Alternative Education, Democratic Homeschool Curriculum, and Parent Coaching

Why I Started Working Outside The School System

Part 1: My Life Teaching In Traditional Schools

Back in 2004 I felt highly frustrated as a teacher in traditional public schools in Houston, Texas. I had taught early childhood, middle and high school by then and it was pretty much the same story everywhere. We were being given training and tools to teach in child-centered ways that valued their individual gifts and talents, and yet being constrained by an overloaded system so packed with requirements it was near impossible to action much of it, if any.

The result was that children were not nurtured, nor did they receive the best learning experience possible. Not even close. And I watched as they failed to achieve their highest potential. Instead they lost touch with themselves, with their strengths and talents and left schooling with some vague idea of being "an A student" or "good at math". Few felt empowered to create an amazing life living their dreams. They didn't know what they wanted. Most felt obligated to go to college and study something they thought they might be good at and that would lead to a well paid job.  But there was more. So many youth were losing their confidence, becoming anxious, depressed and almost suicidal - a feeling of unease that I couldn't quite shake had come over me.

Something just felt wrong here. Very wrong.  I felt like there had to be a better way. And it turns out I was right. 

Part 2: DeToxing The Trained Teacher, Parent, And Child in Me

I left the system and began a four year journey of self-discovery, unlearning and relearning. I decided I wanted to start a school answering the question: "What if there were no constraints and we could have a program using all the best educational practices?" What might that look like?"

I attended the Alternative Education Resource Organization Conference in upstate New York, and the International Democratic Education Conference in Vancouver, BC. I met young people who had been unschooled, democratically schooled, free-schooled and variations on those themes and noticed there was something different about them. They interacted with adults as equals, giving and receiving total respect. They were super confident and empowered. They knew what they liked to do. They could learn anything alone or knew where to go to get help if needed. They seemed far in advance of their peers in traditional schooling with many of them enrolled in college courses as early as 15 or working in apprenticeships or starting their own businesses. I finally put my finger on the difference: these kids knew who they were and were living life deliberately. It was a revelation and I knew I wanted to provide that for other children with one difference. I wanted to infuse the Light Way program with an essence of spirituality I found lacking in many of the others.

To achieve all this end, I had to work on myself to re-examine my beliefs, training and self-limiting programs. I had to let go of everything that didn't match my new understandings of how children learn best. I read books. I attended and organized conferences. I ran a Saturday program for youth 7 - 17 and then a summer camp and finally opened Light Way School in The Woodlands, Texas on September 1st, 2009. What a feeling of joy and purpose for all.

However, the joy didn't last long. After the economic downturn starting in 2008, it was not the best time to start a private school. Parents were struggling just to pay the bills. In fact, I realized the private school model would never provide access for all families. We finished the year and I closed the school down wondering how I could contribute to the dream of an empowering educational process for all children.

Part 3: Access For All To New Education - Light Way Learning Networks 

Creating access for all children to an education system supporting them in reaching their fullest potential regardless of income has been my goal since closing my school in 2010.  It has taken a decade to get clear on what that looks like and for the right time to come, and here we are.  The school system is collapsing and it is time to build what I call Light Way Learning Networks: an educational network of homes, children, and adults right in your neighborhood. With a willing team, a Light Way Learning Network can be setup in your neighborhood rapidly, fulfiling your need for an immediate educational solution for your children they will love and so will you. Find out more here...