I wrote a book called the Teenage liberation Handbook; how to quit school and get a real life. I ran a summer camp for home school teenagers and I‘ve done some other writing books, and other work with homeschoolers especially teenagers.

Why the interest with teenagers in particular?

For me, personally it’s probably that when I was a teenager that was a really important transformative time for me and so I chose to go on and teach school with teenagers. And so when I got out and started working with homeschoolers it was a logical continuation of that.

I think a lot of people, when they are teenagers, it’s kind of the first time they are looking around and thinking about defining themselves as human beings- it’s such a very powerful time and I felt drawn to work with kids at that stage.

What do you think that teenagers need that society just isn’t providing?

Well, a lot of things. One is the opportunity to be involved in a meaningful way; to contribute something to society- not to just be passive recipients of education. I think that they also a little more visionary leadership from adults in terms of helping them see what some of their options would be and just more support in developing skills and working towards their own goals. I guess I see it as it is now, you know there’s a lot of pressure put on them but it is not necessarily in the interest of goals that are really meaningful for them.

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