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An alternative learning centre for home schoolers in Ireland
If this learning environment resonates with the needs of your child, please book an appointment so we can share our vision. You are welcome to visit, so that you can explore our space and resources.
At Imaginalia, we believe in freedom, respect, diversity, responsibility, passion, confidence, love for learning, autonomy, independence, and friendship. These are the values that shape everything we do.To achieve those values, we provide tools for:
My name is Marta Lopez. I have always been passionate about teaching and education, but it wasn’t until I had my first child that I discovered Active Pedagogy while reading “Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids: The Pestalozzi Experiment in Child-based Education” by Rebeca Wild.
I am now a mum of two children, who have taught me everything there is to know about life. Before falling pregnant with my eldest boy, I had a stressful yet successful professional career in New York working for the United Nations. I also own a translation agency, and I am a legal certified Arabic translator.
However, the minute my eldest child came into my life, my whole world turned upside down, nothing was as expected. I started to get a grip by visiting every single breastfeeding group in my town for advice, since breastfeeding was far from the ideal image I had in my mind. I began reading about breastfeeding, which then led me to Baby Led Weaning and gentle parenting, positive discipline, active listening and finally, Active Pedagogy.
Every single page of that book made me wish I had been in a school like the one described by Rebeca Wild and I just wanted to know more and more. My passion for learning about alternative pedagogies drove me to study for a master’s degree on Active Pedagogy in Madrid. The master’s was nowhere near what I expected. It resulted in an inner trip to my own childhood instead, opening my mind to a deep and respectful way of understanding education and learning from a holistic approach.
I breastfed my two wonderful children and I have done BLW with both of them. I also followed a self-initiated movement (inspired by Emmi Pikler) with my younger child, and I try to respect their rhythm, follow their interests, be present, listen actively, set clear boundaries and provide a safe space for them every single day of my life. Of course, this is an ongoing task, and I am not always successful, but I guess that’s because I am human, isn’t it? When that happens, I try to enjoy the situation and show my children you can make mistakes and it’s okay.
My dream now is to open the first school to apply Active Pedagogy in Ireland, a space free of judgements where children can just BE. Would you like to join me on this fascinating trip?
You can contact us by email at contact@imaginalia.ie
WhatsApp or phone on 085 781 6628.
