There is Something Happening Here

These lyrics from Buffalo Springfield’s Vietnam era song, What it’s Worth, written by Steven Stills in 1967, are still timely, fifty years later.  Even if you remove the intentional essence of protest and political dissent, these words have significant meaning for what we are doing, right here, right now, at Deep Root Center.
 
Our philosophy directly challenges established, societal norms.  At DRC, we believe that all children are brilliantly gifted, natural learners. If given free rein, that innate instinct to question, explore, and discover will not turn off as soon as the child turns five, it will continue to be the mechanism for learning for the remainder of their lives.  Learning is indeed natural and school is completely optional.  Education happens everywhere; a young person does not have to attend school or sit at a desk to acquire knowledge, be successful, go to college, or get a job.
 
Kids are naturally self-motivated.  They frequently act out and are labeled as lazy trouble makers in institutional settings that are based on coercion, compulsory participation, and a specific curriculum filled with preconceived and prescribed notions. We, however, have found that a young person’s behavior in those situations has no bearing on their conduct in a supportive, non-threatening environment, such as DRC, which provides a safe space for independent inquiry, creativity, and free choice.

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Yes, there is something happening here, because Deep Root Center is exuberantly and unabashedly different.  We accept, honor, and celebrate student members for exactly who they are. We spend much of our time examining and supporting their idiosyncrasies, their unique ways of looking at the world, their individual learning styles, and the particulars that make their hearts sing.  For What It’s Worth, our students are joyfully engaged in evaluating their own concepts, creating art and music, delving deeply into pertinent knowledge, imagining a new world, devising plans, and blazing their own trails into the future.

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DRC News
 
Join Us
Does the DRC philosophy match your views about learning? Do you want your child to experience life on their own terms?  We are accepting student applications for the remainder of this academic year as well as next. Contact Maria for more information.
 
Spring Break Programming
 
Find an on-line application here.
 
OPT OUT
 
DRC is a safe space for your kids if you choose to OPT OUT of state testing during the last week of March.
 
NYS Assembly Woman Visit
 
Addie Jenne will be visiting DRC on April 13th.  She will spend time touring our facility, meeting and talking to our kids.  We will also ask her about sponsoring a bill in the assembly to change current NYS law that forbids homeschooled children from participating in sports in their local school district.