We believe children need a setting to develop their social, cultural and emotional intelligence, motivation, self-knowledge, and sense of purpose. To this end, we trust kids to direct interests and provide scaffolding, support, encouragement and resources along the way.
The vast majority of jobs our children will have in adulthood don’t even exist yet. Today’s young people need to learn how to learn; they need to be able to create, self-direct, collaborate, and adapt. This is why Wildwood exists.
At Wildwood you will see:
RESPECT: We value the human rights of all people, including children. We believe that all people–and children are people–have a right to self-determination and freedom.
TRUST: At Wildwood, relationships are built on trust in ourselves, each other and the community. We take young people seriously. We trust & empower kids to be leaders of their own learning and caring, contributing citizens who can succeed in an ever-changing world. We believe education has more to do with children’s natural desire for autonomy and self-empowerment, than the imposing of a certain educational agenda.
CONSENT: We actively discuss, model and practice consent with each other. Any activities, requests or community limits on behavior are clear, transparent, and consented to.
UNLIMITED TIME TO PLAY, EXPLORE AND BE OUTSIDE: Studies show that play is deeply involved in child development and learning: Play improves memory, creative problem solving, and self-regulation. Adults in our culture often assume that it is their job to keep children more or less constantly busy. But children must learn how to direct their own life, and for that to happen children need great amounts of free time—to make friends, explore, play, get bored and overcome boredom. They need time for fleeting interests and to immerse themselves deeply in activities that engage their passions. They also need space—to roam, explore, get away, and experience the sense of independence and power. At Wildwood, young people can spend as much time outdoors as they like, in any weather condition.
SELF-DIRECTION: Humans are natural learners. When children get to play and follow their passions, they engage deeply, learning more quickly and thoroughly – covering years of content in weeks at the time they choose to learn it. The deepest learning happens when people are free to pursue their own interests. There are no tests, grades, or required curriculum at Wildwood. Classes/Workshops are interest based and provided by those within our group and in the larger community.
ALC TOOLS: We use adaptable tools and practices borrowed from the 21st century Agile Management/Software world to help individualize learning within the context of an intentional community. These tools and practices provide visible feedback, effective self-management, clarity of purpose, and instead of rigid top-down rules, they allow for easy integration of new patterns as needed.
AGE MIXING: At Wildwood, we do not separate people based on age or grade. All community members have a chance to learn from each other, regardless of age. A mixed age setting allows for authentic leadership development and the spontaneous formation of mentoring relationships that support the maturation of both mentor and mentee. Age mixing also allows for nurturing relationships between older and younger children, and is an effective anti-bullying strategy. Rather than age or grade, people at Wildwood are drawn together by common interests and play styles which research indicates benefits physical, intellectual, and social/moral development of all parties.
CARING ADULTS AS PARTNERS AND HELPERS, NOT JUDGES: At Wildwood, adult facilitators work to provide maximum support with minimal interference. Young people feel more at ease and free to seek support from helpful adults who are not focused on evaluating, testing, grading, praising or criticizing. We create helpful structures, practices, and environments without making decisions for young people or managing their processes for them. We uphold safety, facilitate learning in partnership-based way, and develop compassionate, authentic relationships with young people. Facilitators show up as knowledgeable helpers, guides and supporters who learn from, and alongside, kids.
INTENTIONAL CULTURE CREATION: Children learn more from the environment/culture they are immersed in than from the content they are taught. We value conscious culture creation that balances the needs of the community with the needs of the individual. At Wildwood, everyone participates in the co-creation of community practices and healthy culture, and everyone has a real and meaningful voice in decision making. We are a place where young people learn to genuinely care for one another and for the community itself. Everyone is involved, democratically, in making and upholding the community agreements we all abide by. In that process they hear all sides of every disagreement and the moral and logical arguments related to it. Their own views are taken seriously by others and influence the community’s decisions, which motivates them to think more deeply about those views than they otherwise might. As social creatures, we thrive in this kind of vibrant community which builds our confidence, heightens our communication and perspective taking skills, and calls forth our best selves.
SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARENESS/ACTIVISM: We actively work to name and disrupt racism, classism, ageism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of oppression.
CYCLES of Intention, Creation, Reflection, Sharing:
Intention- What do you want to accomplish?
At Wildwood, we discern and articulate what we want to do, individually and as a group. The first day of the week begins with brief whole group meeting to plan and share the available offerings for that week. Offerings are then displayed on daily schedule boards and include any workshops, special topics, focus groups, classes, projects etc. offered by volunteers, friends, subject matter experts, parents and the kids themselves! There is no limit to what will be offered, and kids always have the choice to participate.
Each morning children also gather for 15-30 minutes and each person has the opportunity to share their personal intentions for what they hope to do that day and make any needed requests for support.
Creation- What are you going to do about it?
During the day, the magic of self-directed learning unfolds! Children choose what to engage in and when: they create, explore, invent, collaborate, play, participate in chosen offerings/outings, eat when they are hungry, and receive support from facilitators as needed.
Reflection- What did you learn from your choices?
At the end of each day, children gather in the same small groups to check in on their intentions from the morning, document the things they did during the day, and reflect on whether they accomplished what they wanted to. Children’s documentation tools can be used to self-assess their progress toward their goals, notice patterns in their choices and use of time, and decide if they want to change their approach to their intentions next time. Through this feedback cycle, learners develop awareness of what worked and what didn’t, so they can move forward more powerfully. Finally, we also take a few minutes at the end of the day to express any words of gratitude and acknowledgment.
Sharing- How can you share it with the world?
We learn with and from each other… we document our activity in order to share with others and learn from our experiences.
