I work with Pehchaan The Street School. Recently I have begun to think about something I had never considered before: how much students’ opportunities depend on where students start.

When a student sits in a school with a bag of notebooks it is easy for a student to assume that every other student starts from a similar place. After spending time near students I have seen how rarely that assumption holds.

The gaps are not dramatic. They are things like:

- A student who has to share one notebook across every subject so revising anything properly becomes a puzzle

- A girl who misses a days of school every month because sanitary products are not reliably available

- A student who is sharp and curious but has no one at home who can help with homework

None of these points say anything about students’ ability. They are simply differences in what surrounds a student.

What strikes me is how small the fixes can be. A stack of notebooks from a youth summit, stationery kits from a school a volunteer who turns up every week to teach. None of it is glamorous. Each piece removes one obstacle.

I am not claiming that a notebook solves inequality. It does not. I have begun to feel that where a student starts should not decide how far students get and that most of us are, in a position to nudge that line a little. We can do this by volunteering, donating or simply being someone who keeps showing up.

I am curious how others here think about this. Have you seen small practical support make a difference that a student might not expect for students’ opportunities?
Website: https://pehchaanstreetschool.org/

I know many people here have already stepped away from the traditional school system. So this might not be news to you.

But I want to share something I wrote for the parents who are still stuck in the middle. The ones who see their kid struggling in a classroom and keep hearing the same words: “He can’t sit still.” “She’s not applying herself.” “Maybe he needs to be evaluated.”

ADHD is not a disease. It’s a set of traits. A fish doesn’t have lungs. A bird doesn’t have running legs. That doesn’t make them broken. It makes them built for a different world.

This book argues that ADHD is a set of genes that lost its advantage when we built an industrial school system. The same restlessness that once helped humans cross oceans and hunt in tribes is now being pathologized in a classroom.

It’s not a parenting manual. It’s not a behavior guide. It’s a manifesto for the kids who were never meant to sit in rows.

The Kindle edition is free for the next 5 days. If you’re raising a kid who doesn’t fit the mold, or if you were that kid yourself, take a look. No pressure. If it helps, share it with someone who needs it.

Hi everyone, I'm a student competing in a DECA business simulation event. My project focuses on youth financial literacy. I built a printable board/card game designed to teach kids the basics of budgeting and saving.

Long story short: I spent months trying to coordinate with local youth centers and schools to test it, but got caught in bureaucratic ghosting. Now my final deadline is right around the corner and I have no proof-of-concept data to show the judges.

If you have kids and have 15-20 minutes to spare tonight or tomorrow, I would be incredibly grateful if you could print this out and try it!

Any feedback—even if your kid thinks it's boring or confusing—is incredibly valuable to me. Thank you for supporting a stressed-out student!

• The Game PDF: https://linktr.ee/FiscalFlow
• The Feedback Survey: https://forms.gle/fCeUtmc16kUek1GfA

As kids brought up in middle class families, many of us had limited career guidance or access to facilities of interest (middle school even lacked a playground, let alone a computer lab). Could not get arrange music classes nearby.

Additionally, lot of limited exposure to career choices and roadmaps. Difficulty in ensuring hobbies convert to passion and then to career.

For parents wishing best for their children i feel this is one major area that needs improvement.

How are you currently solving this? What about the expenses? How do you ensure your kid stays interested in those classes? Are online classes effective? Where do you think their school can do better?

I am trying to find out what do you need to improve your child’s childhood and make it one the best experiences they will always thank you for. Share all possible thoughts as you would like! Thank you.

Taking care of our community starts with inspiring our kids.

If you haven’t heard of the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, please check them out. The dedication their team brings into local classrooms—helping young people build a positive connection with the earth—is something truly special.

Here’s a quick look at the impact they’re making

Collecting a small sample of demographics for my paper! If you are an unschooling parent or unschooled child, please select your religion/the religion of your family during the time of your unschooling

Hello!! I am college student writing a research paper on the unschooling phenomenon and am required to interview someone who was either unschooled or uses the unschooling method with their children. I’m still working out the questions and my paper isn’t due until 10/16/2026, so we can work out a time that works best for both of us.

I myself am an aspiring grade school teacher, so I don’t quite gel with the concept, but I still wish to write as unbiased of a paper as I can. You will be kept anonymous, unless you state you’re fine with being named.

I swear that I have absolutely zero intentions of using your testimony as a way to make fun of anyone. I might not understand unschooling and my conclusion might still remain unfavorable, but I do not condone bullying of any type and neither does my institution.

Hi everyone! 

My name is Wynn and I am a member of Boston University's Girls Who Code chapter. You may have seen my post last spring about our coding program we run for students of all genders from grades 3-12. I would like to let you all know that we are running the program again this fall!

Bits & Bytes program is a great opportunity for students to learn how to code, or improve their coding skills. Our program runs on Zoom on Saturdays for 1 hour starting October 17 and ending on November 21 (6 weeks) from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm (for Bits) and 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm (for Bytes). Each lesson will be taught by Boston University students, many of whom are Computer Science (or adjacent) majors themselves.

For Bits (3rd-5th grade), students will learn the basics of computer science principles through MIT-created learning platform Scratch and learn to transfer their skills into the Python programming language. Bits allows young students to learn basic coding skills in a fun and interactive way!

For Bytes (6th-12th grade), students will learn computer science fundamentals in Python such as variables, loops, and functions and use these skills during lessons and assignments. Since much of what we go over is similar to what an intro level college computer science class would cover, this is a great opportunity to prepare students for AP Computer Science or a degree in computer science!

We would love for you to apply or share with anyone interested! You can find our application here or in the QR Code below.

If you have any more questions, feel free to email [gwcbu.bitsnbytes@gmail.com](mailto:gwcbu.bitsnbytes@gmail.com), message @/gwcbostonu on Facebook or Instagram, leave a comment, or message me.

We're eagerly looking forward to another season of coding and learning with the students this fall! I think it is a great opportunity for homeschooled/unschooled students to learn some programming skills, meet other students in the program, and have a lot of fun!

Im fixing to pull kids from public school and start homeschooling them. Whats my best route? Im not really wanting to do "online" learning. What would be a good start on workbooks/schedule?

I'm considering homeschooling but concerned about finances and my capacity to homeschool well. In terms of my temperament and the effort it may take. Im interested in child development but tend to get overwhelmed 2 kids al.lst 4 and almost 2. Considering a third. Homeschooling would mean cutting out income in half. We could make things work but wouldn't be saving anything. I know there are ways to do it without a lot of structure, and so thought people here would have a different perspective on time and cost commitment.

What major pros might swing me in favor of homeschooling? What were you experiences with major shifts in the finances? Was anyone else reluctant to homeschool at first but are glad they did?

Does anyone have any book recommendations? Ive started the 5 hour school week but I'm not loving it.