In an anxious world, restful education is desperately needed.
A profound sense of calm and rest comes from knowing the larger story:
Where we came from, why we are here, and where we can go—together.
At the Wayside School, we grow a deep, historic understanding of our shared American roots in their global context.
“Around the fireside at their ease /
There sat a group of friends, entranced /
With the delicious melodies /
Who from the far-off noisy town /
Had to the wayside inn come down, /
To rest beneath its old oak-trees.”
—Longfellow, 1863.
School comes from the Greek word skole which means leisurely discussion or restful learning.
The ancients knew the secret of education—it requires free-time or leisure.
Our vision is to restore that restful spirit of freedom in education.
“It was for me to give them rest—rest in a life of trouble.”
—Hawthorne, 1846.
School should feel more like a family than a factory.
Our wayside cohorts meet online or in-person twice per week to savor a curricular feast of learning served by professional educators.
Our weekly and yearly rhythms and schedule are restful, innovative, and enjoyable.
