Our Explorer Studio (Middle School Studio) serves young people ages 11 to 14 old in a mixed-age, self-paced and hands-on learning environment. We focus on leadership and real-world experience through activities like Apprenticeships, discussion leaders, and project management.
Through daily Socratic discussions, uninterrupted online core skills time, and exciting real-world projects and quests, Learners go at their own pace, pursue their interests, and develop important character traits.
Through a self-learning and self-governing process, they understand the relationship between freedom and responsibility, discover their hero’s journey, develop long lasting friendships, and participate in a hardworking community with a culture of inquiry.
Middle Studio students learn to take full responsibility of their education, become an independent learner, lead others, and develop the character traits of a Hero.
Each morning we have individual core skills time, which is 2-3 hours of uninterrupted, self-directed time in math, reading, writing, and communication. They set daily goals and use a variety of hardcopy and online, adaptive self-paced programs to earn points, earn 'badges' for excellent work, and develop life skills in focus and mastery.
Learning happens in the real world. Each session, our studios go on 'Adventures' with hands-on, experiential learning that ties to our session theme and goals. We host Hero Talks with real masters of their craft to share their story with us. And many more opportunities to meet people who are changing the world.
Every 6 weeks Learners demonstrate what they've learned and created each session by hosting a public Exhibition or Children's Business Fair. Parents and community members are invited into the studios to witness and experience what the students have learned that session. We demonstrate mastery, competency and progress - we do not test or give homework.
Every afternoon, students collaborate and work on real-world projects, challenges, and Quests that are part of an overarching theme for each 6-week session. Projects span interest areas including the sciences, history, technology and the arts. We offer Art and PE every week. Final products are revealed at our public Exhibition of Learning, which takes place 7 times per year.
English is our primary language and we deliver all work in English. Therefore, all students learn English Language Arts, Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary. In addition, students also are offered to study a second language, which can be Dutch (for native or foreign language), Spanish, Papiamentu, or another language of interest. Given the nature of Curaçao and diversity of our families, we emphasize language arts, immersion experiences, and speaking, reading and writing in multiple languages.
We believe that one's character determines their destiny, not simply 'what they know'. Infused into everything we do, our learners develop and demonstrate important character traits such as grit, kindness, leadership, and honesty as they walk their hero's journey and bravely change the world.
We gebruiken cookies om websiteverkeer te analyseren en de ervaring op je website te optimaliseren. Als je het gebruik van cookies accepteert, worden je gegevens gecombineerd met de gegevens van alle andere gebruikers.