Growing Without Schooling

American magazine

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July 20, 2026

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Growing Without Schooling was a magazine founded by John Holt in 1977, serving as the first newsletter for homeschoolers in the United States. Holt, an American critic of public education, became a prominent advocate for homeschooling. He believed compulsory schooling stifled children's natural curiosity and advocated for self-directed learning, coining the term "unschooling". The magazine aimed to share ideas and experiences among families engaged in homeschooling, fostering a community and building bridges between different homeschooling groups. Holt's work was instrumental in establishing the legal foundation for homeschooling through his advocacy before courts and legislatures.12

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…the curriculum, and he founded Growing Without Schooling (1977–2001), the first magazine about homeschooling, to share ideas and accounts of families engaged in the practice. Holt coined the word unschooling to describe learning that did not have to take place at home and did not require the school’s teaching and…
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…the curriculum, and he founded Growing Without Schooling (1977–2001), the first magazine about homeschooling, to share ideas and accounts of families engaged in the practice. Holt coined the word unschooling to describe learning that did not have to take place at home and did not require the school’s teaching and…
Read More