Program

During the afternoons, children enrolled in the micro-academy are free to follow other elements of their customized learning pathways, whether that involves working individually on building core skills (via Khan Academy, software packages, books, or eclectic independent studies); attending tutoring sessions; taking online or offline classes; or doing other activities. Recreational opportunities can also be pursued during this time. The sky's the limit!

As members of The Hub, they and their parents also have access to the following elements.

Come-and-Go Community Spaces for Children and for Parents

Hub members will have access to private online social lounges where they can come and go and interact with each other. There will be one for the children (on Discord) and a separate one for the parents (on Mighty Networks).

Curated Resources

The Hub will maintain a curated list of third-party platforms, websites, curriculum packages and events (at a range of price points) that might interest members, to help them choose how to spend their afternoons. New discoveries will be added regularly. We'll also share examples of curated pathways, showing how the micro-academy and various à-la-carte elements can be put together to form a comprehensive whole, as well as examples of portfolios to document learning. (Members will also have access to more in-depth and personalized guidance along these lines via additional wraparound services.)

By year two, if not sooner, the Hub will begin offering its own selection of online and in-person à-la-carte classes, workshops, open studio times, and other activities, based on community interests that aren't already being met through third-party offerings. These may run the gamut from math circles to improv classes; physical-movement workshops; unique academic classes; open office hours with subject-matter experts; special-interest clubs; and parenting and other practical, skill-building classes. 

• Mondays: This will be an optional, more loosely structured day, for those who want to meet in person (with social-distancing precautions) in Rock Creek Park in NW Washington, D.C. It will focus on physical exercise, exploration, and developing outdoor skills. It will meet rain or shine, except when the organizers deem the conditions to be hazardous.
• Tuesdays and Thursdays: These are the core days and will take place online.

9:30a.m. – 10a.m.: Setting the foundation

• Community building—check in, share how everyone is feeling, and share and reflect on what else everyone has done since the previous meeting.
• Targeted skill building—a mini tutorial on something that's relevant to all members of the group (e.g., watching a short video to inspire new project ideas; sharing subject-area research related to a project that's already underway, or doing an exercise to develop a meta-skill such as project management).

10a.m. – 12:30p.m.: Exploration, fun, and skill building

• Hiking, games (improv, skits, physical games), and skill-building activities (learning how to read a compass, how to start a fire in different ways, how to identify edible plants, etc.).

12:30p.m. – 1p.m.: Closing circle 

• Students reflect on the time they spent together.

1p.m.: Optional extra time for group lunch

• Children and their caregivers are welcome to stay and have lunch with each other. 

Read about the independent à-la-carte afternoons here.

9:30a.m. – 10:15a.m.: Setting the foundation

• Community building—check in, share how everyone is feeling, and share and reflect on what else everyone has done since the previous meeting.
• Targeted skill building—a mini tutorial on something that's relevant to all members of the group (e.g., watching a short video to inspire new project ideas; sharing subject-area research related to a project that's already underway, or doing an exercise to develop a meta-skill such as project management).
• Expanding horizons—monthly guest speaker presenting a “show and tell” about a job or hobby.

10:15a.m. – 10:30a.m.: Break

10:30a.m. – 11:30a.m.: Group work

• Working in groups of various sizes, on projects of their choosing (with a facilitator's guidance). These will be based on meaty questions the children want answered, and/or real-world problems they want to solve. The elements that are productive to do together will be done jointly online; the children will work independently on the rest, either online or offline.
• Humanities examples: Answering questions such as, “Where did my ancestors come from, and what were their lives like?” or “How can groups of people make decisions that don’t leave many people unhappy?” Solving problems such as, “Let’s write and send letters that will comfort sick residents in our communities.” 
• STEM examples: Answering questions such as, “Why are bees disappearing?” or “How are cars made?” Overcoming a challenge such as learning how to effectively light a space for recording videos. 
• Practical life-skills examples: Answering questions such as, "Why is our compost bucket smelling bad?" Solving practical challenges such as building a container for sewing supplies. 
• A learning artefact will come out of each project, whether in the form of a written document, a PowerPoint presentation, a video, a piece of art or music, etc. This will further develop important communication and presentation skills, and also provide avenues for studying art and music, and engaging in creative self-expression.
• A facilitator will be checking in with each group, guiding children to work together to answer questions that have arisen, demonstrating how to find resources to get through bottlenecks, etc.

11:30a.m. – 11:45a.m.: Break

11:45a.m. – 12:30p.m.: Individual work

• This time is set aside to work on individual “passion projects,” with the opportunity to consult with each other and/or with a facilitator, as needed. The passion projects could be anything—learning to play guitar, learning a foreign language, learning how to code, etc. At the end of each month, the students will present to their peers about what they’ve done and learned.
• Students may also choose to work on their passion projects during another part of the week, and use this time to work on some of their other à-la-carte offerings, with “office hours” access to a facilitator. 

12:30p.m. – 1p.m.: Closing circle 

• This closes out the micro-academy's formal program for the day. Students reflect on the time they spent together, what support is needed for next steps, and talking about what each student is planning for the rest of the day and until the next meeting.

1p.m.: Optional extra time for group lunch

• Children are welcome to stay and have a virtual lunch with each other. (They're also welcome to eat as needed to fuel their bodies and minds during the morning.)

In the process of doing such interdisciplinary projects, children will have opportunities to develop skills in areas such as research, reading comprehension, debating, communications, and inter-personal relations. Such projects also serve as vehicles for learning about fields such as history, cultural anthropology, economics, geography, sociology, psychology, literature, civics, biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, engineering, math, and materials science.

Read about the independent à-la-carte afternoons here.