Program Details
Learning While Living at Abundance Farm
When it comes to self-directed education (SDE), there is no “day in the life”
Learning While Living does not have preset structures or specific outcomes. We take seriously that every child is unique, with different interests, rhythms, challenges, and lived experiences. Young people come to this program with their own needs and expectations. We aim to learn from each child how they want to use the time, interact with others, and experience the space.
That said, there are a few things we can share in advance:
What your children will find at Learning While Living and Abundance Farm
The ways we will relate and come together as a group
How individual children might design their experience
In the space, on the Farm
Outdoor learning areas
The Farm has a variety of small magical spaces to gather, reflect, play, and learn.
We encourage all Learning While Living participants to enter the space with respect and curiosity, knowing that we’ve been given the opportunity to interact with the land and with each other on the land. We’ll taste some of the food that grows here, and watch the flowers bloom through the spring.
The program will be held outdoors at the farm. There is a shelter where we gather if it rains. In case of very inclement weather, we have an indoor space available.
Craft area/maker space
We have a craft area/maker space for young people who wish to experiment with art and building materials.
We invite community mentors who bring special skills and can guide young people who wish to experiment with mediums like drawing, sculpting, felting, building, or cardboard architecture. If children have specific creative interests, they can share them with us and we will try to find materials or mentors to support them.
In our art area and throughout the Farm, we aim to use eco-friendly materials, to reuse, recycle, and reduce. This is both the spirit of Abundance Farm—which teaches and practices environmental sustainability—and unschooling. For many practitioners, unschooling is deeply linked to fostering ecological consciousness and respect for the planet.
Snacks
We will provide some healthy snacks each week (fruit, popcorn), and as we get to know families and their food preferences or allergies, we can plan on making or bringing other snacks that will work for the group.
If your children have any needs or requirements, please let us know.
The Group and the Individual: Separate Paths, Shared Goals
Building Trust within the Group
Learning While Living allows individual children to make their own choices about how to spend their time, and design their program at their own pace.
But one of the most essential aspects of this program is to notice and respect the needs of other individuals and the group, and to build trust—with peers and facilitator(s), within the group, and with land and its stewards (as well as other programs that might be running at Abundance while we are present). If some children choose to work on a project alone, we ask them to acknowledge that they are still part of a collaborative effort. This is how we leave behind competition, comparisons and exclusions, and imagine different ways of being in community.
During each session, we will share some grounding activities to bring cohesion to our collective and ensure everyone develops a sense of belonging and well-being. For example, we might walk around the farm to see what sprouts each week, work together on a small farm project, taste some of the growing foods, discuss our interests, experiences, and objectives, or play games.
Together, we’ll map out the social/emotional terrain by co-creating a list of values that will best serve our time together. We’ll map out the physical terrain by exploring the available farm areas and decide if we think some spaces should be designated for specific activities.
Learning While Living and the Individual
When entering an SDE setting, it often takes schoolchildren time to unwind from the idea that an adult will be telling them what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
One of our first tasks is to convince young people that we have no set agenda, no particular outcome, and no preset “menu.” Rather, they are invited to find their own ingredients, make new recipes, and re-imagine the menu entirely. (for more see blogpost on the menu versus the kitchen).
What does all of this look like in practice?
We can’t predict what children will choose to engage in but it might include:
Sharing an interest, skill, or passion they don’t have time to pursue in school. We can make space for them to develop this interest or find someone in the community who is willing to mentor them.
Collaborating with peers on a project by:
Creating, building, or playing games
Planning how they might solve a problem or contribute to a need in their community
Engaging with the beautiful and enriching space at the farm
Others might want to experience time alone to unwind, reflect, and decompress.
Children who want to play and socialize can do that as well!
Experiencing the Farm’s mission and work
We are incredibly lucky to offer this program at Abundance Farm—a place where people can spend time connecting to the earth, harvesting their own food, and creating community across differences. AF is committed to building a world where everyone can access food, land, and ancestral traditions. They are grounded and guided by Jewish tradition and welcome people of all or no faith backgrounds to be a part of their community.
If they are interested in learning more, young people at LWL can further explore the work of Abundance Farm, which helps those in the area overcome food insecurity, educates and advocates on issues of environmental and racial justice, builds community across age, faith, and background, and offers experiential land-based education.
Tech at LWL
We will be a screen-free space, and ask that if your children have phones or other devices they leave these aside at the beginning of the session, and use them only if they need to communicate with you.
If young people do share an interest that requires some investigation, we might search the internet for materials, collaborators, or ideas. I will have one device available if the need arises.
Accessibility
Abundance Farm is unpaved, with woodchipped paths and uneven terrain. If your child needs extra support to participate in this program, please let us know. Given the limits of our program, we will try to accommodate your child's needs.
Interested in this work?
If you are a graduate student interested in alternative education and would like to learn about this process firsthand or intern in our program, we’d love to hear from you!
If you’re a teacher who wants to explore SDE or visit our space and collaborate, let us know.
If you’re a member of the community interested in offering your skills, wisdom, or experience to young people, come join our revolving door of learning between young people and their community.