New Cooperative School Seeks to Inspire Children

The Inspire Cooperative School (ICS) offers a new education resource for Atlanta area home-schooling parents. Founded by Gayatri Sethi and Linda Moore, ICS is “a very small, progressive elementary education program” serving children aged 6-9. Enrollment is limited to 12 students, with tuition set at $850 per month for 10 months. 

Sethi, an Atlanta mother of three, eagerly described the ICS’ goals. “[W]e want children to be joyful and love learning, first and foremost. What we really want to do is create a haven for children to just love learning, and that is the foundational piece.” Describing herself as a “life-long learner and educator,” Sethi possesses impressive educational experience ranging from working with after-school programs to teaching Women’s Studies at Agnes Scott College. She holds a doctoral degree in comparative education from the Stanford University School of Education.

Years of research and practical experience lead Sethi to embrace three educational philosophies in particular. “I’ve really gravitated to the progressive approaches that…are about fundamentally making sure children can be self-directed learners, life-long learners.”  These progressive education philosophies, Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia, form the foundation for ICS. ICS teachers, called Guides, are trained in all three approaches. This allows them to create curriculum to support each child’s personal learning style. “Each of these approaches offers something complementary that helps us realize what we’re trying to do. You want to not be limited by method, and be able to say, ‘How does this child learn best, and now what approach supports that?’ ” Sethi explained. “There are aspects of each that really fit well together and we’re not overly attached to any one approach. We see the value in each.

“What I love about the Waldorf is that they really inspire children to be creative and free thinkers…and that supports their love for learning and supports them being at their best,” said Sethi. “What I love most about Montessori is the respect of the child and what that means is something very unique. The Reggio part is that they are really about documenting learning, whether it be in photographs, in the children’s on words, in portfolios. That is the way we’re going to do the recording of the children’s learning process rather than evaluating it or judging it in any way or comparing it to others.”

Sethi feels many children could thrive in the ICS environment. “If there are parents that see that their child is deeply creative, that a child is very bright and not always in the ways that get recognized by conventional teaching and curricula, this would be a good option.…If you do have children that could benefit from having a lot of attention and a lot of individualized teaching, then that child would thrive in this.”

Though excited about the future, Sethi remains focused on making the ICS 2011-2012 school year successful. “I don’t foresee us growing beyond a micro-school because what we’re trying to accomplish will always be accomplished best if we are micro. So, we’re not going to be tempted to exceed enrollment beyond 12, really,” Sethi explained. “What we really do want to see is that people could see this as something that’s working and that there’s a model here that they might like to replicate and try out on their own.”

While the ICS facilitates education, it remains a home-school resource and is not an accredited school. Parents of ICS students must register as home-schoolers with their local school district. Students meet at a private home in Midtown from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proximity to green space played a large role in the group’s location choice. “We have a lot of green areas nearby that we can walk to,” Sethi said. “We can walk to Piedmont Park, walk to the Botanical Gardens, walk to Winn Park, walk to the High Museum. We’re right there close to everything.”

There will be an ICS Opening Celebration on Aug. 18 at 9 a.m. More information can be obtained by emailing inspireatlanta@gmail.com.