WELCOME TO REAL LIFE LEARNING

What is Self-Directed Education? 

Children are free to play, which is how we naturally learn. Through play, children discover their interests and talents. 

There is no curriculum, no homework, no grades, no grade levels. etc. In other words, there is no coercion as in conventional schools.

Children are free to develop themselves and to become who they really are, and they get to grow up with their creativity, curiosity, and self-esteem intact. 

Our unique program is Therapist-Recommended. 

Freed from the behavior-modification procedures of factory-style schooling, kids learn healthier, more authentic ways of being in community with one another. 

The children create the rules together, using a consensus-based self-governance model called sociocracy. 

Kids learn academics when they are ready. This ensures that what they learn is learned deeply, and in context.

We believe that children are full human beings who should be treated with respect and dignity. By growing up with respect and dignity, they'll be equipped to make healthier choices for themselves.  They'll be able to better recognize when they're in a toxic relationship or environment. 

We believe children should have the freedom to nurture their interests at a pace that works for them, free from the stress of manipulation, evaluation, points, and scores. No required classes, no homework, no exams, no grades, no shame.

We believe that learning through living is superior to learning through worksheets and "educational" software. Children learn best when they can learn with their whole selves: bodies, minds, and voices, free from the dictates of corporate curricula.

We believe that when children have authority over their own learning, they learn how to learn. Children who are trusted grow in confidence, self-esteem, self-respect, and responsibility.

We believe in keeping children's imagination, natural curiosity, and love of learning intact. We provide time, space, and community to support the natural development of each child's unique potential.

We believe that learning is play and play is learning. Play is our natural, built-in means of learning what we need to know to have a satisfying life. Children must play in order to truly learn.

We believe that it is foundational to children's immediate and long-term mental health to grow up learning how to be a good friend, how to work together with other people, and how to solve real problems. We believe in living in community and building authentic relationships. We believe in collaboration over competition. We believe children can learn and be trusted to talk things out respectfully and come to fair conclusions.

We believe children should have the freedom and power to affect change in order to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. When children learn how to access and use power in a positive way, they will see themselves as changemakers rather than victims.

We believe children should have autonomy over their own bodies. Children should be able to go to the bathroom when they need to, eat when they need to, move when they need to, and rest when they need to while respecting the needs of others in their environment.

We are inspired by a number of alternative education models, including unschooling, Sudbury Schools, Circle Schools, Scouting, and the Purple Thistle Centre in Vancouver, BC.