Why work with us
Ka-Lo is unique.
If you or your child are not happy with school, we have years of experience and research behind us to help you find a more satisfying way. School staff, well-intentioned as they may be, can rarely advise families on the multitude of options available for a redesigned relationship with school, or for learning outside of school altogether.
Community-Based: At Ka-Lo, our understanding of education is rooted in community, history, family, and social justice. All the work we do with our students enriches their relationships and their sense of self.
Mentor-supported: Our mentors have expertise in classroom teaching, self-directed learning, coaching, alternative education, college-during-high-school, homeschooling, remote learning, and activism. We do not ask our students to fit into a one-size-fits-all program, but instead use our respect for the creativity of young people and our eclectic expertise to collaborate with students and families to create personalized programs.
Self-Directed Education: Over 30 years of combined experience and a deep connection to research on how children learn make us confident in repeating Isaac Asimov’s quotation: “Self-directed education, is, I believe, the only education there is.” Many young people leave high school waiting to be told what to do next and this can continue well into adulthood creating internal instability. Giving young people the skill to ask and answer their own questions is the best tool we can give our youth towards the advancement of self-fulfillment and self-sufficiency.
Whom do we serve?
We serve students who are interested in leaving school. Our students have many reasons for seeking alternatives, including boredom or frustration. They may also show high or low academic skills. In their work with Ka-Lo, students rediscover their natural love of learning and develop ways to apply this new focus to a variety of worthy challenges.
What do we do?
At Ka-Lo Academy, we work one-on-one with students, beginning with a personalized educational options consultation with the family. Our non-traditional institute offers an uniquely meaningful independent studies program and a high school diploma option.
Our students develop discipline, pursue passions, find mentors, and establish solid plans for their next steps. Young people who learn in our supported self-directed program are impressed with their own accomplishments, maturity, and improved academic and people skills.
Parents notice their children taking increased responsibilities and showing more engagement with their own learning.
Video | Ka-Lo Workshop
This 3 minute video documents a Ka-Lo block printing workshop, and ends with Co-Founder Michlene Cotter’s reflections on how our organization supports self-directed learning.