Caleb at age 10
“At Mosaic, you get a lot of freedom to do what you want and learn what you want to learn. We have a really good community. Everyone is nice and when you want help everyone will help you. I have learned that I have human rights and I can choose what I want to do. One day I want to run a business.
I’ve learned that when I argue with people I need to walk away and take some time before I come back and apologize. I’ve learned how to be involved and engaged in our community. I’ve learned how to stand up for people and have made new friends. Our facilitators are awesome. I like that they have great offerings, like camping trips. They like to do cool things too!”
Crystal Farmer, former Mosaic parent and founder of Gastonia Freedom School (a new ALC in Gastonia)
“Courtney started pre-K in a traditional school. We tried ALC Mosaic after a semester filled with anxiety and poor performance. Courtney immediately felt comfortable at Roots, calling it “home school.” She spends her time exploring, building, and playing. The intentional but not over planned flow responds to student interests, outside offerings, and current events.
The facilitators are flexible and give each child individual attention.They are able to accommodate Courtney’s disabilities while encouraging her to learn new skills. A common question I get is, “what is she learning?” She’s doing great with letters and numbers, but more importantly, she’s learning to treat the earth kindly, respect her friends, and follow her passions. I love ALC Mosaic!”
Laura and Lynn, Parents
“Our son and I were talking one morning on the way to school. I asked if he saw himself attending ALC Mosaic for the rest of his school career. He said yes. I asked what he learned or gained from going there that he didn’t get at public school. He replied that he is less shy. I asked if he felt more confident and he said yes. I see this in him as he engages in one on one conversation, stands up in a room full of strangers and asks a question, or comes to the aid of someone in need.
ALC Mosaic supports the whole child as they chart their course in their own learning and development. Our son will continue to blossom, soak up information, try new things, build lasting relationships, and figure out his passion in life with the nurturing and guidance he receives at ALC Mosaic. I couldn’t ask for more. “
Sarah and Bryant, Parents
“We struggled for a number of years trying to fit our children into a traditional educational setting. We were strong advocates and put great efforts into doing our best to make it “work” and to fit our children into the square holes that the school system had to offer. This lasted for a while – it took us longer than we’d like to admit, to recognize, that our children needed and deserved something better and that there were other options.
After an extensive amount of research, discussion, and consideration of this philosophy that was very new to us, we took the plunge as a family in 2015 and haven’t looked back! Our children are engaged, well-rounded and have an incredible love of learning and life! As we often tell skeptical friends and family, our children are exploring their interests and passions, learning how to work and play in community with diverse friends and facilitators, setting and accomplishing goals, and learning the impact each of their decisions end up having. There’s not much more that we could hope for as parents than to have them emerge from “school” with those basics!”
Lucy and Andrew, Parents
“As we parked in the driveway at ALC this morning, from the backseat comes an enthusiastic “I go hug my school!” Adele poured herself out of the car, ran to the corner of the building, and her tiny arms grasped the architecture in the biggest squeeze she could manage. And then, a thoughtfully considered kiss.
This day is four months in to her time in this community, having spent the last two years at a “play-based” church preschool. The foundation of “child’s play” is choice, meaning that they freely choose activities, their beginning and end, their evolution and rules. Although the preschool slogan was “playing to learn,” children were not offered substantive choices and acted playfully within parameters and with materials chosen by adults.
Participating in the ALC environment - deeply infused with freedom, empathy, kindness and respect - has been profound for our daughter, as well as for her father and me. As an adult, to find this authentic model of respectful communication and curiosity is deeply affecting. Thanks to this nurturing community, we continually witness the blossoming of our daughter’s spirit, and her profound growth as a friend, as a person and as a citizen of the world.”