The Academy
The Academy at Lunar Landing
I want more from education. I want more for my children. I want more for my community. It is time.
Nelson Mandela once said that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” I believe in the power of education. I believe that when you give a person the right set of tools they can navigate the world with much more ease, they will be able to encounter adversity and overcome it, and they will be better equipped to formulate solutions to difficult problems. Education in the US, as it currently stands, is archaic and is desperate for change.
Lunar Landing Academy will be the change.
Nestled in the foothills of Mt. Diablo, this science-based institution will offer hands-on learning for students throughout their academic career. It will address the whole child and will pave the way for innovative learning in the twenty-first century.
Snapshot of the Academy Change:
Personalized, Competency Based Learning: The beauty of common core is that it provides you with a clear road map. You should be able to look it over and decide where you made a wrong turn, and reroute. Currently, there are entire districts in North Dakota and schools throughout the country that have done away with typical grade leveling and have opted into more personalized learning. The Academy will opt out of grade leveling and opt into personalized competency based learning. Allowing students to have some flexibility in pace of their learning has been tied to students who are more self-reliant and have better problem-solving skills.
Classrooms: Classrooms will offer an inclusive inviting setting for students of differing abilities. Flexible seating and classrooms with real laboratories will offer students a sense of purpose and enthusiasm.
Ratios: Currently in California, there is a 1:24 teacher:student ratio in public schools (some schools have higher ratios, but ratios can be as high as 1:33 in Kindergarten, 1:32 in Primary school and 1:29.9 in upper elementary and junior high). This is the highest ratio in the country, despite the incredible amount of evidence that a lower student to teacher ratios promote a better learning environment. The Academy will have ratios well below the national average of 1:15.
Working Farm: It is one thing to read about life cycles and another to experience them. With a working farm on site, students will have direct access to learn about animals. From animal behaviors, to caring for them, the importance of conservation and the interconnectedness of our world, our students will garner experiences that will guide their choices throughout their lives.
Community Garden: Studies show that when children take part in the preparation of their food, they make healthier choices throughout their lives. Not only will students be part of meal preparations at school, but they will also work with adults to grow the food we will eat! Adding the community garden experience will allow students to forge deeper connections between growing food and maintaining good diets, they will develop important life skills and knowledge over environmental issues such as a decrease in pollinators or drought.
Physical Education Redesigned: Physical Education should be more than learning a sport. It should be innovative lessons that set students up for lifelong fitness. From understanding how to take a pulse and why our bodies need exercise to workouts that challenge the body and mind, the goal of physical education at the Academy will be to lay the groundwork for positive lifelong habits.
Connect with Nature: Studies have shown that when children have the ability to regularly connect with nature they are more resilient and have higher self-esteem, concentration, cognitive development, cooperation and flexibility. Being located on the edge of town and on several acres, gives us the ability to access nature and all of the wonder that pertains to it.
Hands-On and Science Based: Science is a powerful tool that can provide children with so many benefits from critical thinking to creativity to higher self-confidence, curiosity and more. The benefits are truly endless. The problem is that many schools are being stripped of the ability to have really dynamic science lessons because of the pressures the accompany state testing. Many elementary teachers in the Bay Area report having a 15 minute window for science and history each day, “assuming that they can get to it.” Science is about discovery. It is about big ideas and it is about having the ability to ask a question, formulate solutions, design prototypes and improve upon ideas. It is about imperfections and being granted the ability to draw your own conclusions.
Not only are we science based in the sense that scientific exploration is happening, but the school is also founded on evidence-based research. Looking at important principles from around the world to reading the works of leading child development theorists to interpreting studies on education and development, the academy focuses on a child’s individual needs with the hope of seeing them flourish into a lifelong learner.
History: If science classes need experiments, then history classes need perspective. Being cognizant of the History-Social Science Frameworks for the State of California, the Academy will create books for each level that give a more in-depth representation of particular time periods. By looking at history through different lenses, students will be better able to assess what choices they may have made if in a similar position or If after understanding all perspectives, if they see an opportunity for a different resolution. Utilizing project based learning, forensics and public speaking, this series of history courses will help students to imagine what life was like, while paving the road for a bright future.
The Arts: There are really only benefits to having the arts as an integral aspect of the Academy. Art education at the Academy will take place in a building designed with the arts in mind, our Maker Space, students will be invited to let their creativity shine as they explore concepts in art from sculpture to theater.
Global Citizens: An important component to creating a well-rounded student is giving them an opportunity to explore the world we live in. With a monthly tuition allotment put toward opportunities for family trips and scholarships for families in need, it makes biking the Underground Railroad and seeing a volcano accessible.
Year Round Education: From where I sit, there is far too much learning, too much exploring and too much fun to be had. The academy will offer year round education where students are able to explore the great outdoors and find adventure all year long.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The concepts are progressive and the student gains are out of the world.
In education we should not just be striving to teach children to read and do basic math, but should be supplying them with the tools necessary to make a difference in our world. Children have limitless potential, they are filled with curiosity and wonder, they are natural-born scientists please donate and fund a concept that will lead to some of the greatest minds of our time.
Another way to take part in our vision and share the love of science is to purchase a monthly science kit. These kits have a different theme each month and the proceeds go toward funding the Lunar Landing Academy.
Visit our marketplace through Patreon to learn more about the available subscriptions!