It's Not a School; It's a Guild

The Guild at Loudoun Field Center is an opportunity to embrace learning as a function of family and community.

It’s About Time

We have a limited amount of time with our kids. Before we even blink… they’re talking …reading… and then they’re driving… then they’re driving away.

So one of our main concerns is what kind of education our kids get while they’re with us.

In the modern age there seem to be limited options on that front. We can send them to the public school , we can find them a private school… or we can homeschool them. But those are pretty much our choices. In other ways, though, there seem to be unlimited options. There are all these books, and lists, and advice from super moms and genius dads who seemed to have it all together… giving us conflicting advice:

• They need to be “socialized” but… by whom? For what purpose? A GANG is socialized.

• They need to be CHALLENGED…. So give them 3.5 hours of homework a night?

• They should learn how to code, but don’t forget the arts and their creative side!

• They should get out and get some exercise, but don’t overschedule them with sports!

• They should be independent…. But they need precious family time!

What many have missed is that the most fundamental and meaningful way to educate your kids is NOT to separate out the education of them out from the raising of them. We have a choice to make: either education is a function of family and community or it is not. If it is, then what the kids need is not a school.. but something else.

No school, by the current definition of a school — 180 days times seven hours of “instructional time” for 13 years; over 16,000 hours of professional instruction— can really strike this balance for us. What the kids need… what the family needs…  is a community. A place where the kids can learn, with support from peers and from mentors who can guide them through wholesome content, good conversations, and great ideas.

Families don’t need another school…but … a Team. A Coalition…. a League… a Tribe… a Village … where there is a common pursuit, a united purpose, with a variety of different vocations and roles to fill… where people with different skills and strengths can help each other in pursuing Wisdom, and Good, and a life of Virtue…

What they need…. is a GUILD

They need a Guild.

Introducing … The Guild at the Loudoun Field Center, where students, ages 11 to 18, come together to pursue common goals of scholarship, artisanship, communication skills, service, and good character. A place where they can gain knowledge from local artisans, thinkers, and community leaders.

With a championship disc golf course and hiking trails, a peaceful - but stocked - natural-spring-supported lake, camping grounds, an archery range, athletic facilities, a workshop/makerspace, and a chapel… the LFC is a place to escape from the workaday world and focus on being the person you want to be, with the help and love of others doing the same.

Maybe your family is ready for something like this. Maybe you’re an artist, a teacher, or someone with a unique skill or passion that can help the next generation.

If you’re looking to join, the first step is to schedule an interview. We have limited space for students and limited opportunities for programming and talent for this coming fall. But if you’re looking to get away and just… be, and learn, and share your passion…this is the right place.

Prospective Mentors: https://loudounfieldcenter.org/mentors-at-the-field-center/
Prospective Students/Families: https://loudounfieldcenter.org/the-guild-inquiry/