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Fab Fridays 92: Exit the System without Leaving School

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Fab Fridays 92: Exit the System without Leaving School

8 Ways Kids can Exit the System (without leaving school)

Ana Lorena Fabrega
Apr 1, 2022
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Fab Fridays 92: Exit the System without Leaving School

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I talk with parents every week who feel trapped.

They aren’t in a place to take their kids out of school.

Nevertheless, they still see the major problems with the traditional system.

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
7 dangerous lessons taught in schools:
4:23 PM ∙ Mar 18, 2022
10,659Likes2,779Retweets

They want something better for their kids. But homeschooling takes lots of time.

The good news is that there are other options which can give kids an off ramp out of the system.

Here are 8 ways kids can exit the system without leaving school:

1. Self-Directed Learning Communities

Programs like Galileo help kids make friends with peers who share their interests and design their own curriculums together. They can learn coding, game design, art, writing, and entrepreneurship in over 100 classes.

2. Forest Schools

Forest School programs put kids at the center, connect them with each other and nature, and challenge them to take responsibility and make meaning for themselves.

You can lead forest-school sessions yourself or sign kids up for a program.

3. Team Problem-Solving

Synthesis School empowers kids to solve the world’s hardest problems.

They compete in teams to win simulations by debating ideas, testing tactics, communicating decisions, taking ownership, and drawing out the best in each other.

4. Cultivate Creativity at Home

Kids can learn to build, make, and create from home—and it doesn’t require parents to give art lessons.

Here are 10 tips to create an environment that helps creativity take root and flourish:

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
Favorite recent find: 10 Tips for Cultivating Creativity by @mres “The challenge is not how to ‘teach creativity’ to children, but rather how to create a fertile environment in which their creativity will take root, grow, and flourish”—Mitchel Resnick 👇👇👇
9:38 PM ∙ Mar 30, 2020
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5. Project-Based Learning

Programs like Arduino challenge kids with projects that teach them chemistry, physics, electronics, coding, and more.

They ship all the components to your door, provide online training and support, and let kids learn by doing.

6. Online STEAM Classes

Many schools struggle to offer quality classes in science, tech, engineering, art, and math.

Thankfully, platforms like Brilliant Org, Skillshare, and Khan Academy offer a plethora of amazing courses on all of these subjects.

7. Foster a love for reading

Let kids read freely and wildly. Let them try books and abandon them. Let them skim through books, and dive deep into what interests them.

Poems. Comic books. Nonfiction. Magazines. Cookbooks. The same book over and over.

Choice is the secret recipe to foster a love of reading. And once they develop a love for reading, they'll be able to teach themselves anything. Here are 6 tips I use to pick a good book.

8. Alternative Schools

If you can move your kids into a better school, consider exploring alternative programs based on these methods:

  • Montessori

  • Waldorf

  • Reggio Emilia

Here’re some other alternative schools that I’m exploring as well:

  • Sora Schools

  • Higher Ground

  • Acton Academy

Microschools

Microschools are also wonderful options, like those available through Prenda and other networks.

To find a good one, look for these features:

  • mixed age groups

  • child-centered curriculum

  • project-based learning

For little kids, check out platforms like Weekdays Microschools.

Look for programs focused on free play, where kids explore and create on their own. Avoid ones that talk about "play" but really mean adult-led activities.

Read more here:

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
LEGOs are a timeless classic. And the story behind their success has eerie similarities to what's happening in our education system. THREAD: What LEGO kits can teach us about creative thinking 👇🏼
Image
3:32 PM ∙ Jul 15, 2021
976Likes207Retweets

Alternative schools give families options outside of the traditional system. But even if moving schools isn’t in the cards for your family, there’s still hope. Ultimately, what you do together at home is what matters the most.

Kids need parents with skin in the game. 

They need caregivers who love them, know them, challenge them, and personally invest in their education. Read more here:

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
Most parents drop their kids off at school and hope for the best. But outsourcing our kids’ education to the school system isn’t enough. Parents must put their own skin in the game 👇🏼🧵
3:16 PM ∙ Oct 15, 2021
1,655Likes313Retweets

The options I shared above are only a few of many opportunities.

What are you and your kids using to exit the traditional system?

Until next week,

Ana Lorena Fabrega

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Fab Fridays 92: Exit the System without Leaving School

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