Agile Learning Centers

I was so happy to read your update. Thanks for writing it…since I was following your story.

I am the parent of the second year student who wrote last week.

– Lisa

It can be tough to deschool while in some parts of your life you still have to play school. It can also take a long time to get to the other side of deschooling. Emphasis on long. My heart goes out to you as you wait for them to get to the other, more productive side of the process.
I would suggest maybe meeting them where they are. They can’t & won’t for sometime, I think, be ready to generate their own pursuits and offerings. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with coming up with some things you think are sure to be interesting to them.

My heart went out to you when I read your post. I admire your courage. My daughter started ALC in NYC a year ago, at the age of 13. The adjustment process has been wonderful and also very hard (for me). I have read that de-schooling can take a year … or two. This seems like a good estimate based on my own experience. Of course I am very emotionally involved, so it’s not easy. But it really takes alot more than a few weeks for kids to feel safe. So much damage has been done in schools. In the beginning (maybe after 6 months) I noticed a very tiny but important change. My daughter stopped being afraid to ask questions and admit she didn’t know something (like the meaning of a word). Any small change is a miracle. The age mixing is so helpful for building the comfort and feeling of safety.

I agree with the other comment above: Not to feel bad about making all of the offerings. Volunteers bringing in offerings has been so helpful. My daughter relates to and feels safe with physical activity…acro-balance was the first place that helped her relax.

I remember in the beginning she told me they watched a movie ‘Into the Woods’. I was a little concerned and sceptical when I heard that this was an offering, but these kinds of activities that adults would not tend to suggest in a ‘school’ setting, really do help to make young people feel safe and realize that this is not the normal kind of school at all. And my daughter was very enthusiastic to have these kinds of offerings…just going on a trip downtown, visiting grocery stores, looking at the furniture that people left on the street, going to the thrift store, going out to lunch, strangely these have been some of the many day to day activities that they have done in NYC. It does seem to work. Keep it up. And keep up the faith.

It´s Monday and I had a serious talk with my facilitators. We decided to back off totally today – I mean, we even left the room during the intention setting… and OMG! The kids suddenly started chatting with each other, and three of them took off outside. The others stayed and said: we want to play hide and seek. My main facilitator answered: great! Go ahead then! And OFF THEY WENT!!!

It was an amazing afternoon! The kids played like crazy, and all we did was watch them and talk about self-directed learning. It´s like as if they were completely different kids! And when we reconnected before 7, they actually TALKED! They said it had been an awesome day and that it had been very different. They couldn´t tell why, but they all said they liked it. YAY!!!! I´m not totally lost after all 🙂

Thank you all for your kind words and supportive attitudes!

I didn’t notice this reply until after I read your next post. Thanks for posting this. It is so inspiring. But of course, life is real and there will be more challenges…who knows what. So of course, you should continue to post them. 🙂

Increible. ¡Te felicito y comparto la emoción en esta aventura!

Cool! Looks like things are flowing quite nicely with you 🙂

You got this!

I’ve always wanted to be a radio host. I’m super jealous.

You’re an inspiration! myself and out Wildwood ALC community in NC will LOVE keeping up with your adventures and progress! #onedayatatime #builditandtheywillcome

*twinkles*
I know those days like fish know water. Being a pioneer and on the cutting edge is a persistent state of risk and anxiety. My self talk in those moments is that forward is the only way to get to where I’m trying to go.