Information on

Alternative Education

Resources for those looking outside the traditional public school systems for different options to meet your child’s needs.

LearningPods

What is a Learning Pod?

A learning pod is a small group of students who learn together outside of a traditional school setting, but still in person. Learning pods allow students to independently engage in remote learning in a safe and productive environment during typical school hours. Learning pods can be particularly helpful for parents whose jobs make it challenging for them to oversee a robust remote learning experience from home.

Who Can Benefit?

Learning pods are an option for families who are trying to make the best of school closures in a more coordinated way. They foster an engaging, social learning environment and can help offset feelings of isolation that students may experience as a result of remote learning.

How Much Does it Cost?

Learning pod costs will vary depending on your location, the instructor’s level of experience and how many students are in each pod.

How to Find a Learning Pod in Your Area?

There are reputable learning pod organizations across the country and many that are private and aren't advertised publicly. Connect with a Mama Bears Learning pod coordinator and we can help you discover which options are available to you locally.

Information on Pods

Mama Bears “ABC’s of Building a POD” and 123’s of What to What For?

For Hosts

Important considerations before hosting a learning POD.

For Teachers

Considerations for people interested in teaching a POD.

I Want to Start a POD

Stand out: What is going to make your pod stand out against other opportunities? What are you offering that is different and unique? Is there a market in my area for what I am building or do I need to change my approach based on the demographics?

Space: Do I have a space available to operate out of? How do I find a space? The quickest way to start a pod is to build one out of your home. This can be a great start, but eventually you will want to expand into a larger space. What are my obligations to this space?

Be Prepared: Get first aid certified, get a background and vulnerable sector check done, make sure you have your teaching certification available for parents, have proof of insurance to show parents.

Be Flexible: You work for the parents, and if you want them to support you, you have to support them. Be flexible with payment and availability options. Try to work with parents around what they want. This can be a challenging transition for educators.

Curriculum and Schedule: Parents want structure but they also want social time. How will you achieve this balance? What kind of curriculum will you use? How are you going to accommodate multiple grades and students at different levels? Look into options online for what is available to support students at different levels and create a weekly routine that reduces the amount of workload for you, but increases productivity and work value for the student. Check out resources like Evan Moore, Jump Math, and others. There are many options that offer full year curriculum at a reasonable price. Make sure it aligns with what parents want.

Grade Levels: Consider what grade levels you want to support. Most curriculum packages don’t go past Junior High. What grades can YOU support? Do you need to bring a second specialist in?

Take the leap: At some point you are going to have to take a leap of faith. Set a hard date so parents know you are serious about starting something. Start with what you have. Whether it is two families or ten, you have to start somewhere. More parents will be open to the idea once they hear it is working from other parents. You have to provide proof of concept and commitment to parents in order for them to trust that this process will work. It will grow quickly, if you have something that parents are interested in.

For Parents

Important questions to ask and things to look out for.

I'm Looking For a POD

How do I protect myself and my kids?

Ask lots of questions, first and most importantly. Shop around for a pod or tutor that aligns with what you want. Do not jump on the first thing that becomes available. As a parent you have the power and authority to direct what you are looking for.

Ask for proof of things that are important to make you feel safe. Insurance, background checks, first aid, certification, etc.

Be flexible: What might work for you might not work for all parents in a pod, and vice versa, it is important to stay flexible and vigilant with how things are developing. Be patient with the teacher.

Be realistic with your expectations: Building a pod takes immense flexibility from all parties. You can grow into what you want, and know what you want, but it is unlikely you will start there.

Connect: Connect with other parents to learn how to support each other. Consider carpooling from similar areas, and find ways to offer time to your pod to help support your teacher. Teachers work for all parents, including you. But not JUST YOU. All parents, so it is important to have conversations with everyone around where you see a pod going and what you think might benefit everyone and not just you or your child.

Make a list: Consider what things you are willing to compromise on and what things you are not. This will help you to find a pod that suits you best. As a parent you do not need to compromise for your child’s education, but you do need to consider that every pod is different.

What steps do I take?

First, express to your school that you would like to move to homeschooling. This is a simple process and may require some simple paperwork. Second, decide what kind of homeschooling program you want to do. Some options offer funding and others do not. Do some research. Third, contact a homeschool board that offers mid year transitions. There are a few, but options are limited. This is often no cost to parents. Do your research. Lastly, decide what YOU need next. Find a tutor or pod to support learning part time, full time, or just for social opportunities. There are options out there, and more will come forward as time goes on.

Additional resources:

https://www.alberta.ca/home-education.aspx

https://www.evan-moor.com/

https://jumpmath.org/ca/

https://thecanadianhomeschooler.com/using-complete-canadian-curriculum-books-in-homeschool/

For higher grades

https://castlerockresearch.com/ab-books

How to Build a Yurt Forest School

Setting Up a Yurt Forest School

This is a point form rundown of how a group of parents started a Yurt Forest School. This is meant as a guide/example that perhaps others could use the same system to set up their own or tweak it to suit their location and needs.

Download PDF

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Canadian Centre For Learning

Canadian Centre for Learning (CCL) is an interdisciplinary, collaborative higher learning community that provides opportunities for learners to study and work with world class, experienced and dedicated academics and professionals. As a beacon of freedom, CCL is a place where people’s voices matter, learning is joyful, ideas are inspirational and impact is transformational.

What isUn-Schooling?

Un-Schooling

Tasha is a regular mama who unleashed her kids from the formal education system to complete Freedom to learn organically. UN-SCHOOLING.

Mama Bears Un-Schooling Webinar

A conversation with parents who have succeeded in raising their children within the organic fluidity of unschooling. Listen to their ideas, successes and struggles as they discuss their experiences and how it has prepared their children for success.