about us
At Raw Learning we facilitate a personalized education for each student. The environment considers the whole child by making opportunities available for their mind, body and spirit to be nourished. Safety and freedom go hand in hand while the children explore their world.
Raw Learning is a place for children to come together using their own curiosity as a guide for what they will discover next. Volunteers act as adult mentors to facilitate deeper investigation into the specific interests of each child. Policies are made by people who are involved in the day to day operation of Raw Learning. Children and adults decide by consensus the rules that would help their learning. Everyone works together to find solutions to all problems that work for Raw Learning as a whole and for each individual child.
our volunteers and teachers
The charge of the responsible adults is to listen attentively and observe carefully to gain better understanding of the children’s pursuits, questions, and curiosities and to provide resources and challenges for them to investigate the subject to their satisfaction. Volunteers will also record and preserve evidence of progress through the least distracting manner possible. There will be a minimum of two adult volunteers at Raw Learning at all times.
Teachers are parents, community members and students who volunteer to lead a non-compulsory class because of their desire to do so and to enrich the learning of others. They will need to show how engaging their subject is to hold the fascination and interest of their students.
Gleamer is Mom to a daughter, Riesling, and a son named Cashel, who are 6 and 4, respectively. She and her husband Joe live in Grottoes. They homeschooled for a year while gathering together plans for Raw Learning. Gleamer obtained a Virginia Teaching Certificate with an endorsement for English as a Second Language from the Department of Education through a fast track program called EducateVA. She was accepted into this course because she had a Bachelor’s Degree and had pursued a career for more than 5 years. She was a Financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial, Inc. for 9 years before beginning homeschooling. While homeschooling, Gleamer observed the great joy her children and others derived from the option to interact with their peers. This is the inspiration for Raw Learning.
Gleamer attended the Alternative Education Resource Organization's annual conference in Albany, NY in 2009 and 2010.
During the Fall Trimester, Gleamer shares her love of food and cooking Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12:30-2:00 as well as heads up field trips on Tuesdays. Please see the classes tab and field trips tab for more information.
Joe is a supportive husband and Dad. He loves to solve problems; the harder, the better! He regularly conducts "dinner science experiments". Riesling and Cashel love to participate in the revelry of learning with their Dad.
He looks forward to teaching makers class on Mondays from 8:30-10AM and math & science class on Fridays from 3:30-4:30 PM during the Fall Trimester. Please see the classes tab for more information.
teacher, volunteer
Anne is a social psychologist with additional training in holistic nutrition, and the art and science of herbal healing. She is also the mother of two children (Alex, 14; Elizabeth, 10). Social psychology is a field that seeks to understand the impact of diverse social environments on our attitudes, emotions and behaviors. As a psychologist, she is passionate about the design of social environments that optimize health and well-being in people of all ages. This interest – heightened by motherhood -- led her to the writings of several progressive thinkers in the areas of parenting, education and personal development (such as Naomi Aldort, Marshall Rosenberg, Byron Katie, Alfie Kohn, A.S. Neill and John Taylor Gatto). She is deeply grateful for the path that has been illuminated for her by these enlightened thinkers (as are her children!).
As a holistic nutritionist and herbalist, she is committed to providing the tools to help people take charge of their health and healing. What a joyful experience it is for her family to grow their own medicinal plants - or to harvest wild ones that grow all around us - then use them to make healing teas, oils, salves, lip balms, syrups and tinctures!
tax-exempt status and accreditation
We are currently in the process of applying for tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Once approved, contributions may be tax-deductible retroactive to the date of application.
Accreditation through a Virginia Department of Education approved organization will be established as soon as possible.
location
Raw Learning is located on the lower level in the back of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, where Staunton Montessori was formerly situated. Raw Learning is a secular organization and does not have any association with the Lutheran Church. We lease 2 large rooms, the small fellowship hall and a storage room and share use of the playground and south lawn.
