Learning by the seat of his pants

Aaron Peterson, 6, pilots a plane along the San Diego coastline under the watchful eye of his instructor Nehad Hmoud. Peterson doesn't use textbooks or take tests. He doesn't go to school, and at home his mother doesn't choose his lessons. He doesn't have to memorize vocabulary words. He doesn't have to work out math problems on paper. But somehow he's learning -- soaking up knowledge like a thirsty sponge. "I get to do whatever I want," Aaron said. "Nobody tells me what to learn. I decide."