An exciting educational alternative comes to our region
ILu Emanuel
n the Brome-missisquoi region a group of determined and well-informed parents are creating a bilingual learning centre to enable and enrich their work to educate their children at home. The project is called E.L.A.N. — Espace Libre d’apprentissages Naturels/self-directed Natural Learning Center. For any family that is seeking an alternative to school-based learning for their children, this project offers a number of benefits.
The project is well researched and informed by findings in neuroscience, cognitive psychology and education science exploring the ways in which people learn most easily and then apply their learning with self-awareness and critical thinking skills. We learn best when we learn at our own pace, in accordance with our own interests, and without stress or fear. Human beings are constantly learning; it is our natural state of being unless we begin to associate learning with fear of failure or “getting it wrong.” The goal of this project is to offer a learning environment that encourages children to become self-confident, self-directed, and self-motivated learners — something that they will then carry with them for the rest of their lives.
These parents have observed how their children learn, how powerful they actually are as learners, even from infancy. People are naturally motivated to learn, have innate curiosity and the desire to develop their abilities and acquire new skills. Numerous experts have come to the conclusion that when children are given the time, the space, and the freedom to observe, to imitate, to actively participate, to explore and to try things out on their own, they passionately and deeply enjoy learning about the world that surrounds them and fully engage in understanding more and more of their surroundings. Trust in this innate learning and self-development is at the heart of this project. Indeed, many visionaries in the field of education, for example, John Holt, have declared that play is the very essence of learning; when people play, they try things out and by trying things out, people learn what works for them and what doesn’t. Free play is therefore a thoroughly enriching and educational endeavour.
The vision of E.L.A.N. is of an environment of both safety and diversity where children develop their social, cognitive, creative, and emotional lives through free play, collaboration, cooperation, and exploration. Working now to make this vision a reality, E.L.A.N. hopes to open its doors in September 2017 in the municipality of Bromont. Children from age 5 to 17 will be accompanied throughout
the day by adult facilitators, including young adults and retired elders acting as mentors and sharing their passions and skills with the children. The value of having many ages represented is the sharing of different world views and skills among all present. It is not only the children who learn and grow in this space; all who become involved in this project are invited to bring their passion for learning and their innate curiosity to E.L.A.N. and in this way to inspire each other. The facilitators are available to serve as a resource for educational, social, emotional, and creative pursuits. The facilitators help the children to create the learning environment that best responds to their interests, aspirations, curiosity, and questions.
Already, half of our maximum enrolment number of 25 children (ages 5 to 17