About

Important Notice:

Unfortunately due to an unforseen family matter Learn While Living launch will be postponed.

Limited entry will be offered to residents living in Australia and Aotearoa, New Zealand soon.

Join the Wait List, invite your whanau and friends to be in the loop there after :)

Learn While Living, Loving the journey...

Wait List

Become a Villager to discover Learn While Living, the "1st unique platform"

designed to craft, to create, to play, to innovate, to travel - or to debate & dabble!

Hi there, I'm Addy Marie McVay, Creator & Co-Founder;

Solving a real problem, for "invaluable holistic experience essentially built through everyday lifeskills, creativity, play & travel," is where I began my vision. "They" became my driving force back in 2016. Why? To offer more aligned material & experiences for my moko's {children}, which were lacking.

It's taken decades to uncover the nuances that streamline worthy outcome, or give better scope for personal gratifications, engagement and overall growth, still while nurturing another."What I've uncovered is precious, & has become my life's work to share, such goodness- that special sauce if you will!

Get to know us, our experience & offerings, "they" come with insight, & are story driven. Relax, grab a cuppa and dive in.

Keigh & Jessy began homescholing at eight & nine years of age. Eager and willing children, their interests & special needs became the foundation for their learning after we did "school at home" then Descholing & Unschooling combined. During childhood, they loved all things fun & eventful, bike riding, books, music -piano & drums particuarly, tactile games & gaming "of course" +holidays. When the 1st real question was asked, "What do you want to learn about?" fell in their presence, a world of opportunity blossomed.

"I'm {Addy Marie McVay} a creative intellect, & writer at heart. I refuse to teach to, instead facilitate for, mentor & guide. Learn While Living is my passion, & so much so, like air that we breath, the ideas that flow for more innovation & creation in our platform thrives inside my energy & mind everyday.

We fell into creating games {don't confess to be a pro, yet create & speak from my truth, playful mindset & wisdom}, - with a big vision for effective, rewarding, & impactful experiences. Doing this nurtures my desire & interest to craft, create & innovate, research & learn, write & travel.

Our offerings include; Learn While Living resourcesfull interactive library. With hundreds of assets - & counting. We value that space as an opportunity to inspire, innovate & equip with living books, living lessons, the power of play & travel, & all the stuff mentioned on Learn While Living home page.

Purpose; I think about the years its taken to acquire my know-how, moreover, unearthing "WHY", WHAT" & "HOW" essential to guide another, & provide worthy resource & experiences. This ultimately lead me to create a space that spoke to my vision & know-how that was unique for us, but when in need- satisfied our insatiable hunger away from mainstream manner.

Seeing the power of our ideas come to life, while facilitating & guiding was a telling time. So, I began creating more items- while Jessy & Keigh critiqued, having the view to perhaps share in the future.

Do note, this is not for everyone. We are not a religous space - more experiential & topics. Acccepted invites, we trust Villagers will relish in the experiences so much so, the power of Learn While Living will truly inspire more live, learn, play & travel journeys.

Back story; Embarking on my first journey in 1988, some 37 yrs ago, today I'd be considered an OG Worldschooler. At that time, traveling in my early teens to a few places. Then partnered in my twenties for several years extensively, & over the past umpteen years with 2 in tow, extensively again.

Styles; We dabbled in the many different approaches and styles; {be-it, school at home, de-schooling, true homeschooling, roadschooling, unschool, gameschool, eclectic, gardenschool, interest-led, passion or concept-based, wildschool or worldschool, etc...} coupled with traveling round the globe. That has brought upon countless skills, experiences & connections.

Back story; Since, reflecting in 2023, {Addy Marie McVay} created & coined the term {"Learn While Living, Loving the journey..."} to pay homage to my sons' and my unique way of life and learning. A simply poignant -Philosophy In Action- described from the essence within the practise.

Historically, we've been quietly creating & developing since 2016 and occasionally posting since 2020, sharing my core message under the umbrellas of Schooling Discoveries to give back, & Learn While Living to house the stuff that makes a difference. Collectively these are delivered through the underpinning of, "Why", "What" & "How" delivered to inspire through the lense of living lessons, play, travel & lived experience for context & conversation.

