About

I was a self-directed learner from a young age, and I felt empowered to make a difference early on. As a youth, I founded the first high-school chapter of Amnesty International in Montana and helped to bring the National AIDS Quilt exhibit to the community. I was also heavily influenced by being a member of a creative teen theater troupe, which encouraged me to explore my individuality while practicing team building. 

I used those skills as an adult while  working in the fields of music, art, education, and business, including  bootstrapping my own event-photography business and working at an indigenous language-game start-up. It was while working as a facilitator at a mixed-ages school in Montana, though, that I found my true calling. Building genuine relationships and offering unconditional encouragement to youth became one of my life goals.  

Since then, I’ve also completed Agile Learning Facilitator training, which solidified my commitment to creating educational experiences for kids that respect their autonomy, interests, and natural abilities. A digital native and idea person, one of my favorite things is to connect people with new resources to explore their passions. I have a deep trust in people of all ages to grow and learn to be their best selves without coercion or judgment.   

I am now based in Eugene, Oregon, where I'm guiding my own children (ages 10 and 13) along their personalized learning pathways, and leading an exploration-based learning group that I founded. In addition to that and my business pursuits, you can find me using ceramic, mixed media, and assemblage to make visual art, writing creatively in my free time, and dreaming of a future theater troupe. 

Brooklyn is a co-facilitator for The Hub's micro-academy. She has also facilitated our Friday Forum and several camps.

My journey into self-directed learning (explained in more detail in this interview) began at age 10, when I left the United States with my family to travel the world. We had only intended on being gone for a year, but life got in the way. Over the next 11 years, through 40 countries and countless experiences, I developed a wide body of interests and a passion for learning. Some of these interests include philosophy, mythology, ancient history, game theory, creative writing, poetry, rock climbing and cultural anthropology. 

Almost by necessity, creativity and improvisation have become second nature to me. Throughout our travels, I worked with various organizations and initiatives (often learning the necessary skills along the way), including animal sanctuaries, children’s libraries and local conservation initiatives. In addition to this, I’ve also had extensive experience with working online, ranging from website design to social-media management, freelance writing and email marketing. It was through these varied work experiences that my family and I were able to sustain our adventure. 

Since 2013, when I co-founded Project World School in partnership with my mom, I have been facilitating social, experiential, and cultural learning for kids, tweens, and teens all around the world. I have hosted more than 15 month-long, in-person retreats for teens in more than 10 countries, and have helped facilitate camp activities at our last six Family Summits. I've also facilitated online classes and discussion groups on various topics for children ages 8 to 13, and spoken about self-directed learning at education conferences around the world.

It is my belief that exploring other cultures through the lens of compassion and understanding can help us lead more fulfilled lives, which in turn can help us create a more peaceful planet. 

Miró has been a co-facilitator for The Hub's micro-academy and Friday Forum, and has also co-facilitated several of our camps.

I am passionate about the new generation and creating spaces for people of all ages to explore who they truly are through playful learning, community sharing, and celebration. I believe that the future of learning is in more choices, self-awareness, and strong community building.

Originally from Moldova, I immigrated to New York in 2002. I studied International Economic Relations (Moldova), Educational Psychology (New York University), Waldorf Education (Sunbridge Institute), Remedial Education (Association for Healing Education), Agile Learning Facilitation (New York and Barcelona), and Non-Violent Communication (New York).

I have been working with children from ages two to 16 throughout my life. As a teenager, I organized games with children in my neighborhood. As a result, several of them learned to speak basic English in just one summer. Later I taught English, French, and Romanian at a private school in Moldova. In New York, I worked at the Brooklyn Waldorf School for seven years as a class teacher; a founding librarian and reading groups teacher; an assessment and learning difficulties teacher; and a homeschool group teacher. Over the next five years, I was fortunate to work with about 200 homeschool families throughout New York City, designing and leading small homeschool coops and teaching all the subjects.

Over the last four years, I have been exploring the vast and diverse world of self-directed learning, both personally and professionally. One summer I immersed myself in a Spanish-speaking environment. It was my first-ever experience learning something in a non-traditional way. It was a challenging and mind-opening experience. As a result, I improved my Spanish and learned a lot about the culture and history of Spain and Mexico, but most importantly, I learned so much more about myself and how I learn best! In my current work with children and their families, I am emphasizing connections to nature, intra-personal and inter-personal skills, and emotional intelligence as my main tools to create a solid foundation for a more natural and deeper way of learning throughout life.

