General:
Who runs Raw Learning? Raw Learning is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Where are you located? Our activities take place in various locations throughout western Virginia. Our co-op is held in Alleghany County, just 30 minutes from Lexington. Our Forest Play Days and many of our meet-ups are held in Lexington. Our Field Trips are held throughout the region. Most of our members reside in Alleghany and Rockbridge Counties, but we also have members who travel from Roanoke and Staunton. We welcome families from all over to join our programs.
What is self-directed education(SDE)? Education that derives from the self-chosen activities and life experiences of the learner, whether or not those activities were chosen deliberately for the purpose of education. Self-directed education can include organized classes or lessons, if freely chosen by the learner; but most self-directed education is more informal and part of everyday life. (self-directed.org) SDE can take place at home as a method of homeschooling, or it can take place in a full-time school environment such as a Sudbury School or Agile Learning Center.
What is Unschooling? It’s a method of homeschooling that involves self-directed education, which means that the child chooses what they want to learn and the parent or care-giver serves as a guide rather than a teacher.
Unschooling Co-op:
What ages are welcome at your co-op? Our co-op is geared towards children aged 5-14, siblings are also welcome to attend.
Can I drop off my kids? No, we are not a drop-off co-op. If a student is on-site, a responsible parent or other adult must also be on-site. Please see this page for more about our “bring a co-op friend” option.
What are the co-op hours? Our co-op is held on Mondays from 10-2:45. We ask that families try to be present for our 10:30 community meeting, and our 2:15 community meeting/clean-up time when possible. That being said, we want to offer our families flexibility, and understand when members need to arrive later or leave earlier.
What if we don’t unschool at home? Can we still attend your co-op? YES! The families in our co-op approach homeschooling from a variety of philosophies but all value the experience that our unschooling co-op offers to their child(ren).
Field Trips:
Can my family attend field trips if we are not Raw Learning co-op members? Yes! Our field trips are open to any interested homeschoolers!
Do I have to register in advance for field trips? Yes, and many of our field trips fill up. You must submit payment via paypal in order to secure your spot. We suggest registering early to secure your spot. Please do not show up if you have not registered in advance.
How much do field trips cost? This varies widely depending on where we are visiting. We try to keep our field trip fees as low as possible.
Can my child attend a field trip without an adult? No, every child must be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for them.