2020, Schooling Discoveries provided a media outlet to learn & connect with like minded families, Authors & Educators, which offered insight & a view into who was doing what, and their why or purpose to the community at large. Through additional research, I looked at the inate messages from the few homeschool sites already established, to ensure my vision was not already out there. Originality for a life worth living, inspired by what we uncovered, is my purpose and strength. No one can speak your journey. But they can be inspired by it.

Paying homage' to another, in the view when inspiration or life lesson are gained, carries cudos. Often why a writer writes is to share life lessons, inner creativity and tales for impact, value or reward.

{I see my voice & essence within my writings have been echoed, in the posts of others since publicly posting from 2020, and say to those who notice my written rhythm, beware! A copycat is not driven by a moral code, uniqueness, authenticity or originality. An enriched writers offerings, guided by all that and more...is. Check out our timeline in "Family Brands" for what we've created over the years to share.}

So I leave you with a few questions to kick-start valuble critical thinking...

What is different enough, to engage them?

Who do you invite into their life of learning & play? Why?

How does that align to your values & vision? Why?

Finally, A Point to Ponder;

We stand at a critical juncture in the evolution of our life when we give birth to another life... What will their life embody during this window of opportunity - the family nest?

Will it be, What I thought I had to do? or "Next Level" as a Villager with the empowered Learn While Living, Loving the journey... -Philosophy In Action-?

Introducing: Learn While Living Founding Family

Learn While Living, Loving the journey... spoke to Addy. It was how we did it. Learn, Live, Discover, Play & Travel.

Our natural home is Aotearoa, New Zealand. Addy Marie McVay has lived in Australia for many years, and her son's Keigh & Jessy for most of their lives. We're based in Australia, and often return home. Experiencing Alternative learning, Roadschool and Worldschool as a family brought us closer together, & in ways that were different from the "norm." By doing what we did, to spend time voyaging our planet "not to tick off bucket lists," but to travel with intention to connect- took president. In doing so, taking our time to communicate and better understand the world to quaint & cute places, living amongst different societies & cultures - ran deeper, & had greater impact.

Together our ventures took us across Australia, Aotearoa, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, South East Asia, London, Germany, through Switzerland to Austria, Bavaria, Venice, Rome, & France, Fiji, America Samoa & Hawaii. Over Addy's lifetime she's experienced much of Australia, Aotearoa, New Zealand, the lower half of the Uk, Fiji, Cook Isalnds, America, Paris, Turkey, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore. To experience these cultures & learn about our own traditionally what I see, is that many cultures have similarities at the core of their belief's, custom and traditions.

Poignantly, researching our Māori culture over the years, I've come to discover the passing down of knowledge are their stories shared. Everything that excompasses the culture, lives within their way of life. Traditionally they did not write- that was not custom. It was shared from mouth to mouth, in the moment as the elder saw it was time.

With Māori and British ancestory, an expansive worldschool journey, pre-whanau {family} then with my moko's {children} coupled with my calling to write & create, Keigh, Jessy & Addy marie McVay injected into Learn While Living library much of their experiences & creativity. We will continue to create from a mindset that aligns with our kiwi culture for a deeper and more enrichied way of learning through story telling, lived lessons, living books & the power of play.

Our library has been for the most part, tried and tested by Keigh & Jessy since 2016. Some of the later stuff is off the back of what more I could do, if given the time again.

Learn While Living library is a space to invite experiences, learning, travel & fun times, driven for deeper delights, while respecting our incredible planet, vibrant cultures, and unique moments to embrace Learn While Living, loving the journey... at its core.

What has been incredibly important in this process, was to design something that spoke from our authentic journey and had NOT been done before. It is important to be different to innovate and forge a future that speaks volumes from a memorable past.

The assets within Learn While Living library are authentically designed and developed from years of lived experiences,

and offered on the platform to use when you are a fellow Villager. Join the waiting list to take the first step.

While Addy's initial intention for creating the materials was to align with their lifestyle,

it is in years gone on that the materials have taken shape to be much more.

"The driving force"

A Philosophy In Action

Intrinsicly,

Learn While Living,

Loving your journey...

