OUR VALUES
Learning happens in relationship.
We are a liberation-centered Self-Directed Education community; unschooling itself is a liberation practice. To us this means moving with intention and reflection, and through a lens aimed at disentangling tools of oppression from within ourselves and all our relationships. Akilah S. Richardsβ definition of unschooling as a ββchild-trusting, anti-oppression, love-centered approach to learning and relationshipsβ and her book Raising Free People :Unschooling as Healing and Liberation Work guide how we move in community.
OUr DREAM IS COLLECTIVE LIBERATION.
Our dreams shape our values - and we dream of a future free of systems that oppress, harm, and dominate. We practice this future now, together. Our commitment to the liberation of young people and their rights is inextricably bound to our commitment to collective liberation. Our practice with young people, the land, and the broader communities with which we engage reflects that commitment.
Emphasizing connection, engaging in consent-based practices, and nurturing autonomy in community are the cornerstones of our ways of being with one another.
As we liberate ourselves from stories & habits of power-over and shift to power-with, we practice new worlds.
Collaboration, not control.
We embrace connection, not coercion.
Children today will need to engage in a very different world than any weβve known so far β one completely outside the reach of conventional schooling and even our own imaginations. We propose rethinking conventional notions of "successβ - what does this really mean? Being aware of and accountable to relationships of every type and stripe is what we need both now and in the future.
What else do we need in order to cultivate a meaningful life?
A New Vision of success
the ability to engage meaningfully in relationships and in community;
to know one's strengths and quirks and how to navigate relationships with those in mind;
to understand one's own learning processes;
to communicate proactively and engage in conflict generatively;
to practice self-reflection, change, and growth;
and to understand how to contribute to cultivating a care-centered, healthy community.
we offer a path FOR creating a meaningful life.
Connection, consent, and autonomy. Together.
TCC Learner, Age 15
"The wholeβ¦thing about TCC is that it's compassionate. We all know that we can make mistakes here and that it's ok. Other places might say things like, 'We do consent' and 'No Means No' but I remember when I first came here and someone invited me to participate in something, and I said, 'No,' and they just said, 'Ok!' and moved on like it wasn't a big deal. We also practice a lot of conflict resolution here and that's something that like 90% of adults don't even know how to do"
TCC offers Self-Directed Education in community
We nurture a culture where young people are affirmed as whole people, developing emotional & community awareness, social fluency, and a sense of purpose. By dismantling domination and sharing power, we create space for connection, reflection, and growth.
Young people thrive with maximum support and minimal interference, inspired by a collaborative and affirming community. Time spent in nature deepens these practices, guiding us toward mutual flourishing and new ways of being.
TCC summer camper, age 9
"We don't have rules, but we do have trust"
TCC Parent
"The learning mentors at TCC are amazing! They really take time to get to know each child as an individual, and help them follow their interests by providing materials and support. After some struggles in a conventional school setting in earlier years, our teen finally has his spark back!"
Facilitators at TCC build trust through consent-based connections, authenticity, and respect for young people as already-whole individuals.
Facilitators care deeply about each child here. They nurture relationships, support passions, and share knowledge while bringing humor and warmth to the community. Facilitators also offer parents and caregivers guidance in deschooling, power-sharing, and strengthening connections at home.
This ongoing work deepens their ability to support young peopleβs autonomy, learning, and growth within a collaborative community.
Committed to their own growth, facilitators engage in reflective practice and transformative learning through programs like Radical Learning's Radical Learning Through Relationship and The Shift, a deschooling intensive. This partnership has also included opportunities for parent education and real-time support. Facilitators here center introspection and reflection in their deschooling work, and use the new awarenesses they gain to shift and evolve how they show up in their roles.
If you're ready to embrace new ways of being with young people and leave behind conventional systems, this is the place for you.
Whether you're exploring liberatory education for the first time or seeking a supportive community to dive into unschooling, we welcome anyone eager to build collaborative, trust-based relationships.