Learning
Setting up learning profiles
5 min read
Learning profiles are optional — you can create and assign learning tasks without them. But they're what makes Spark's coaching specific to your family rather than generic. This guide covers what goes where and why.
The family learning profile
In Settings → Learning, the family profile sits at the top. It applies to all children. Start with the basics: which resource types you're comfortable with (video, article, practice plan, sheet music), and any domains you want blocked from resource suggestions.
Blocked topics are different from blocked domains. A blocked domain removes a specific site from results no matter what. A blocked topic tells Spark not to suggest tasks or search for resources in that area, regardless of where those resources come from.
The parent notes field is a catch-all. Anything that doesn't fit elsewhere — a season's focus, a constraint from a therapist, something you want Spark to know about how your family approaches learning — goes here. It's read every time Spark coaches a proposal.
Each child's learning profile
A child profile is where the personal context lives: what they're into, what they're working toward, where they're starting from, how they like to learn, and what should be kept in mind. Each field is a list — one item per line.
Interests feed suggestions and help Spark decide what topics are relevant when a child proposes something. Goals help Spark calibrate scope — "learn a full song" produces a different proposal than "explore piano." Current levels help Spark avoid pitching things that are either way too basic or out of reach.
Constraints are easy to overlook but useful. "Ten minutes max on school nights" or "nothing requiring a YouTube login" keeps suggestions grounded in what's actually possible at your house. Spark passes these along when shaping proposals.
How often to update
The family profile is fairly stable once it's set. Blocked domains and resource preferences don't change much. The parent notes field is the one worth revisiting — what you want Spark to emphasize this month may shift.
Child profiles age faster. Interests change, skill levels move, and constraints that made sense in September may not apply in March. Updating a child's profile after a real step forward — finishing a level, completing a project — helps keep Spark's suggestions from feeling like they're behind.
There's no notification that tells you to update. The signal is that suggestions start feeling obvious or stale.
What profiles actually change
Profiles don't lock anything. A kid can still propose a task on a topic that's not in their interests. A parent can still assign a task that Spark wouldn't have suggested. Profiles are input, not permissions.
What they change is relevance. Without a profile, Spark makes generic learning suggestions. With a profile, it has enough context to be specific — to the child's level, to your family's values, to what's actually feasible in your house.