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ALFA’s Mission

What does ALFA do?

Alfa has created a curriculum of experiential learning covering three years for 13 – 16 year olds and has now is developed  a 4^th year of education for 16 -17 year olds to prepare them for third level. This is through the nationally recognised FETAC route to Higher Level.

Alfa endeavours to lead the adolescent from the protection and dependency of childhood toward the freedom and responsibility of the adult world.  This is facilitated through engaging young people actively in the process of learning.

Alfa recognises that for children to reach their full potential, a threefold approach to education is called for so they are educated through the head (academic), the heart (artistic) and the hands (craft and practical).

Alfa tries to make education understandable and meaningful in the deepest sense and to nurture the creativity inherent in every student.

Alfa understands that relationships are the key to a healthy learning environment, the relationship a student has to the subject matter, to their teachers, to their peers and that the teacher has to the students and their parents are of utmost importance. 

Therefore Alfa is a learning community involving teachers, parents and students and exists because parents are inspired and empowered to ensure their children’s education meets their needs.

Our Vision - Why we do what we do

• To support young people in their quest to understand the world

• To deepen their experience of their own humanity

• To encourage enlightened thinking – providing them with the tools and the environment to develop their capacity to think creatively and critically.

• To foster Warmth towards others that allows the emergence of empathy and the ability to act in a conscientious and generous manner in the world.

• To develop Strength of will – so they can put their ideas into action & take initiative

• Give young people confidence in their own abilities

• Engender a love for learning and a love for living

To ensure that this occurs, knowledge of child development is essential, each child goes through an internal as well as an external development from childhood to adulthood.  The adolescent, in whom the delicate transition from childhood to adulthood is at the beginning, needs the curriculum to support the inner psychological and emotional processes.  So a healthy balance is achieved in their school life. 

Alfa works with 13 –16 year olds, if at the age of thirteen the young person is unhappy in secondary school and they can join Alfa for three years and experience a different approach to learning.  This gives them the option of rejoining secondary school at 16 years to do their Leaving Certificate.  If they are helped at this stage in their lives to find meaning in what they are doing and enjoy learning, this will stay with them for the rest of their lives. 

A Brief History

Parents living in East Clare began to ask questions 10 years ago when it was obvious that there was a significant minority of young people not finishing school, leaving school early, deeply unhappy in school, becoming ill through school or bored and disengaged.  We discovered by talking to some of the early school leavers, that they were put off by the emphasis on learning for the exams and the pressure put on them to pass exams. A different approach to education is needed for these young people to re-engage them with education, earlier, before they became stuck in a marginalized existence from school leaving age. 

In 2000 a group of parents from a variety of backgrounds and experience started to meet.  This group undertook research on different approaches to education from around the world.  The Alfa Project was conceived out of weekly meetings and working groups of the 7 founder parents over 20 months, and an intensive week long training course with Linda Fryer.

Alfa opened its doors in September 2001 for a group of 12 students, in a Log Cabin with no electricity or running water, outside Mountshannon.  Much of the first two years was spent making our own school out of very basic facilities.  Those students who completed two years with us before continuing their education in other places, were pioneers of a unique educational experience.

Since then there have been 4 more classes educated for between a year and three years. 

In 2009, for the first time, Alfa offered a 4^th year, enabling studetns to progress directly in to  Further and Higher Education.  This is possible because ALFA offers 6 modules of FETAC level 4 in the third year, and further modules at levels 4 and 5 in the 4^th Year.

Future Plans for the Alfa Project

ALFA is a resource in the community with over 9 years of solid educational experience in active learning.  This year, 2009, we plan to offer courses in Active Learning on different subjects to different age groups.  For example in April 2009 ALFA is offering an Active Learning activity on the Carbon Cycle for people working in business as part of the Eco Challenge run in conjunction with the Irish Centre For Business Excellence.  ALFA can offer craft camps to inner city youth, weekend courses in various subjects for young people.

Choice in Education

An intention of Alfa is to bring greater awareness that alternatives to state education can and do exist and are successful.  If the Alfa Project can reach its potential then not only will more young people benefit from the education it provides, it will also be a model for other groups with similar ideals to follow. 
Alfa is based in the community and run by the community, the community of people most committed to excellence in education, parents and teachers.

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Harvesting Carrots in a farming lesson in 2001

 
Research on the Benefits of Active Learning

ALFA has recently commissioned two researchers to research how the past Alfa students are living their lives since they left ALFA and how the active learning has affected their life choices and their outlook on the world.

This research will be finished in May 2009.

There is an unusual cultural mix that reflects the changes taking place in both East Clare and across Ireland. The majority of the families moved into the Clare area in the last 15 years, from other parts of Ireland and mainly from Europe.  Our students come mainly from this background. 

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