Raven House
Raven House Community
A Child-Led Approach
Raven House was born out of an urgent need to provide my children with a place where they can be free to learn through living. When we transitioned to homeschooling and soon after unschooling, two things became clear. First was that my children were learning everyday in their own way, on their own timeline and loving it. Second was that my children longed to spend more time being FREE with other children.
The Raven House Community is a group of families who want more or perhaps less than what our traditional school systems have to offer. Our families trust children and their innate learning processes. We believe humans are wired to learn and that they learn best when provided the time and space to explore the world freely.
Child-Led Learning
“Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.” John Dewey, Philosopher
Raven House is a community that trusts children and their innate learning processes. We believe humans are wired to learn and that they learn best when provided the time and space to explore the world freely. Raven House is designed around the research of John Holt, Peter Gray, John Taylor Gatto, Kerry McDonald, Ivan Illach and the many other educators, researchers and authors that believed the best thing we could do for our children is to give them space to independently explore the world and assert our assistance only when asked.
Radical Imagination
"Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination."- William Arthur Ward
Raven House learners spend large amounts of time in imaginative play. They practice communicating, negotiating and taking turns. They are allowed the time and space to explore different roles and take on perspectives of others, while fostering empathy. They build confidence and deep connections with the others and practice creative thinking and problem solving as their games and ideas emerge and evolve.
A Resource Rich Environment
Materials and offerings are made available to the children daily. This may include baking, building in the maker space, an art project, a kiwi box or Little Passports project, something a volunteer brings in, a guest speaker, something a child brings in, an organized scavenger hunt, a video, a book, a mystery, a science experiment, a garden project and more.
Nature Centered
Raven House children can spend unlimited time barefoot outdoors, playing in the sandbox, catching bugs, working in the garden, feeding our worms, hunting for Springs first flowers, mushroom hunting and more. We acknowledge and celebrate the changing of seasons. We have pets including a dog, two cats, four rats and a foster bunny. Children learn about the animals, how to care for them, and become ambassadors for the animal world.
Weekly Field Trips
Our learners work together to select weekly field trips. These have included Cider Mills, Belle Isle, a Rabbit Rescue, Trampoline Parks, The Detroit Zoo, the Michigan Science Center, Lego Land, local Parks, bike rides to ice cream shops and more. Currently, field trips take place on Thursdays and we are limited to 6 learners. All Members are invited to meet-up on weekly field trips.
Hear from Our Community
Ariel A. Current Raven House Parent
"Our family has always practiced self directed education, and as life changed with the pandemic, I knew I didn't want to sacrifice our values while looking into schooling. The community we've found at Raven House is everything I had hoped for. A comfortable environment for my children to pursue their interests and form meaningful relationships with other intrinsically motivated kids. They're given the opportunity to resolve conflict and solve problems themselves. Krista gracefully facilities and supports while giving them the space and autonomy to learn things on their own. They're encouraged to ask questions and tap into the community to make their ideas reality. It's incredible to see my kids so engaged & happy, excited to go to Raven House every day. As a working parent, it's a blessing to have this community."
Bay, Age 7, Current Raven House Learner
"I feel happy when I'm at Raven with Eevee. When other kids are excited for school breaks, we are sad when we don't have Raven"
Renee R. Current Raven House Parent
"My son is so excited everyday that is a Raven day. Before raven he was a very shy little guy and since attending raven this year with Krista as the facilitator, he has come out of his shell and is no where near as shy. Krista has an exceptional ability to keep him interested and engaged all day with whatever they are into. She is the force that has brought my son and all of the learners together to really enjoy this journey and to learn life together in a natural, non-judgmental way which has allowed him to create such amazing bonds with the other learners. With every week that passes with Raven I grow more and more confident that this is exactly where we need to be and can’t wait to continue to watch him learn on his terms and really get to figure out who he is and what he is truly passionate about along the way. "
