Is this an Unschooling co-op? No, an unschooling co-op is typically a group of families gathering for play dates and filed trips, sometimes they rotate who is in charge of hosting or picking the location or activity. Bungalow Lane runs on the Agile Learning Center Model: consistent trained facilitators, in a dedicated space built with active input from the learners, plus actual scaffolding. Yes, learners direct their own learning, but it's not unstructured.
Are you a private school? No, not right now. Learners here are typically enrolled through a public homeschool charter or have filed a private school affidavit (PSA) with the state, families pick whichever fits them, and we are happy to chat about the pros and cons of each. As we move towards a 5-day-a-week program, becoming a micro school is the direction we're headed.
Is this just free play all day? Yes and no. Play is never just play. Play is how children (and adults) naturally learn, that's the actual work. What can sometimes look like "doing nothing" is big internal work: processing stress, rebuilding a sense of agency, figuring out what they want instead of what they have been told to do, building self regulation skills, consolidating what they just learned, forming new neural pathways, or pruning pathways they no longer need. Downtime is how learning gets wired in. and yes, some days you just need to check out. We hold space for that and trust that the learner knows what they need on any given day. If you want to read more about this, we recommend the book Free to Learn by Peter Gray.
What do the facilitators actually do, if they aren't teaching? Facilitators are relationship builders. Our facilitators are trained to hold space for whatever comes up. That means learners get real practice naming what they are feeling, setting a boundary, talking about their needs, co-creating community agreements, working through conflict, regulating, and processing anxiety, Facilitators also scaffold social interactions that don't come naturally yet, co-regulate, help learners go deeper on their interests, give them space to develop intrinsic motivation and confidence to follow their passions. Learn more here: https://www.self-directed.org/tp/how-to-become-an-sde-facilitator/#what_is
Can my High Schooler graduate with a diploma from your program? We aren't the school of record for your learner. Depending on which route you take, that would either be the charter program or your own private school. If you are a private school in California you can issue your own diploma. Some self-directed learners choose to take a GED or High School Equivalency Exam. When your student reaches a point of needing a transcript, we will help generate a narrative transcript based on their years with us.
What is Bungalow Lanes technology policy? We don't have a fixed rule on technology. There are skills we all need to navigate safe and healthy device usage. Skill acquisition looks different for every learner in our space. Facilitators have a lot of experience identifying red-flags for unhealthy screen usage and we address those on a case by case basis as opposed to restrictive policies that unfairly impact other members of the community form using technology in beautiful and connecting ways. The intention behind the technology use is most often to connect and socialize, or gather information, as well as being a great regulation tool for an over stimulated learner. You can read more about screens in SDE here: https://www.self-directed.org/tp/about-screens-sde/
Do you accommodate learners with disabilities or additional support needs ? Yes. Some learners come with a parent or aide for additional support initially or always. One of the things we are proudest of is that the self-directed model and Agile framework actually works in our favor here. Accomodations aren't something that causes learners to feel othered, all our learners get space to advocate for what they need and to have their voice heard instead of having to fit into one standardized mold. This doesn't just help the individual, it teaches the whole group what a real community looks like, where everyone has their needs met and is accepted as they are.
Do families have to unschool, deschool, or be fully self-directed at home to be a part of Bungalow Lane? No. What happens here doesn't require a specific philosophy at home. Learners here still benefit from the social outlet, and the benefits of freedom to play and learn. There is no requirement to adhere to a specific philosophy at home. Some of our families lean all the way into self-direction outside of Bungalow Lane, others use curriculum and a school-at-home approach. We will be honest here, learners who really thrive at Bungalow tend to be the ones whose home life is moving in the same direction, because real liberation for a kid, usually asks something of the parent too. That isn't a requirement, but we are here to support families who want that, no matter what stage of the journey they are in. If you are looking for what it actually looks like to unhook a kid from standardized institutional systems and you want a place to start, We recommend Raising Free People by Akilah Richards alternatively, Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gato pulls no punches on Standardized Schooling.
Will my kid still be able to go to college? Yes, if that's what they choose, there are many paths forward. We have multiple Bungalow Lane "graduates" who chose college, while others have chosen trade schools or starting their own business. Colleges have taken homeschooled and self- directed learners for decades. What's typically different is that self-directed learners typically know why they want to attend college, and treat it less like the obligatory next step. here's a great resource: https://www.self-directed.org/tp/college-higher-education-resource-directory-for-self-directed-learners/
How do you track or measure my child's progress? Not with grades, quizzes or test scores. Every learner is different a standardized measurement doesn't capture the nuance. What we do is observe and get to know your child to help support their learning, both social/emotional and educational goals. If you have a specific goal in mind, bring it to us. Our role is helping learners understand themselves, their interests, and their needs, so they can set goals, communicate boundaries, belong to a community, and pursue what they care about. When your student reaches a point of needing a transcript, we will help generate a narrative transcript based on their years with us. Peter Gray, PhD on Standardized Testing: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/202211/standardized-testing-and-the-destruction-education