We are a democratic self directed learning space
As the Alliance for Self Directed Education writes, “Self Directed Education is education that derives from the self chosen activities and life experiences of the person becoming educated, whether or not those activities were chosen deliberately for the purpose of education.” In other words, self directed education is where a person decides for themselves what and how to learn, and when to ask for support.
Democratic Education is education where young people and adults use democratic tools, like voting, to make collective decisions. Wild Learning students and facilitators use democratic practices to decide what classes we will facilitate and on the rules and norms of our community.
Self Directed Education honors the individual. Democratic Education fosters community. We can all be encouraged to see the individual and the community as being in opposition of each other, but in reality, you can’t have a supportive community without individuals, and you can’t be a thriving individual without a community.
Here at Wild Learning, we foster and facilitate self directed and democratic learning through a number of ways, mainly through our learning space.
Our beliefs and values
We believe that learning is natural and happening all the time. We also believe children are people and that all people need freedom, support, and belonging. True freedom can’t exist without being in relationships and being part of a community. Democratic Self Directed education fosters freedom and community by centering autonomy and relationships. We also believe that by using democratic practices, all people, regardless of age, can learn to create the change they want to see in their communities.
Contemporary Democratic and Self Directed education originates and draws inspiration from ancient traditions, educational philosophies, justice movements, and research on human development and health.
Within this diverse history, there are some common values that are foundational like freedom and community. Freedom and community, along with the values of responsibility, curiosity, and care, help guide us everyday to create meaningful experiences and support the growth of young people.
What we offer
We believe in public education and view our space as another option for kids and families who want more of an independent learning environment or for kids who are struggling in a conventional classroom. We are not a charter school or a parochial school.
What we offer is a space where young people can show up exactly as they are while providing structures and supports that facilitate personal and community growth.
Our days are structured to foster community building, independent work, group discovery, rest, and play. Wild Learning centers the well being of the whole person by using restorative practices like circle meetings, conflict resolution tools and democratically creating classes, or what we call offerings.
Examples of our offerings include Baking and Cooking, 2D art, Animals and Plants, and Outer Space (fact and fiction).
Our daily experiences and offerings are also inspired by and supported by our outdoor environment which includes a prairie, a garden, a food forest, a chicken coop, and a wetland. We also are located next door to Eden Park.
Anyone from 6-14 can enroll. Age mixing is an important part of meaningful learning. It allows for everyone to be a teacher and student and to practice caring for others.
We dream for everyone, regardless of age, to develop joyous relationships with themselves, others, and the wider world around them.
