This is a special pilot episode of a new project: Unrefined Education. The last year has given us an opportunity to change how we do school, so we want to take a look back at what we've learned from a year of pandemic schooling and imagine how we can use this last year as a catalyst for real change. We'll cover the state of school, how kids actually learn, and what we propose schools can and should do to prioritize child and teen mental health as we reopen.   About Unrefined Education If you’ve listened to Homeschool Unrefined for a while, you know we are passionate not just about homeschool, but education in general.  We’ve always had kids and how they learn at the heart of our work. Unrefined Education is a manifestation of this thinking. We’re going to talk about not only homeschool, but how kids learn and what they need in all settings. We’re going to talk about schools, policies, and what we believe could help in the public realm.   Our goal is to reconcile the inner workings of children and the way we teach them. We want to understand their minds, hearts, bodies and wills in order to create an ideal learning and living environment for every child. We not only want to make learning better for the typical learner, but we want atypical learners to thrive. We want the same opportunities and joy for children of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds. We believe learning should be joyful, challenging and motivating. Not punitive, restrictive and harsh. We are here to open up the conversation that we, as adults, have the power to make the changes needed not only for our own children, but for our communities, country and world.    We'd love if you would share this episode with anyone you know who's also interested in transforming education.    Listener Question Join us on Patreon to hear our conversation answering the question: “I was shocked that burnout is like a known thing among homeschoolers in February. What other patterns have you and others noticed that I can anticipate?”   $5 Squad on Patreon We know that a lot of subscriptions and memberships can be out of reach financially for homeschool families, and it’s often us parents that give up the things we want in order to afford what our families need.   But we really want our Squad to be affordable for you because every homeschool parent should be able to get connected to the support they need. You get ALL our rewards and join our community for just $5/month. And we now offer a DISCOUNTED annual rate with TWO MONTHS FREE. $50/year is a small investment to make in YOURSELF—and you DESERVE it. Loving This Week (LTW) Maren: Judas and the Black Messiah Angela: SleepBerry Melatonin Gummies   Patrons get a monthly "LTW Extra" episode when you join our $5 Squad. An hour-long chat about the shows, products, podcasts, books, and more that we're loving!    More About Homeschool Unrefined We are an inclusive and nonsectarian podcast. We believe Black Lives Matter, and we are LGBTQ+ affirming (for more, read our piece on Romper). We are listener supported and are donating 10% of all Patreon income and product sales to The Conscious Kid, a Black and Brown-led organization that has been instrumental in our own evolution and in leading the way in both ideological and tangible change with their work in “parenting and education through a critical race lens." Read our full ABAR Statement here and on Instagram.   Connect with us!  Visit our website | Sign up for our newsletter. | Support us on Patreon. | Join our closed Facebook group: Unrefined Homeschoolers | Merch Shop Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube Angela on Instagram: @unrefinedangela | Maren on Instagram: @unrefinedmaren Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com Visit our Amazon Shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/homeschoolunrefined We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by