We support the learning process, we don’t teach children- we ask the right questions. 

Self- Directed Education: Self-Directed Education (SDE) is a model where learners take charge of their own goals, methods, and pacing. Instead of following a standardized curriculum, individuals pursue their intrinsic curiosity and life experiences to learn. This approach rejects coercive, forced schooling in favor of autonomy, play, and community engagement. 

SDE is diverse and can take many different forms depending on what works best for the learner:

• Families provide a rich environment and resources, allowing children to learn through everyday life, have equal say in rules, curriculum, and spaces where young people can gather, collaborate, take freely-chosen classes, and access mentors without traditional testing or forced grading.

Core Principles

• Autonomy: Learners decide what, when, how, and who they learn from.

• Intrinsic Motivation: Relies on a person's natural curiosity, sociability, and playfulness rather than coercive reward-and-punishment systems.

• Real-World Application: Emphasizes active problem-solving and experiential learning over rote memorization.

Why People Choose SDE

• Individualized Pacing: Removes the "one-size-fits-all" limitation, allowing students to speed up or slow down depending on the topic.

• Agency: Treats learners as respected individuals whose opinions and preferences matter.

• Life Preparation: Fosters soft skills like goal setting, time management, and critical thinking

Self-Directed Education does not preclude the possibility of asking for and accepting help or directions or even taking a structured course directed by a teacher, as long as that is clearly the learner’s choice and not imposed upon the learner.

What it used to look like:

Teach children what we think they should know, directed by teachers

Tell them what to do/ How to be/ when to do it. 

What it created: 

Children who don’t trust themselves, who can’t think for themselves and who don’t have self-confidence. They are taught to fill a role instead of being innovative, creative, and able to solve problems. 

John Dewey’s educational theory, sometimes called experimentalism or pragmatism, states that “education is a continuous process of growth rather than a mere preparation for future life”. He encouraged "learning by doing," and students learn best through active social engagement, hands-on experiences, and practical problem-solving.

The core pillars of Dewey's philosophy include:

• Experiential Learning ("Learning by Doing"): Dewey argued that passive reception of knowledge is ineffective. Students must actively interact with their environment and reflect on those experiences to build a deeper understanding.

• Education for Democracy: In his book Democracy and Education, he states that schools should act as miniature democratic communities. Students learn to collaborate, reason together, and respect diverse perspectives, which prepares them for active civic participation.

• Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Dewey believed knowledge is interconnected. He argued against teaching subjects in isolation, advocating instead for thematic, real-world projects that seamlessly blend skills like math, science, and literacy.

• The Teacher as a Facilitator: Rather than acting as a traditional lecturer who dispenses rote facts, the teacher should guide the inquiry process. They are tasked with creating environments that spark curiosity and encourage critical thinking.

Our Daily Rhythm

10:30 Soft start arrival and Morning Hearth with snack (community agreements and intentions

11:00 Mothers: Mother’s circle and grounding.

Children: Open play/Exploration

12:00 Lunch & Care Circle (Shared meal/cleanup, self-care monitoring, gratitude)

1:00 Children: Wilderness adventure, Nature Creativity, Music

For Mothers: Deep Work & Project Time: Quiet, uninterrupted to pursue writing, businesses, crafts, or rest.

2:30 Closing (Reflection/Journaling/Story-Sharing

Hours

Fall session: Fridays, September 11th- November 20th

Spring session: Fridays, March 12th- May 21st

Cost

Mixed-age grouping encourages older children to support younger ones. This program offers integrative work within our space to build a true multi-generational village.

We believe that by committing to the season and ideally the year we can really grow a strong community.

Spring Session:

$75 per family/per day (11 weeks)

$825 per season

(This does not include cost for CSA meals)

Supply fee - a one time $50 fee per family to cover costs of materials

*All costs are subject to change as we work on a contract with the camp and rising insurance costs. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we get this off the ground!

Monthly Sunday Afternoon Women’s Gatherings

Every 3rd Sunday we will spend time with an intention, on a topic. In community with other mothers we will share our presence, our connection and a meal. $25

Monthly Men’s Project

Coming soon…

Additional Information

Our goal is to build a community of families that want to support one another, we can’t wait to see how this evolves.

For questions and to join our list of potential families, email me: schultze2322@gmail.com