Agile Learning Center of New Orleans

Our ALCNO Learners were inspired by the Microkrewe and are working on making shoe box floats! This Learner's float features Shark Squishmallows Live In Concert!

ALCNO is a recipient of the Community Partnership Grant offered by the Jazz & Heritage Foundation. The grant funds will be used to provide art experiences to our learners. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Every day our children spread their dreams beneath our feet. We should tread softly. -Sir Ken Robinson

Play builds the kind of free and easy, try-it-out, do-it-yourself character that our future needs. - James L. Hymes Jr.

Frequently Asked Question: How do you assess kids without tests?

Our assessment is that each student is a capable and powerful human with value to add to the world.

How do we track student growth and progress? By developing authentic relationships in which we support their self-reflection and bear witness to their journeys. Students document their reflections and projects on their blogs, where both form and content illustrate the evolution of their thinking and skills.

Frequently Asked Question: How do you deal with bullying?

Every learner in our program signs a contract agreeing to treat themselves, the space, and others with respect. We take this agreement very seriously; breaches of it activate a process known as Community Culture Circle in which a group of facilitators and learners dedicated to building a safe and supportive community gather to decide how to address the problem. Sometimes, simply hearing from their peers motivates a learner to change bullying behavior. Sometimes more creative or serious consequences are needed. A learner who persistently chooses to break their contract will be asked to leave the community.

In general, behavior that looks like bullying is less likely to happen in a space where everyone is respected and given autonomy over their lives. Still, young people bring various emotional needs and stresses into the space and understanding what their underlying needs are is often the solution to dissolving actions that oppress others.

Frequently Asked Question: Why are kids of all ages together?

Segregating people into age cohorts, a practice that really only happens at school, limits their exposure to accessible role models and their opportunities to teach skills they’ve acquired. In an age-mixed environment, older students learn patience and compassion while supporting the younger students. Younger students watch and emulate older students. Everyone gets practice both teaching and learning from people with varying skill levels, learning styles, and attention spans. The results tend to be awe-inspiring.

So much gratitude to all of you who donated and shared our page today! Thank you for your support in growing our community! There’s still time to give and share on this Grand Giving Day! Help the Agile Learning Center of New Orleans reach our goal of moving into a larger space.

"My kids love ALCNO. They have the freedom to learn through joyful play and curious exploration rather than coercion. They actually like going to school. They have found connection, mentorship, community, and friendship with kids from a wide range of ages and backgrounds," says proud parent of two ALCNO learners.

Children today will need to succeed in a very different world than the one we’ve known – one completely outside the reach of traditional schooling. Be part of a learning center that is changing the face of education.

We are close to reaching capacity at our current house and are looking to rent or acquire a property. Please make a donation this holiday season to help support our growing learning center! There's still time to support us and every dollar counts!

https://donorbox.org/a-new-home-4-alcno

When you donate to ALCNO, you help us get closer to moving to a larger space. We are close to reaching capacity at our current space and are looking to rent or acquire a property. Please make a donation this holiday season to help support our growing learning center!

Be part of a learning center that is changing the face of education.

https://donorbox.org/a-new-home-4-alcno

"As a kid who goes to this school, I can say it's fun!" says our 10 year old learner.

At the Agile Learning Center of New Orleans (ALCNO), we believe that children are naturally curious learn best through first-hand experiences. Play challenges, motivates, and stimulates children in their development of communication, concentration, and concepts. When children play, they explore and build on their understanding of their surroundings.

We are close to reaching capacity at our current space and are looking to rent or acquire a property. Your gift to the learning center will help us continue to We are close to reaching capacity at our current space and are looking to rent or acquire a property. Your gift to the learning center will help us continue to grow as a community.

We thank you in advance for your commitment to nurturing our children’s infinite play and amplifying agency in New Orleans.
www.donorbox.org/a-new-home-4-alcno

ALCNO Parent says, "Being new to the concept of "unschooling," we couldn't be happier with our experience. Conventional schooling wasn't working, so we gave this a try. My child is much happier at school and at home and I know her inner curiosity will prevail with the assistance of the ALCNO facilitators."

Children are naturally curious and capable. In a rich and stimulating environment, they teach themselves or ask (of each other and facilitators) to be taught. In an environment where where facilitators model passionate learning and the community supports-rather than shames-students who learn at different paces, kids stay curious and eager to keep learning.

With your help, ALCNO can continue to grow as a learning center that is changing the face of education. We are close to reaching capacity at our current space and are looking to rent or acquire a property. We thank you in advance for your commitment to nurturing our children's play and amplifying agency in New Orleans.