Speaks for itself.

A simple yet incredibly affective and rewarding way to learn, play & live.

It's an empowering and simple way to learn while ultimately living, and the philosophy is always in keeping with that essence, coupled with her visionary approach to connect learning in real world / real life examples, and experiences to thrive, play and equip.

By sharing this -Philosophy In Action- Addy Marie McVay is not only honouring her family's unique approach to intertwine learning, organically from the ideas that have helped her and her family, but to inspire others' to embrace a similar mindset and lifestyle for empowering and rewarding life with living lessons.

Join us, as we continue to craft tailor made signature style materials that go far beyond the pages within Learn While Living library.

"To nurture in the defence of

curiosity, discovery and wonder

is the precipice

for learning and loving it"

Addy Marie McVay

Learn While Living Family

Addy Marie

Writer at heart, Visionary & Inventor of games.

Founder, Owner & Mentor,

Learn While Living, Loving the journey...

-Philosophy In Action-

Worldschooler from way-back!

Keigh Klay

"With a love for music, piano and guitar."

Writer, Editor

& Game Developer for

Learn While Living

J J

"Who lives to beat of his own drum."

Game Developer

& Art Editor for

Learn While Living

6. Experiential Learning

Picture 1: Its a playful scene with bright sparks ready and keen.

See how engaged they are?!

Want to engage your teens & children just like this?

Don't know how to?

Let's talk, the pro's and cons for "what", "why" and "how"

for "Experiential Learning."

First, "what" is Experiential Learning?

Simply put, learn by doing!

It is in the art of utilising each experience so to learn,

and here at Learn While Living, we take it to the next level to Learn While Living.

This post aims to explore the concept of experiential learning in detail, examine its theoretical foundations, discuss its applications in various learning settings,

and provide practical benefits for mentoring learners effectively.

Using this active learning application, and entwining such with our

Philosophy In Action- and library of resources, we aim to provoke a grass roots initiative for inspired life learning that holds no bounds.

NO SCREENSHOTS, 4min read: Ready to Dive Deeper?

Experiential learning is a dynamic and engaging approach for building know-how and knowledge that emphasises on the importance of direct experiences in the learning process. Unlike traditional instructional methods that prioritise rote memorisation and passive learning, experiential learning focuses on "active involvement of learners in hands-on, real-world activities."

Using picture 2 as an example: On face value, the activity is of two people sitting in a cave. Amongst a mighty scenery, the two travellers are bathed in the warm embrace of the sun as they look out to the towering peaks, their jagged silhouettes stand tall into the sky sprinkled by snow. This vivid tableau could easily be reminiscent of locations in either the southern or northern hemisphere, where breathtaking vistas converge to create awe inspiring landscapes.

"How" does that make sense for academia though?

Experiential learning can be defined as the process of learning through experience. It combines itself from, in the moment activities that are coupled with theory and practice, inviting learners to gain knowledge, skills, and willingful attitudes by actively engaging in meaningful experiences.

Experiential learning has wide-ranging applications across various learning settings, be-it home learning in any style, Roadschoool, Worldschooling to mainstream classrooms. Then later in life for community programs, corporate training and beyond.

Here are some key areas where experiential learning is utilised:

1. Education and Academia

In educational settings, experiential learning can take the form of hands-on projects, internships, simulations, service learning, and field trips.

For example:

Project-Based Learning (PBL): Individuals build on real-world projects that integrate multiple disciplines, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge into practical contexts.
Internships and Co-op Programs: These opportunities provide learners with direct exposure to professional environments, enhancing their skills and employability.

2. Roadschool, Worldschooling

Roadschool and Worldschooling: Families, couples and individuals use the world as either their classroom to learn, connect and grow, going on adventures full time, part-time and a casual basis.

3. Sabbatical

Travel Sabbatical: To take a rest from work for an extended period of time, and intentionally spend that time on something that's not your routine line of work to explore the world and grow.

4. Corporate Training and Development

Many organisations adopt experiential learning techniques to enhance employee training and development, and have done so for decades.

