Session 7: Year 5, Week 32 In Review
Check out this week’s updates…
spark studio
“Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.” – Maria Montessori
A learner-driven Studio is one where the Guides slowly step away from being the one who dispenses the content and subject knowledge. The learners are the focus of education while the guides facilitate learning. Guides gradually put learners in charge of learning by discovering their own knowledge. By facilitating ways of learner problem-solving and interaction, along with questioning and discussions to explain their thinking, learners must not just give answers but reflect on how they arrived at them.
We have a huge win in the Spark Studio. Several learners have recently earned their 100 Club Badge (knowing the first 100 sight words). Bravo learners, bravo! The beautiful part is, it all took place as the Guides stepped away and learners and mentors took over. It became a challenge for those practicing to achieve success by asking learners that already earned it for help.
Along with mentors joining in from lower/upper elementary, and middle school, these young learners were able to reach mastery and earn that badge. This is a true testimony to a learner-driven community. Trust the process, it works!
As the school year comes to an end it can stir up different emotions for us, excited, happy, sad, nervous, rushed, etc. We are taking this time to learn a new “box breathing” technique to combat unsettled feelings within us. Ask your learner all about it. It’s helping us to relax and it feels good to slow down, even if only for a moment. We begin to feel centered and it brings us into the present moment. How do you live in the moment?
We plan to end the year in peace, harmony, and celebration. Here are 5 helpful tips to relieve any end-of-the-school-year stress you or your learner may be feeling.
elementary studio
"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." -Steve Jobs
Get ready to be inspired by our young change-makers! Elementary heroes are stepping into the shoes of famous changemakers throughout history and learning about the traits that make a true changemaker.
In Story Arts, they are exploring the creative and innovative mindset that drives these Heroes to persist in achieving positive change.
Our level 5 Heroes are making great strides in Math, as they pilot our new math system with small group and individual practice. They will become the mathematicians of our future. And that's not all - we're ramping up our writing too! Our young writers will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and compete for a big prize - a field trip! (more info next week)
Our Upper Elementary heroes are excelling in this Wax Museum challenge. Many of them have already written their monologues, and a few of them were selected to read their monologue to lower elementary and mentor lower elementary Heroes throughout their writing process. Several of our Upper Elementary heroes presented what they have written so far and received excellent feedback from their fellow Heroes. Soon they will be creating their research boards and memorizing their scripts!
As the school year draws to a close, our heroes are turning their focus on what they have left to accomplish before the finish line. They are motivated to kick into overdrive and make a positive impact to finish the year strong.
So get ready to be inspired and join us as we celebrate our young changemakers! Enjoy your weekend and stay tuned for more exciting updates on their journey towards greatness.
middle school studio
Persistence is the last key to unlocking your potential.
As the end of the school year approaches, learners are in the final stretch of Session 7, Week 4 out of 6. Despite the challenges and difficulties encountered along the way, learners have persevered and continued to work diligently to get all their work done and approved.
In Quest, Guides have organized an exciting field trip for the learners at the Fayette County Police Department next week. This trip will give them a deeper understanding of Detective work, Crime Science investigations, and other related topics. Meanwhile, in the Studio, learners have been actively engaging in different challenges related to hair analysis and its importance in various investigations. They even examined each other's hair follicles in one of their challenges.
Our middle school heroes are continuing their learning around handwriting techniques. They have learned different technics for holding a pencil and ways to position their hand to avoid fatigue while writing. Heroes were free to develop any form of storytelling they desired this week. Some Heroes continued working on their books, while others began world-building and writing poems. Heroes will be presenting their creations in the next class! We are excited to see what they create.
In Civilization, learners completed their Story of the World projects and will soon receive feedback from their peers and guides. Finally, throughout the week, learners have been eagerly planning their Quest Exhibition, featuring different escape rooms showcasing their knowledge of CSI. They are excited to show off their work and see who can solve their various cases.
Overall, it has been an eventful and productive week for learners. They have gained new knowledge and skills in various areas and are now gearing up for the final stretch of the school year.
high school studio
Our High School heroes have taken the stage!
For Story Arts this week, we focused on the art of improvisation. Heroes had to improvise scenes based on a location and relationships provided to them by their fellow heroes. The results were comedic gold. They will take what they learned about pushing a scene forward and bring this back to the writer's rooms…we may have some future SNL actors on our hands!
Through Socratic discussions and challenges, we discussed the writer’s strike, cyber security, AI, and learning across lines of difference. Heroes are actively writing a draft of one of the following: their Statement of Purpose (SOP), their most significant community service essay, and/or their full resume with a sample cover letter to an organization they respect. Ask your hero to see their notes so far!
Midweek we traveled to the Chick-fil-A support center where heroes explored innovation processes and leadership principles from Forest moms and dads and Chick-fil-A staff.
It was a memorable week!