St. Cloud Unschooling Network

The St. Cloud Unschooling Network is a group of homeschool families who believe learning cannot be separated from life. We value play, exploration, growth, and following our children's leads. We trust our children to learn at their own pace and pursue their interests. We learn alongside them and may offer guidance, but they are free to follow their passions.

The journey is different for everyone, and that's okay and even amazing. We are looking for members who identify in part as unschoolers, with the understanding that most of us take an eclectic approach to learning. Most importantly, we all trust in the process of natural learning and choose gentle parenting practices.

In this community of life learners, we support one another through challenges and adventures and are committed to building lasting, consistent, real-life relationships for ourselves and our children. We invest in these friendships by showing up regularly to playdates and outings in the St. Cloud area and participating in online discussions and activities.

We are a secular group that welcomes members of any and all faith and non-theistic backgrounds (including, but not limited to, Agnostics, Atheists, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, members of TST, Muslims, Pagans, and more). While our group is secular, these topics do come up in conversations, and we act in these situations just like we do in all our parenting--with respect and love for one another's differences and shared humanity.

We value teaching our children mutual respect that does not place one belief system over another. We welcome members of diverse cultural and racial backgrounds, varied political beliefs, different physical and mental abilities, and any sexual orientation or gender identification. We are a neurodivergent-affirming and trauma-informed community, recognizing and respecting the varied ways people learn, communicate, and experience the world.

We acknowledge that we are on the ancestral lands of the Dakota and Anishinaabe nations. We recognize their deep connection to and stewardship of this land. We commit ourselves to learning more about their history and culture, teaching our children to respect and honor this land and its original inhabitants, and supporting Indigenous communities now and in the future.

We respect the right of individuals to make choices about their bodies including asking for consent and respecting boundaries in interactions with others. We support all manner of child-feeding, including full-term and unrestricted chestfeeding at the parent’s comfort level, as supported by state law. This group is a safe place rooted in respect for one another where we can all grow and learn from each other.