Parents and caregivers at Caraway are strongly committed and involved in the school community. This type of active parent involvement is fundamental to our philosophy when considering children. Cooperative involvement increases the understanding, philosophy, and goals of the program, and there are many positive results to having parents and caregivers be part of the school environment. Interested in learning more? Check out our website!

Looking for alternatives in public education? Come meet us! We would love to have you join our Open House on March 1st to learn more about the Caraway program! 🍎 Children are welcome to attend, details to be announced. Save the date!

Reflecting on our time with @mamanads, when her and her son shared medicine bags with us. The students learned about where the hide comes from, the process, and a little bit about the medicines. They shared in smudging before crafting, as well as smudging their pouches after completion. Grateful for the opportunity to learn!

“If we can help our children feel accepted and valued when they are small, they’ll have a better chance of growing into adults who can feel good about who they are, too.” -Fred Rogers

This is the way we move!✨

A student stopped in their tracks to excitedly notice that nature had made the letter “A”. A child’s mind and imagination is so creative and ripe for learning. Immediately a group of children began to think of words that begin with the letter and the different sounds it can make. What a beautiful opportunity for engagement and authentic learning!

The climate of Caraway is one of warmth, friendliness, informality, and respect for each individuals needs, ideas and differences.” 💛

Halloween excitement is in the air at Caraway! Students have been busy with pumpkin carving, magical town building, potions, and carnival planning - oh my! 🦇🎃👻

"Childhood is filled with natural wonder and curiosity. The learning environment must reflect a classroom and outdoor space that inspires a sense of wanting to investigate, to find out and to explore" - Kathy Walker

Magical Mornings Together ✨

This week our student run coffee shop @thepeskybirdcafe opened to the Caraway community! There is so much embedded learning and skills captured in this project, and it has been a huge success so far. We can’t wait to see you again next week! ☕️

“Since we can’t know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever must be learned.” -John Holt 💡

This week as a community, we held space for reflection and remembrance as The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation drew near. We continue our commitment to ongoing learning and recognition, through honouring and connecting with the land, and engaging in thoughtful discussions. We had the privilege of listening to powerful Indigenous story telling and teachings, both through books and first hand experience. We were gifted the opportunity to listen and watch some drumming, singing, and dance-as well as being invited to take part in the dancing. We honour those who survived residential schools, and mourn the children that never made it home. There is still a lot of work to be done.

“Play isn't the easy route! It's complicated, complex and often difficult to watch unfold. It takes patience, trust and a level of skill to allow a child to truly lead their own learning.” -Sally Wright

Wonder and agency are the keys to lifelong learning! At every age, students are encouraged to ask questions and search for their own answers. At Caraway, we help to develop and expose children’s individual potential and creativity. When our students learn how to learn by using their own curiosity and initiative, they develop an inquiring attitude to all aspects of life, not just the learning done in school. 💫

“Nature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world, but themselves.” – Stephen Moss 🍂

A group of students wanted to create an obstacle course, but puddles were in the way. When we step back and allow children to risk take, collaborate, create, and problem solve challenges together - amazing things can happen!

“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.” - Bell Hooks 💛

We took full advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to try some science experiments outdoors! 🫧🧪

Settling Into September ☺️

“Children have a difficult time becoming responsible, resourceful, and resilient if they are controlled, manipulated, and made to mind, robbed of their autonomy and denied opportunities to make choices and mistakes. They cannot develop a sense of inner discipline if all of the control comes from the outside.” -Barbara Coloroso

Our first full day in nature this year was a beautiful success! ☀️🪨 🍃🐿

We are incredibly excited to get our student lead coffee shop up and running! There is so much learning embedded in an entrepreneurial adventure like this one, and we can’t wait to be brewing some delicious drinks soon! Big thanks to @monogramco for supporting our vision and providing delicious coffee to our community! ☕️

Wishing all of our students and families a wonderful summer! Soak up the sun and adventure, we will see you in September! ☀️

“ May we raise children who love the unloved things–the dandelion, the worms and spiderlings. Children who sense the rose needs the thorn & run into rainswept days the same way they turn towards sun… And when they’re grown & someone has to speak for those who have no voice may they draw upon that wilder bond, those days of tending tender things and be the ones.”

The end of the year is near! We are so busy soaking up time with one another and adventuring together. Just how we like it! ☀️

“Nothing could be more simple—or more difficult. Difficult, because to trust children we must trust ourselves—and most of us were taught as children that we could not be trusted.” - John Holt

🌼 🦆 🐥 ☀️

Full to the brim with beautiful, new life 💛

It is officially Spring, we have spotted the first caterpillar of the season! 🐛

Times Likes This-Thursday Morning Magic ✨

Thank you for your interest in the Caraway program! Registration is now closed for the 2022-2023 school year! 🍎

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✨ our many days ✨

We have a handful of spaces left to register your child in kinder-grade two for the upcoming school year! Interested in progressive and alternative education? Fill out the Reflective Document found on our website to kickstart the registration process! We can’t wait to hear from you 😊

Instilling a depth of curiosity and wonderment is beneficial for everyone!

