Meaningful Learning
We are born to learn.
My philanthropic investment in education is focused on empowering families and communities to take control of their learning environment by building awareness of and support for those interested in embracing independent meaningful learning.
I believe deeply in the transformation of our learning institutions toward respect for the intrinsic meaning and desire to learn that burns within each person, from childhood onward. Providing support, community, resources and pathways for young people to live a life of agency in their learning is the key.
Our three children (now adults) were raised outside of compulsory schooling. We saw how respect for the intrinsic motivation of each person was transformational for our children on their unique learning journeys. Over thirty years, we’ve helped the founders of Cupola Academy and Natural Creativity to build experiential learning communities designed around the interests of the learners and natural learning patterns that are more holistic, meaningful and collaborative.
In recent years, I founded an organization devoted to supporting families pursuing independent meaningful learning, whether young people were attending traditional schools or not. Mosaic is the manifestation of a vision to create a platform for families to help each other to learn and grow from their own natural passion for learning. With over 30,000 active participants and growing at a 300% annual rate, Mosaic is serving the rapidly growing national movement of families moving away from individually meaning-less learning to meaning-led learning that is personally fulfilling for the learner.
In July 2021, we launched a new digital platform to build community and support for independent learning. Mosaic, a separate 501c3, has established a premier ecosystem that caters to the specific needs of young learners and their families, fostering a unique environment for learning and personal development.
Mosaic is a community of thousands of families (and growing every day!) embracing independent meaningful learning. Families and caregivers explore new pathways for learning and life that puts young people in the driver’s seat of what, how, and when they learn.
Wherever families are on their journey, Mosaic is there to provide a judgment-free space, resources, mentoring, coaching and dialogue where curiosity thrives, roadblocks become stepping stones, and learning knows no bounds. Mosaic does this with respect, collaboration, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Natural Creativity is a resource center for self-directed education located in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood. At Natural Creativity, families who choose an alternative to conventional schooling receive support through their partnership model.
The model is centered around exploration of a wide range of materials and opportunities for collaboration with staff and other young people. Natural Creativity isn’t an alternative school, it’s an alternative to schooling.
Cupola Academy is a secular nonprofit educational organization that provides a supportive community base for families who choose learning without schooling. Cupola Academy nurtures the innate intellectual curiosity of young people in a pro-social atmosphere.
It embraces the responsibility of making the world a better place by providing a nourishing environment for changemakers. At the heart of all Cupola Academy programs is a belief in natural curiosity and the value of collaboration in an environment that promotes a growth mindset, encourages lifelong learning, and emphasizes social and environmental justice.
When we learned that our 6 year old Kyle was on the Autism spectrum, we feared we might never develop a real connection with him. Determined to find a way to connect, we embarked on an intense journey which involved compassionately joining Kyle in his unique behaviors. Twenty years later, this film looks back at Kyle’s journey with candor and humor.
Let Me Be Me reveals what happens when a boy who used fabric as his shield to hide himself grows up to become a fashion designer, forging connections with friends and family along the way.