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Trusted by families since 1998.
Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning logo

THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning


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THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning
REPORT CONTENTS
Reviews
Analysis

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School overview

Pages in this report:

  • Grades
    Gr. 5 — Gr. 12
  • Gender
    Coed
  • Class Size
    Varies
  • Tuition
    $10,250 to 12,800/year
  • Language of instruction
    English
  • Associations
    AERO, LIB
  • Enrolment
    18 day students
  • Curriculum
    Progressive
  • EBROCHURE
    N/A
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The big picture on Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning

We summarized the school ourselves

Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning stands out as an alternative centre for its commitment to empowering students with a passion for learning and a sense of autonomy and community participation. At the heart of the centre’s approach is personalized, interest-based learning, guided by one-on-one mentorship and coaching. The centre operates with a flexible schedule from Monday to Thursday and prioritizes a supportive community environment that affirms neurodiversity and inclusivity. A key feature of Passages is its democratic, youth-run community meetings, which allow students to voice concerns and participate in decision-making processes. Classes and workshops are student-driven, which gives students the chance to develop their sense of autonomy and active engagement. Embracing the Sudbury Valley and Summerhill educational philosophies, the centre aims to provide a safe space where students can thrive. Recently, the centre moved to a larger facility in East Toronto, enhancing its community spaces and introducing a Passages Restoration Circle for conflict resolution. The centre is committed to maintaining a small, close-knit community.

We questioned the school adminstration

1. Who are you, as a school?

"For youth aged 10-18 who are struggling with the demands of school, Passages is a place to reconnect with their love of learning and join a community where their voice matters. We offer a personalized education with one-on-one mentorship, classes and coaching to support our self-directed learners who are following their interests and participating in our diverse, democratic community. Our approach allows young people to honour their needs, pursue their passions and forge their own unique path to the future."

  • Self-directed approach that empowers learners to make educational choices to reach their goals
  • 1:1 mentoring and coaching for academics, social support and planning for the future
  • A personalized education plan, weekly 1:1 meetings to nurture momentum and document learning
  • Dynamic schedule with clubs, classes, speakers, and field trips for learners to opt into
  • Youth-run democratic community that gives each learner a say in decisions at the Centre
  • Focus on civil discourse, conflict resolution, listening, speaking, and sociocratic decision-making
  • Neurodiversity Affirming. 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive. Anti-oppression. Trauma-informed.
  • Flexible attendance to support learners’ individual needs. No compulsory classes, tests or grades.
  • Support with alternative paths to education after Passages
  • Robust parent support for understanding and fostering the self-directed approach

2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?

"As a democratic school in the tradition of Summerhill School and Sudbury Valley School, Passages holds a youth-led Weekly Community Meeting. This meeting engages learners in...(more)

3. What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?

"Many young people who join us feel the traditional model of education has not met their needs. They may be highly creative, gifted/2E, have a strong sense of justice and a need...(more)

4. What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?

"Inspired by the philosophies of Sudbury Valley School and Summerhill School, Passages opened in 2020 with one student and we have grown to reach over 50 families these last 5...(more)

5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?

"As the Passages community has grown, we see that some of the young people who join us are neurodiverse. Some others struggle with their mental health. Some identify with the...(more)

6. Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?

"While we value a rich and diverse education, we do not use coercion, awards or grades to convince young people to participate in their education. We want them to be fully invested...(more)

7. To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?

"A regular story we hear from parents after their child has joined us is "I finally have my kid back." Many parents had witnessed the light and spark in their child dim over the...(more)

8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?

"When people reflect on Passages, they often say "I wish I could have gone to this school!" This is because as adults, they see how much time they spent on information that either...(more)

9. What aspect of your school is underappreciated?

"Our focus on community is not just for the learners - parents and siblings are also included at the centre. Each week we send families a weekly update sharing stories from the...(more)

10. What might families find surprising about your school?

"Parents just learning about Passages' self-directed philosophy, sometimes express concerns that their child "would play games all day". Their experience of their child may only be...(more)

11. What improvements or changes has your school made recently?

"In August 2023, Passages Centre moved to the East End of Toronto on the Danforth into a larger space complete with three rooms—a common room, classroom, and art room—as well...(more)

12. How will your school change in the next 5 years?

"As Passages has become more established, our community has grown to include more families, volunteers and staff. This has allowed more options for our learners as they embark on...(more)

We got insight from alumni, parents, and students

Parent, Sonya Goldberg (2024)

(4.8)

Gr. 10 (current) — My daughter has benefited greatly from attending Passages. She had originally attended a TDSB high school, but given her health needs she found it difficult to regularly attend and succeed in her courses. She also found it challenging to make friends. Passages in contrast has been a "soft place" for her to land. She loves the flexibility of the school. She is able to arrive late or leave early when she has medical appts and because Fridays at Passages is a non-school day we can schedule her reoccurring appointments on this day of the week. It is also a great day to work or volunteer. My daughter loves the flexibility Passages offers. She can follow her passions and engage with other learners who also want to pursue the same interests. Because passages doesn't separate ages, she is able as an older student to mentor younger students. For example, last year she tutored several students in math and digital art. This has been great for her self-confidence and has allowed her to make friends at the school more easily. The mentors/teachers at Passage who support students are incredibly caring and check in with students on a daily basis to see how they are doing. The weekly individual check-in meetings ensure that my daughter stays on task and achieves the goals she has set for herself. She loves how they help support and foster her interests. For example, because of the mentors, she has learned sign language and piano. These are skills she wouldn't have likely tackled at a traditional high school. Finally, we love that Passages is a small school in a very welcoming setting. My daughter knows all the students and mentors and feels very comfortable. We love that there are spaces to socialize and do group activities, but also spots that are quiet and allow students to focus. The kitchen, art room and gym encourage students to be creative and active. Additionally, Wednesday field trips allow students to explore the city in ways that traditional schools won't have time for. These field trips foster independence, and active learning and allow students to further engage in hands-on learning.

Parent, Jessika Eldridge (2024)

(4.7)

Gr. 6 (current) — My son finds the autonomy at the school to be very appealing. The ability to focus his time on his interests has allowed him to try out so many different learning avenues. Being able to focus on the projects he enjoys the most has been a game-changer in helping him hone new skills and abilities. His social life has started to flourish, which has always been a struggle in conventional schooling. He has been learning conflict management through the school’s teachings, which he has also implemented successfully at home. Overall, he is a much happier, social and creative student. This is a far cry from his frustration and disappointment with the public school system. He has found a community that accepts him and teaches him how to be an inclusive and accepting member.

Parent, Tara Turner (2024)

(4.8)

Gr. 7 (current) — For my son, Passages is his community. He enrolled in the Centre when he was 11, after being homeschooled his whole life. He is autistic and, for many years, busy social environments were overwhelming for him. When he visited Passages, which was small, extremely flexible and accommodating of many kinds of differences, he immediately felt a connection. At Passages, my son feels respected, understood and validated. He feels confident to share his thoughts and to try new things. He knows that if he needs to take a break or sit something out, his needs will be respected. He loves getting to talk to the learners and mentors every day, as well as having the freedom to explore the neighbourhood. He feels a strong connection to the Centre and deeply values his time there.
 

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