Frequently Asked Questions

What does a typical day involve?

Young people at Heartwood arrive between 9 and 9:30 am. They bring lunches, water bottles, clothes they can move in, spare clothes if they might get wet or want to change during the day, and any weather-related gear they want. They have quick meetings at the beginning and end of each day, where they share their plans and reflections with a small group. They’ll also be involved in making the weekly schedule, conflict resolution circles, student budget discussions, culture meetings, and clean-up of the space. They’ll be encouraged to eat when they’re hungry and rest when they’re tired. Scheduled offerings vary widely, and students may go to all of them or none of them on any given day. Unscheduled activities and informal time also make up valuable parts of each day. Pick-up each day is between 3 and 3:15.

How do they learn if you don't make them attend classes?

Learning is everywhere and happening all the time. Sometimes it happens through classes and workshops, sometimes through observation and reflection, sometimes through play and conversations. Think of how babies learn to move and communicate by engaging with the world around them, copying and experimenting with what they notice. If children, and people generally, are always learning, the work of a center like ours is to provide scaffolding to help them intentionally choose what they give their attention to, what they’re practicing, and what their goals are. We offer partnership, tools, and a supportive environment — which includes but isn’t exclusively about classes — to work with the curiosity they already have in them.

How do they learn the basics?

Children are born curious and capable. In an inspiring and supportive environment, they teach themselves or ask to be taught. When they need math to make a video game, track sport statistics, bake muffins, budget for a trip, or otherwise pursue their interests in a world full of numbers, they will become focused on learning math. When they need to read and write to create stories with their friends, use community tools independently, find out what happens in a graphic novel, decipher notes from friends, research dinosaurs, or otherwise enjoy the powers and worlds that literacy opens to them, they will be motivated to study and practice as they need to. Our role is to have an environment and adults available to meet these moments and help students realize their potential. Some children need more time or learning supports than others, which could become stressful for them in an environment where there are competitive assessments or pressure to “get it right” quickly. We avoid those unnecessary stressors, leaving kids more space and energy to focus on exploring what they can become capable of.

But what about when they get to the real world?

Children are already in the real world, and they have chances to practice real world skills like cleaning up their dishes or interacting with a cashier often if adults allow them time and access. Other skills they will needs as they grow include project management, collaborative problem-solving, digital literacy, and self-regulation. They’ll need to know how to break a goal down into smaller steps, how to find reliable information, and how to learn most effectively with the brain and patterns they have. Learning is not about amassing data; it is about making connections, deepening understanding, solving problems, creating, and sharing. We learn standard academic content, but we focus on interdisciplinary inquiry, self-actualization, and transferable skills, because we want our students to develop a portfolio of competencies that will serve them well in the wider, rapidly changing world.

Won't they miss out if they don't try new things?

Kids will try new things when they have access and when they feel safe to take risks. We cultivate an invitation-full space, with art supplies, books, games, a makerspace, music, and tech tools indoors. Our outdoor space has a sensory garden, swings, sports equipment, a mud kitchen, a gross motor zone, woodworking supplies, and quiet spaces. We explain clearly what skills need to be learned and practiced before more risky or delicate tools — like the 3D printer — can be used unsupervised, but that skill-building is encouraged. Heartwood adults often work on projects in the space, and we deliberately model relating to mistakes as temporary speed bumps that give us helpful information.

With digital media, children today are bombarded with invitations to try new things or try on new beliefs, with available content ranging from amazing art tutorials to… much more harmful things. Giving open and unsupervised access, setting a total prohibition on screens, or only allowing students to use screens for adult-directed activities are all approaches that fall short when it’s so clear that one of the most critical skills children today need is digital literacy. They need to be able to filter the important from the unimportant, filter what’s true from what’s fabricated. They need to learn to choose where they give their attention, and to recognize when a program or person is trying to manipulate them. They need us to learn, model, and to accompany them, so they can grow capable of using new tools (or declining to use them) rather than being fooled or used by them. Conventional schools can sometimes fit this work between their regular programming, but for us it is the regular programming.

Who isn’t a fit at Heartwood then?

We are not equipped to manage eloping or physical aggression. We expect students to help clean the space at the end of each day, to participate in conflict resolution processes, and to demonstrate the ability to follow safety rules for tool use.

In Heartwood’s history and the global network of similar learning centers, we’ve seen that children with a wide range of abilities, interests, and needs can flourish given the kind of space and personalized support our model allows for. We are a 'yes' space for kids who can navigate a shared space safely and are ready to be treated with the trust and respect of an independent creator. This doesn't mean your child must be 'perfect' or have high executive function, but it does mean that there is a level of responsibility they need to be ready for.

Additionally, some families will have accessibility needs or preferences that we can’t accommodate. For example, we have a very fluffy, dander-y, and mostly friendly school cat, who is very loved but some kids may be allergic to. Our back playyard has uneven terrain. Kids are allowed to be outside as much as they want, provided the weather isn’t hazardous. We take an integrated fluency approach to digital tools, guiding students in learning about the internet in the same manner we guide them in learning about the plants out back and the paints in our studio. We do not police sugar, processed foods, or snack sharing, although we will support students with food allergies in staying safe to the best of our abilities. We actively encourage students to practice balance and intentionality as they learn to care for their health, but we’re not a fit for families who feel a screen-free and clean-food-only campus would best support their child in achieving that goal.

What does the graduation process look like?

Students pursuing graduation and a diploma will need to ensure they complete all units of study mandated by the state of Georgia, a community graduation process involving the presentation of a capstone project they design, and any applications and skill-building necessary for their next endeavor.

Informally, students pursuing graduation are encouraged to demonstrate their readiness to be independent young adults in the wider world. Facilitators will be looking for them to take on roles with more responsibility in the school community, for example by acting as mediators, members of working groups, or offering facilitators. They will be encouraged to pursue internships, volunteer opportunities, classes and maybe jobs beyond the school.

Formally, the young people will need to complete three tasks for the school community to agree to graduate them. First, they will create a transcript, optionally supplemented by a reflective portfolio, for use in communicating about their course of study with the wider world. Next, they will design and execute a capstone project that in some manner demonstrates their readiness for their declared next stop. Finally, they will present these artifacts and their plan for their next steps to a graduation panel, who will pass them or offer revisions. Students will work with staff to assemble their graduation panel, ensuring they include at least one community member, one facilitator, and one adult who has experience in their field of interest or could otherwise serve as a mentor.