💦 🌲 ❄️

Play is the work of the child ✨

✨ Moments + Memories ✨

We’ve come a long, long way together! ❤️

Interested in learning more about Caraway? Tomorrow evening we are hosting our last virtual Open House of the year. It’s easy to join! Register on our website or message us directly to receive the link. Get cozy, grab a snack, and we’ll see you there!

At Caraway, we spend time acknowledging the world around us. Family, friends, animals, neighbours, communities, and the earth. Together, we consider all of the ways that we can show care. 🌎 ❤️

“We love that Caraway has brought back my son's love of learning with its focus on giving students more ownership and choice.” -Rhonda

When caregivers agree to Caraway, they agree to entering a cooperative. They have the privilege of being part of a larger community that involves teachers, students and other families. Children sense their commitment and begin to mirror it, which facilitates a child’s adjustment, contentment and success. The school becomes “our school”. 🤍

“Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” ✨

At Caraway, we have no fun at all! 😉

“I am not sure who learns more at Caraway, me or my kids. I think many of us were taught traditionally that the foundational subjects in school were math, literacy, science and the rest was extra curricular. In my opinion Caraway's foundation is love, respect, and community. Kids learn how to consciously be part of a community. How to problem solve, how to navigate conflict and have difficult conversations (how many adults have this skill?), and how to project manage. Teachers and parents help them navigate the world and friendships openly, and with love and respect. They are allowed to take risks and fall. They also learn to reflect on how they learn, what they need, and how to ask for what they need to succeed in whatever they are doing. There is a lot of space to do things differently. They are supported by their teachers, but also allowed to learn from natural consequences (for example the business they create may not thrive). Its hard to sum up Caraway other than it was one of the best decisions we have made.” -Amy

Caraway is often described as noisy and chaotic, but authentic experiences through hands on learning is beautiful to witness! ✨ “Children learn by doing and doing will be noisy, untidy, messy, and unpredictable. This is normal.” -Maggie Dent

We look forward to having you join us this evening for our first virtual Open House of the season! If you need the link, please message us directly, or register on our website! 🍎

Our role is to trust in unstructured, uninterrupted, and unhurried play. This is where deep learning and magic happens. Play is not a reward that is given once the “work” is finished, play is the work of children. “If we want our children to move mountains, we first have to let them get out of their chairs.” -Nicolette Sowder

One of our teachers shares what the Caraway experience means to her 🤍 “Teaching at Caraway means that no day is ever the same as the last. It means thinking fast and adapting to the interests of the group. It means giving space for students to be themselves, and learn about who they are, in a space that is warm and open to whoever they want to be. It's understanding that every child is unique and will learn in their own way and in their own time, and finding moments where each child can shine. Teaching at Caraway is a chance to foster risk taking in the students, and in myself. It's a chance to explore, learn, and grow together. Teaching at Caraway means being vulnerable and open and authentically me, and encouraging that in the students as well. It's little things like being addressed by my first name, to bigger things like co-creating a safe space together using sharing circles and group meetings. Things are just done differently at Caraway. They're done in a way that honours each child, no matter where they are in their journey. Teaching at Caraway feels like home.” -Kaylee

Join our virtual open house to hear how vital play is to our program!

We love hearing about the family experience at Caraway! “My kids have attended the Caraway program for the past 4+ years. We love the focus on community and social-emotional skills. The teachers are incredible, and the whole community comes together to support each child where they are at and help them foster their individual interests. It's a rare school within the public system that allows for amazing project-based learning, and for parents to be hands-on and really get to know the other children and their families. We particularly love the fun units like potion shop and entrepreneurship where they get to create and run their own businesses!” -Stephanie

“Kids need a chance to discover and pursue their own paths. We’ve got to declutter the achievement-focused childhood, because when our kids have enough time and freedom to find their way to creativity, perseverance, entrepreneurship, and joy, they win-and so does everyone else.” -Lenore Skenazy

At Caraway, we love animals! 🐰

Our dedicated teachers, and supportive community provides students with a child centred, rich learning environment. With an emphasis of hands-on project based learning, social emotional learning, and democratic processes, we focus on developing creative risk-takers with passion and global responsibility for a rapidly changing world. Interested in learning more about Caraway? Check out our website! There you will find information about the roots of our K-9 program, and much more. We also recognize the importance of hearing firsthand about our school from our teachers, so please join us on February 2nd and February 24th for a virtual open house to see if Caraway might be the right fit for your family.

“Our most consequential human problems will be resolved, not through competition, but collaboration... what we need in education is a learning climate in which students work together. In such an atmosphere, truth emerges as authentic insights are conscientiously exchanged.” -Ernest L. Boyer

We wish we could greet you through these doors, instead we hope to connect with you virtually on February 2nd and February 24th at 6:30 pm for our open house! 🍎 Details to be announced soon!

