Learning

We believe that people learn all the time and in all kinds of places. It doesn’t have to look like school or feel like school to be valuable, and it’s not necessary to make distinctions between “schoolwork” and “your own hobbies” or “for credit” and “not for credit.” As one member who had recently left school observed, “Everything I do counts now.”

North Star classes are offered on a variety of topics. Our offerings reflect the interests and expertise of our core staff and extended staff of 25–40 volunteers, interns, and work-study students. Rather than adhering to any particular curriculum, we ask our staff to share the topics that excite them.

All classes are optional and open to every member. Classes vary in length, format, and content, depending on the vision of the teacher as well as the input of the students. We encourage members to try as many classes as they wish. Once a student decides to be a regular participant in a class, we expect them to commit and communicate with the teacher regarding attendance.

Some teachers will expect a some work to happen outside of class time while others will not. This is made clear in the class description.

Teens sometimes lead classes without adults. In addition, members frequently ask for the creation of certain classes and participate in the planning.

More info can be found on our classes page.

We can arrange one-on-one tutorial meetings in almost any subject. Each teen talks with their advisor about what tutorials might be helpful and schedules them around other commitments. Common subjects like math are very easy to arrange. More specialized topics are often available but can be more challenging to schedule.

North Star core staff offer some one-on-one meetings, and many more are provided by volunteers and college students. One-on-ones can happen in-person or online, depending on the scheduling needs and preferences of the student and tutor.

Each teen is assigned a personal advisor. Through weekly meetings between advisor and student, we help imagine and realize goals, track progress, and facilitate tutorials and community connections. This relationship is at the core of the North Star experience.

At North Star, teens choose their own activities, and can choose to decline anything we offer.

As our Seven Principles state:
Voluntary (rather than compulsory) classes, the ability to choose what one studies rather than following a required curriculum, and the absence of tests and grades all contribute to a structure that supports and facilitates intrinsic motivation and self-directed learning.