Resources We Actually Believe In.
Everything on this page has shaped the way we think about education, parenting, and what it means to raise a curious, capable human being. These aren't paid recommendations or sponsored content, they're the books, videos, and communities that have genuinely influenced what we're building at Curiosity Grove Academy.
Whether you're brand new to learner-driven education or have been on this path for years, we hope something here sparks a conversation, challenges an assumption, or simply gives you the language for something you've always felt but couldn't quite name.
Dig in. That's kind of our thing.
dig deeper
books to read
If you want to understand the philosophy behind Curiosity Grove Academy, and learner-driven education more broadly. These are the books we recommend most. No fluff. Just the ones that actually matter.
the self-driven child
the one world school house
unschooling rules
mastery
videos to watch
These are the talks and videos we share with every family who asks us to explain why we believe what we believe about education. Clear, compelling, and hard to argue with.
Still Curious? Good. That's Kind of Our Thing.
Here are the questions we hear most from families just like yours.
When enrollment opens, families will complete an online application to get the process started. From there, we'll invite you to a Zoom call, think of it less as an interview and more as a real conversation. We want to get to know your family, hear what you value, and share more about what life looks like inside the Grove.
After that call, you'll receive either an acceptance letter or a letter letting you know it isn't the right fit, and we mean that with full sincerity. Curiosity Grove isn't the right home for every learner, and we'd rather take the time upfront to make sure it's a genuine match than have a family or child feel like they're in the wrong place.
We take this process seriously because our community does too. The families inside the Grove share a common belief, that children deserve to be trusted, known, and given the freedom to grow. That starts with finding the right fit from day one.
We don't follow a single boxed curriculum. Instead, we use a blend of high-quality, carefully chosen resources, like DreamBox for math and Handwriting Without Tears for literacy, tailored to where each learner actually is. Learning here is hands-on and exploration-driven, but literacy and math are woven into every single day in a structured way. It just looks very different from a traditional classroom.
Our cultivators are on the floor all day, every day — available for one-on-one support whenever a learner needs it. And one of the beautiful things about mixed-age pods? Older kids naturally step up for younger ones too.
We will have a dedicated schoolhouse, but don't picture traditional classrooms. Our space is designed around how children actually learn best, with purposefully built specialized spaces including an art room, maker space, quiet room, and more. Learners move freely between these spaces based on their goals and what they're working on that day, creating a natural rhythm that no traditional classroom schedule could replicate.
Each pod currently accommodates up to 20 learners per Cultivator, intentionally small so every child is genuinely known and supported. I am on site every single day as head of school, and our layout is purposeful. Cultivators can always see the whole community, kids move freely between resources, and mixed-age mentorship happens naturally throughout the day.
This isn't a classroom. It's a community built for curious minds.
What qualifications do your Cultivators hold?
We call our educators Cultivators, because they don't direct learning, they nurture it. Every Cultivator at Curiosity Grove is background checked, CPR certified, and First Aid certified before they ever step foot in the Grove.
Beyond credentials, we intentionally seek out people with Montessori or entrepreneurship backgrounds rather than those trained in conventional teaching. Years inside a traditional school system can deeply ingrain institutional thinking that's hard to unlearn. Our Cultivators come in already believing in this model, people who follow a child's lead rather than direct it, and who live out these values themselves.
A lot and that's very much by design. We actively encourage learners to take their work outside whenever they feel like it, aptops, books, projects, you name it. Fresh air and nature are part of the learning environment here, and with 5 acres to roam, we want kids taking full advantage of that. Some of the best learning happens outside.
Personal devices are permitted at Curiosity Grove with trust and responsibility in mind. Phones, tablets, and smartwatches may be accessible during the school day, however, we expect learners to use them with the same integrity we expect in everything else they do here.
When technology is used for learning, it's on our school computers, which have comprehensive content filters blocking inappropriate material entirely.
Please note: If a learner is found using a personal device to browse social media or engage in any inappropriate activity during school hours, parents will be notified immediately. That learner will lose the privilege of accessing personal technology during school hours going forward, no exceptions.
We believe childhood is too short and too precious to spend it mindless activity. Our learners have 5 acres to roam, animals to care for, projects to build, and a community to connect with. Personal technology is a privilege here, and we treat it like one.
Safety at Curiosity Grove isn't an afterthought, t's woven into the fabric of how we operate. As part of the Apogee Network, we follow an intentional, multi-layered approach to keeping our community safe. Several things work together here:
Outdoor freedom is earned, not automatic. Our Freedom Levels system means younger learners stay close to Cultivators while older ones gain independence only after consistently proving they can handle it. Trust is built over time, and so is autonomy.
The kids set the rules, and enforce them. Each pod writes their own community contract at the start of every year. Honestly? They're often tougher on each other than we would be. Consequences like revoking Grove Bucks or losing tech lab time are decided by the pod themselves. Watching children hold each other accountable at such a young age is one of our favorite things about this model.
Eyes on the Grove at all times. Our Cultivators are always present and actively engaged, and the property is intentionally designed so that all outdoor spaces are visible and monitored throughout the day.
When a learner isn't following through, we don't punish, we have a conversation. Cultivators help each child understand that their choices have real consequences, reset their goals, and create a path forward. Daily check-ins and weekly reflections keep everyone honest.
If a pattern continues, support increases and expectations become more structured , but the goal never changes. We're not here to control behavior. We're here to help every child develop the internal motivation to do the work themselves. That's a skill that lasts a lifetime.
