children play freely in groups that are not being directed by adults, they develop social skills for life at an early age.  A self-directed version of home education, for younger children especially, involves plenty of play, which is intrinsically educational itself.

How does SDE home education look, in daily practice?

Home educated children and teenagers, along with their parents and adult mentors, whether they are following a SDE approach or not, learn from a wide range of resources, places and people.  Parents or Guardians are responsible for their child’s education, by law (see the Education Act 1996), and when it comes to how this looks in a home educating family, the parents are actively involved in introducing their child to all manner of inspiration, materials, people and opportunities, whilst mentoring, facilitating and even teaching their child or taking their child to various classes (where this works for the child and his/her needs, goals and educational journey).


In SDE it is critical that the child either directly steers or is highly actively involved with planning their own educational direction; parents must guide, encourage and engage, which is virtually a full-time job.  Children and teens quickly learn how to learn something, or how to achieve a goal, and often enjoy managing themselves when they have focused objectives in mind.  This of course comes back to Self Determination Theory and intrinsic motivation.

Community and socialising with peers and friends, regularly throughout the week, are also an important part of a home educated and SDE child’s or teenager’s life.  Like me, most home educated children attend several home ed social groups, field trips, sports groups and educational cooperatives, every week.  Researchers and experts in SDE state that socialising with peers and the wider community is in fact one of the most critical ways through which young people learn and develop.  (The outcomes of Sudbury Valley schools have shown that peer contact, in a liberal environment that is full of resources and mentors, may be the most important of all influences.)


Regarding resources at home and out-and-about, children and teens learn from other adults and peers, visits and field trips - for example to space centres, science centres and workshops, museums, public attractions, beaches and the countryside, theme park workshops, university workshops etc., travels, home ed groups and tutor-led classes, industry events, art galleries, theatre and cinema, home ed camps, libraries, the internet - including MOOCS, YouTube, podcasts and social media - books, courses online, sports groups, art groups, and simply through play and experimenting.  Parents provide learners with all kinds of materials including science equipment and kits, art and craft materials, musical instruments and lessons, books, and textbooks if they wish.

The future of education:

The future of education, and even school, is rapidly changing, with more and more parents choosing alternative educational paths for their child's education.  As a result, learning opportunities and communities are becoming more and more diverse.  There is even a fast-growing movement of teachers and unions who are campaigning for major change when it comes to standardised tests and how mainstream schools assess their students.

In my opinion, if parents are lucky enough to have the privilege of being able to choose, it makes most sense to observe their child closely regarding their temperament and preferences, and as they get older, to give them the option of choosing what educational route they feel works best for them.  If the child or teenager feels at peace with their learning and their own educational goals, then learning will be deep, and mental health will be strong.

For further information about Self Directed Education, home education, and the highly positive outcomes regarding further education and University degree attainment, mental health and future life success, for those who have followed this recognised and growing educational path, please see the following resources:

© Theo Crowther