When my son was born, he was so naturally curious. He could entertain himself for hours by exploring different rocks, observing every shiny thing in the grass, and creating ingenious inventions. As he has grown and gone through 4 years in public school, I have seen a severe dwindling of his curiosity, a lack of self motivation, and a loss of desire to be creative. In an effort to understand what had happened, I scoured numerous books, articles, and videos. What I discovered surprised me, but made sense. 

Although well-intentioned, public schools can stifle a child's natural desire to learn. Each grade has a "common core" outlining what kids should learn throughout the year. If a child is not interested in learning biology, world history, geology, etc., it doesn't matter. That is what they will be taught, because that is the mandated curricula for the year. While some children enjoy all subjects and find intrinsic motivation to learn, others struggle to learn things of which they have no interest and has no meaning to them. This can lead to behavior challenges in school and subsequent unfair labelling such as, "problem child", "difficult kid", or "unmotivated". Said DaVinci, "Just as eating against one's will is injurous to health, so studying without a liking for it spoils the memory, and it retains nothing it takes in."

This is what inspired me to start an alternative education for children. A place where they can freely pursue their passions and cultivate their unique talents. A place where they can learn to apply their education to the real world and truly thrive. A place where they are not just another student, but a valuable member of a learning community.