WELCOME TO REAL LIFE LEARNING
The Vision
Picture this: a world where young people's rights are respected, giving them the freedom to shape their education and lives. Imagine children growing up with their curiosity, inner genius, and self-esteem still intact. See what happens when young people are allowed to develop their fullest potential. Witness more communities embracing the power of self-directed learning, and creating generations of bold thinkers and compassionate changemakers.
The Mission
The Spokane Learning Co-op believes that when children have authority over their own learning, they learn how to learn. We are dedicated to empowering young people to flourish through personal relationships, genuine engagement, and self-directed education. We seek to cultivate truly happy, confident, capable children by respecting the genius of each child in our caring, cooperative self-directed learning community.
Many youth enter adulthood needing to go "find themselves."
What if they were never lost in the first place?
Who We Are & Who We Serve
The Spokane Learning Co-op is Washington's only outdoor Self-Directed Education center. We are very similar to Sudbury schools, except we practice sociocracy instead of democracy. We offer three weekly Gatherings to homeschooling families, including a drop-off program for kids 5-17 and a Parent & Me program for kids 0-4. The Co-op is secular and also welcomes people of all faiths. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are located on ten beautiful acres in north Spokane.
What is Self-Directed Education? It means that children are free to play, which is how we naturally learn. Through play, children discover their natural interests and talents. They 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. There is no curriculum, no homework, no grades, no grade levels... in other words, there is no coercion as in conventional schools.
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 governance model called sociocracy. Kids learn academics when they are ready, which means these things are learned deeply, and in context.
Our Homeschool Co-op is NOW OPEN
Our Homeschool Coop is the first step in our larger vision to open a full-time Washington State Approved School very similar to Sudbury and Summerhill. You can read all about our Vision here.
We opened our Homeschool Co-op on September 18th, 2024 on ten beautiful acres in north Spokane to 19 kids from all over Spokane, including as far away as Cheney and Liberty Lake.
Our All-Weather Outdoor Site features an Adventure Playground, an Outdoor Kitchen, and our Little House, where your child can enjoy our Arts & Crafts Studio and our Library.
We host three weekly Gatherings. Which one is best for your family?
Tuesday Mornings, 9 a.m. to noon. This is our youngest group, with kids ages 1 to 8.
Wednesday Afternoons, noon to 3 p.m. This is our middle group, with kids ages 4 to 11.
Friday Afternoons, noon to 3 p.m. This is our oldest group, with teens ages 11 to 16.
Parents with kids ages 5 and up are welcome to stay on-site if they wish, and are also welcome to drop-off up to three times a month, staying one time a month to assist, according to your schedule. Parents with kids ages 4 and under stay on-site the entire time.
How is the Spokane Learning Co-op different from other local co-ops in terms of parent requirements?
Here are three major differences
Unlike other local co-ops that require you to teach a class, we do not.
You are, however, free to offer an Offering. This is an activity, game, craft, etc., that you prepare in advance and offer to the group at the beginning of a session. There is no minimum or maximum requirement for the number of times you do this, or even if you do it at all. You do not have to sign up for a day to do this; you simply do it when you want to do it.
Unlike other local co-ops that require you to sign a Statement of Faith, we do not.
If you believe in Self Directed Education, you are welcome here. We just might be the most diverse and inclusive alternative education option in Spokane.
Unlike other local co-ops that require you to stay on site the whole time, every time, regardless of your child's age, we provide more flexibility.
If your child is under the age of 5, we ask you to stay on-site while your child is here. If your child is 5 or older, we ask that you stay on site for 25% of your child's enrolled hours. For example, if your child comes once a week, we ask you to stay once a month to help us fulfill adult:child ratios. Many parents have asked if they may stay on-site every time. The answer is yes. Your comfort and your child's comfort is important. You may stay for as long as it takes for you and your child to feel comfortable transitioning to a drop-off situation, if that is something you decide to do. You and your child are free to move at your own pace with this.
What sets us apart from other local education options?
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.
Let's Build the Better World We Know in Our Hearts is Possible
What Do You Want to Learn about Next?
Our Innovative Approach
We collaborate with members to create educational experiences that follow their interests.
Once we become a full-time alternative school, we'll collaborate with members to satisfy Washington State requirements that all schools, public, private, and homeschools, are required to uphold.
Our Self Directed Education Center
We are located on ten beautiful acres in north Spokane.
Our site features an all-weather outdoor Adventure Playground, an Outdoor Kitchen, and a Little House for our Arts & Crafts Studio and our Library.
Our Values & Beliefs
The Spokane Learning Co-op is ideal for any student or families interested in cultivating truly happy, confident, self-directed young adults.
We believe our work will have an incalculable impact on the mental health of rising generations. We see this as our greatest contribution to creating peace on Earth.
Our Vision
Opening our Homeschool Co-op was Phase 1. We have more in store, including a K-12 unschool, very similar to Summerhill and Sudbury.