A Parent's Testimonial:

"I feel that Svetlana is a truly special teacher. She knows so much about nature, children, and learning! My children can be very shy with other adults. Both of them opened their hearts to her. She talked to them in a very kind and warm way, explaining things they were interested in, asking them questions and listening to their opinions. She encouraged good communication for all of us." -- R.K. (NY)

Svetlana co-facilitated an explorer's camp for The Hub.

A: The Hub's programming is currently centered on an online micro-academy for ages (nearly) 11 to 14. This is supplemented with some à-la-carte options, primarily designed for a similar age group, and their parents.

The micro-academy caters to children who want the best of both worlds: customized learning and community. They may be bored or disengaged in a one-size-fits-all setting, but come alive when given the opportunity to develop important skills and knowledge at their own pace, within the context of pursuing authentic interests. Or they may already be learning in a customized way that engages their minds, but be craving a more consistent cohort experience. (To help gauge if it's a good fit, children are welcome to attend one of our open-house mini-sessions, listed here.)

A: The focus at this time is on offering a vibrant, part-time and online micro-academy, as well as support (as needed) for integrating the micro-academy plus other experiences to create a comprehensive whole. 

The micro-academy is designed to expose children to a variety of useful skills and bodies of knowledge. It also facilitates deeper dives into those that feel relevant and aligned with children's interests, which sets up the optimal conditions for them to integrate and retain knowledge. Additionally, it emphasizes developing the “5 Cs” that are essential to a lot of success in life—critical thinking and problem solving; communication; collaboration; creativity and innovation; and citizenship. There is ample time outside the micro-academy to acquire other skills and knowledge that are needed to meet each child's and family's goals. 

The Hub also offers select à-la-carte offerings, in response to member and community interest, aiming to fill niches that aren't already filled. 

The Hub's wraparound support services are designed to help families who would like assistance with finding resources, putting the pieces together, and/or documenting what's being learned. Examples are also provided of curated learning pathways and portfolios.

A: The micro-academy is the heart of The Hub’s program, and is designed for people who consider themselves independent learners, and who enjoy having a communal base that: serves as an extension of their family’s home base; provides consistent social connections; amplifies deep, interdisciplinary learning opportunities; and offers opportunities to work on group projects that are vehicles for learning important, higher-order skills, such as how to manage projects and work effectively as a team. 

From The Hub's perspective, enrollment in the micro-academy can be paired with enrollment in any other programs, as long as regular attendance and engagement is practical. The Hub's à-la-carte classes, workshops and activities are also suitable for anyone.

It is up to families to research and ensure that they’re following any relevant regulations and requirements regarding school enrollment and/or homeschooling. A site that contains a lot of information about homeschooling requirements in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia can be found here. 

A: In the micro-academy, the facilitator’s role is like that of a conductor, helping everyone co-create a beautiful piece of music together. It means being attuned to what’s happening with everyone within the group, and modeling and helping others to develop the skills that foster a healthy balance between meeting individual needs for self-expression and creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. 

The facilitator is also like a "guide by the side" on the broader learning journey, working in partnership with parents and children to really get to know each child and what makes them tick, and to use that understanding to help the child develop their unique set of strengths and interests, while also helping them manage or overcome weaknesses that are standing in the way of them reaching their goals. 

A: To foster the desired level of personal relationship-building, the overall facilitator-to-student ratio for The Hub's micro-academy will be capped at 1:8. 

For à-la-carte activities organized by The Hub, the person leading each activity will decide the minimum and maximum size they believe will allow them to offer a quality experience.

A: Grade cutoffs are arbitrary and limiting. Children learn things (in a meaningful way) only when they’re ready, and no two 12-year-olds are the same, whether they’re in the same “grade” or not. On the other hand, children progress through developmental stages that start and end roughly around certain ages, and mixed-ages learning has many benefits, for younger and older children alike. Like human-development age ranges, The Hub’s age range is “ish”—it’s more about maturity level and maintaining good group dynamics, rather than calendar age.

A: The three main elements needed to establish a hub in the physical realm are people who resonate with the idea, space, and resources. Get in touch if you are interested in helping to create something like this in the DC/VA area, or elsewhere.