There is no clear beginning or end to learning and connection.
Our story
We started our lives together while living in Italy for several years. Our first child was born in Rome, while Andrew taught at a private international school. At the time, we assumed our own kids would go to schools like that one someday.
We moved back to the States, and life went on the way it does. But over the next few years, we both started to see education differently. It happened gradually, through our work, our conversations, and most of all, through raising our own children.
WE FOUND THAT SECURITY IS WHERE LEARNING STARTS.
We began paying closer attention to what our kids showed us about how they learned best when we gave them room to lead. We watched them get absorbed in a pile of clay or a patch of woods, and their confidence grow as they made their own choices, with room to be who they are. We started talking about feelings at our kitchen table, theirs and ours, long before we called it emotional intelligence.
We saw firsthand how much a child’s ability to learn depends on feeling safe first: safe in themselves, and safe in their relationships.
We now live on a New England homestead surrounded by woods, with animals to care for, food we grow, and kids’ artwork hanging in every room. We travel because stepping into another culture and another way of living is one of the meaningful ways we all learn.
Learning Circles grew out of the rhythm we built as we found our own way, and now we’re bringing it to other families who are finding theirs.
Our Team
Sharon Ulrich
FounderSharon is a mother of four and a psychotherapist whose work centers on the connection between emotional wellbeing and relationships. She uses art and creative expression for growth, working with kids, teens, and adults across a variety of settings — including her private practice, community mental health, and refugee centers and camps. She champions the belief that emotional wellness is a vital part of any learning process and is committed to offering resources that help families build meaningful connections in their everyday lives. Part of her life's purpose is supporting individuals on their unique journeys as they learn to better understand and connect with their emotional worlds. Getting lost in art, writing, loving her family well, slow-cooking, and slow-travel fill her cup.
Founder Andrew Ulrich
Andrew is a father, musician, educator, and lifelong champion of creative learning. His professional experience spans music, inclusive education, school leadership, teaching artistry, and agile learning, giving him a broad perspective on how children learn, create, and find their place in a learning community. He brings that experience to Learning Circles through hands-on creativity, thoughtful learning design, and a belief that children learn best when they have room to explore, contribute, and follow their own interests. As a father, Andrew also knows the richness and complexity of learning alongside children and brings that perspective into the experiences he creates for families. When he’s not singing or playing a tune, Andrew enjoys exploring the wonders of the outdoors with his family.
Curious about where Learning Circles might fit into your family’s journey? Start here.
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