What Are You Afraid Of?

Even if I wasn’t aware of the obvious clues from the natural world, the back to school inserts in the local paper and the celebratory social media posts from parents of school age children, would be enough to remind me that summer is fading fast and back to school time is literally within spittin’ distance. 
 
On the opposite side of the coin, many kids absolutely dread the very thought of returning to school.  No, not because they are lazy or disinterested in learning, but, probably, because they don’t feel safe there and have little or no control over their lives - never mind their education. 
 
Some may express their discomfort and anxiety through dramatic displays and over the top histrionics, or, maybe they clam up – disappear “inside” to simply endure the inevitable.  Neither response is healthy, nor easy to deal with.  Wishing it will go away or trying to convince the child that school is the best thing for them, often does not work.  I have seen unhappy kids become disillusioned, disenfranchised, anxious, depressed, and, yes, angry fairly quickly.  The resulting crisis points are real and unimaginably difficult to deal with.
 
Deep Root Center is a safe and viable educational option for any school-age child. Although, I completely understand the immobilizing fear that can be induced by the thought of investigating an alternative to school that is so entirely different from anything else out there. Our society officially recognizes one valid paradigm, and self-directed, non-coercive education does not even remotely meet the description. I can say, however, that those who choose to deviate from that standard model, often discover that having a happy kid who is engaged, curious, and excited about learning, eclipses any of their original anxiety and doubts.
 
We have to work hard to overcome the negative impacts of the coercive system with students, who have come to us after reaching that crisis point, before they can even begin to get excited about creating plans and goals. We would much rather spend those first few months together, supporting those same kids to dig into their personal interests, to embrace their unique perspectives, and grow in ways they cannot possibly imagine.
 
I get it, really; the hardest, scariest piece of all this is making the decision to contact us.  Once you do, you will quickly learn, that we are the least intimidating people you will ever speak with. Our one, and, only, agenda is to support any child who wants to rise out of school and explore the world on their very own terms. 

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DRC News
 
Summer Programs
The second week of Summer Programs begins tomorrow.  Karen Wells of Grasse River Players delivered all of the sets and props Friday afternoon and has plans for some awesome skits.
 
Open Enrollment
Contact us anytime.  Your child can register with DRC anytime, even after the school year begins.

 ​Help DRC
You can volunteer at the Lake Placid Ironman on Sept. 9th to help DRC score a grant from the Ironman Foundation. We need at least 20 people.  Follow this link to sign-up. 

Shakespeare Class
We are excited to host this class.  Homeschoolers who are not students of DRC are welcome to register for this stand-alone class. Contact Juliet to enroll.