Image description: “We’ve bought into the idea that education is about training and “success”, defined monetarily, rather than learning to think critically and to challenge. We should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds, not careers.” -Chris Hedges

Caraway’s registration is now closed for the 2021-2022 school year, thank you to everyone that reached out with inquiries and to the families that applied. If you are interested for the following year, you can contact us as early as January 2022. Be well, friends. 🍎

On this Earth Day, we would like to express our gratitude for living and learning on Treaty 6 Territory. We endeavour to tread lightly on this planet and decrease our footprint when possible. We hope you will join us in honouring our earth today and always. A few family friendly ideas you might want to try: •Have a fun family neighbourhood clean up competition, you could even encourage your neighbours to join. •Choose some time with the lights out to play a game or chat with one another. •Make the choice to walk or ride your bike. •Use recyclable materials to build and create. •Share clothes with siblings and diy any clothing that may have stains or rips. •Plant some seeds and plan a family garden. 🌎

@_kristyforbes is an Australian based Autism and Neurodiversity support specialist and we are learning so much from her and the programs that she creates! Learning about autism and neurodiversity through the lens of an autistic, ADHD and PDA adult has been so informative! If you are looking to learn more, we highly recommend her programs at InTune Pathways. ♾

“Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better.” -Magda Gerber

As we enter April, we look so forward to having @drfarha077 join our staff, board and parent community to guide us through anti-racism sessions for the next three months. We can’t wait to expand our knowledge and continue our learning and unlearning journey.

Looking for alternatives in public education? Join our virtual open house this evening at 6:30-8:00 p.m. to learn more about the Caraway program. 🍎

Curious about alternative education? Join us for our last virtual open house of the season on March 17th at 6:30 p.m. We would love to meet you! 🍎

Thank you to everyone that took the time to vote on student submissions for a Caraway logo! Your hearts were really drawn to #6. Congratulations! ✨

We wish we could greet you through these doors, instead we hope to connect with you virtually on Tuesday, February 23rd for our open house at 6:30 pm! ⭐️

We have entered our entrepreneurial unit, Yawarac, and love seeing what the students come up with! 💡

Looking for alternatives in public education? Join our virtual open house on February 23rd and March 17th 6:30-8:00 p.m. to learn more about the Caraway program. Details to be announced, save the dates!

〰️ Play is the work of children 〰️

“It is time for a return to childhood, to simplicity, to running and climbing and laughing in the sunshine, to experiencing happiness instead of being trained for a lifetime of pursuing happiness. It is time to let children be children again.” -L.R.Knost

Caraway’s registration is now closed for the 2020/2021 school year, thank you to everyone that reached out with inquiries and to the families that applied. If you are interested for the following year, you can contact us as early as January 2021. Be well, friends. 🍎

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

In addition to teaching academic skills, the intent of our program is to help the students develop both emotionally and socially. Nurturing the children to become Emotionally Intelligent enables them to become more responsible for their individual behaviour and the ability to develop empathetic feelings for others and their problems and risk caring for others.

Love wins 💛

Did you miss our previous Open House and you have been curious about Alternative Education? Don’t fret! Join us on March 10th at 6:00 p.m. to learn all about our program!

Like all animals, children explore their world with their entire bodies. Being immersed in meaningful activities brings curriculum alive and engages the mind as it engages the senses 🧠

It’s that time of year! We would love to have you and your children come to visit our program. There will be a staff presentation held at 6:45 and we can’t wait to see you! 💛

In public education, there are many alternative programs. However, most are essentially the same shirt in different colours: same cut with slightly shorter sleeves or an extra pocket. You can have curriculum delivered in one of a half dozen languages, or with ½ day sports, or extra art or religion. Very few programs differ on the basis of pedagogy, the philosophy of curriculum delivery.✨

Risk-taking in education builds a base for self-reliance and perseverance. Learning, grit & innovation happen through overcoming failure and taking chances.

💡that 🔥

“If you want to do something nice for a child, give them an environment where they can touch things as much as they want.” -Buckminster Fuller

Multi-age classrooms spanning at least 3 grade levels encourage students to act as leaders and mentors while minimizing competition and focusing on children as individuals with unique gifts and challenges. 💫

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“I don't love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful.” - Natalie Portman

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or a duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” -Kate DiCamillo

Connect, Talk, Respond, Play = Building relationships with kids 🙌

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” -Fred Rogers

Shine on our bright, tiny sparks! ✨

Process vs Product, focus on the good ✨

“True learning – learning that is permanent and useful, that leads to intelligent action and further learning — can arise only out of the experience, interest, and concerns of the learner.” -John Holt

At Caraway, we know that hands-on experience is the key to engagement and learning at every age 🔆

👏👏👏

“Kids need real experiences with real people, pets, dirt, puddles, mud, trees & fresh air to grow healthy brains, minds & bodies.” -Maggie Dent

Looking for alternatives in K-9 Education? Come to our Open House on February 13th 6:00-8:00 pm!

Emotional Strength and Social Connection? We are here for it! 👏