This could include:

Role-Playing and Simulations: Employees engage in simulated scenarios that mirror real workplace challenges, enabling individuals to practice problem-solving, decision-making skills and potential workplace skillsets.
Team-Building Activities: Experiential learning fosters teamwork, communication, and collaboration among groups and employees through engaging activities.

5. Community and Service Learning

Experiential learning can be integrated into programs to service the community, empowering learners to connect with their communities and apply their skills to address, community topics and social issues.

Service Learning: Individuals engage in meaningful community projects, reflecting on their experiences while contributing to their community and societal well-being.

6. Outdoor and Adventure Learning

Outdoor education programs provide opportunities for experiential learning through adventure activities, where participants develop teamwork, leadership and resilience from the adventure taken.

Adventure Based Learning: Programs that emphasise adventure challenges, may foster personal growth, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills.

This "type" of learning is not new, has a cyclical approach and can begin from childhood, evolves through youth to adulthood and beyond. It can be easily incoporated into a life learning approach or mainstream learning applications. Additionally, corporate and small business training and frameworks can enhance it to maximise potential and know-how, which ultimately develops more well-rounded individuals equipped for success.

The Benefits of Experiential Learning is our "why" ... will it be yours too?!

Experiential learning offers numerous benefits, making it a valuable approach to life learning, and training for development in all cycles of life:

Enhanced Retention: Engaging in active learning experiences increases the likelihood of understanding, reflecting and retaining information.

Practical Skill Development: Learners acquire hands-on skills that are directly applicable to real-world and real-life applications and situations, for life skills.

Increased Motivation: Active involvement in learning fosters intrinsic motivation, encouraging learners to be more engaged and invested in their learning and abilities.

Development of Critical Thinking: Reflection and analysis of experiences provide opportunities for clarity, critical thinking and problem-solving in real-life. Not simulation!

Preparation for their Working Life: Experiential learning equips individuals with skills and knowledge, for seeking a career with more thought for what they may aspire to do.

Improved Collaboration and Communication: Group activities and teamwork foster collaboration and enhance interpersonal skills, like communication, teamwork, critical thinking and forecasting.

Holistic Development: Experiential learning addresses multiple dimensions of learning, including cognitive, emotional, and social for overall learning development.

Learning is for LIFE: From the day we enter to the day we exit, a life long learning journey may only ever, be enrinched.

The cons...Challenges of Experiential Learning

While experiential learning offers substantial benefits, it also presents some challenges:

Assessment Difficulties: Measuring learning outcomes from experiential activities can be subjective and challenging to give a score to.

Resource Intensive: Implementing experiential learning initiatives may require significant time, effort, and resources.

Variability of Experiences: Different learners may derive different lessons from the same experience, making it challenging to standardise learning outcomes.

However, incorporating it can be inspirational..."How" it can be done, with joy !

Experiential Learning works best within a bespoke setting, designed from a curious, or "think outside of the box" mindset to succeed and mentor others. A go-getter attitude will create the will, and by bringing in a mix of spontaneity and organisation - with lots of activities and resources to accompany your journey, this is a way to truly align Experiential Learn so to Learning While Living.

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Tip: Words evolve, the meaning behind them change to suit a narrative as time moves on. Today the modern term is, Worldschool and Roadschool. However, whatever "it" is called now or in the future, the importances are that experiences shape us. Reflection from those experiences carry weight in our "why", "how" and "what" for. Today we get to make the choice how today unfolds.

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If you read all this post, and saw past the screen to “what may” you have a curious mindset.

Personally, Experiential Learning going Global - is impactful, inspiring, holistic and life long.

Leading with love, Addy Marie McVay

Visionary, Writer, Creator, Founder & Owner of Worldschool Tribe,

"Learn While Living, Loving the journey..." Is our -Philosophy In Action-

{Credit: "Worldschool Tribe" Published: 31.07.2024 }

The Learn While Living library is packed with content to align with the Experiential Learning process:

Alternate Learning, Games & Entertainment is Learn While Living focus, and invitations for new Villagers to discover too, happen 4 times per year.

Seasonal entry offered to Australia and Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Join the wait list to be in the loop potential Villagers!

Learn While Living, Loving the jouney...