LEARNING REIMAGINED 2020-2021 School Year - Road Less Travelled Academy
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LEARNING REIMAGINED 2020-2021 School Year
Road Less Travelled Academy Presents: LEARNING REIMAGINED
© Road Less Travelled Academy The content of this booklet is here to inform both enrolled and prospective families of the RLTA approach to education for young people in a changing world. Road Less Travelled Academy 1166 5th Line Port Hope, ON www.rltacademy.ca
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. __________________________________________ -Khalil Gibran excerpt from On Children, The Prophet
Principal’s Message 6 Empowered Learning 7 The Learning Buffet 9 Future Conscious Curriculum 11 Communications 14 School Essentials 18 A Day In The Life of RLTA 20 School Calendars 24 RLTA Tuition 2020-2021 26
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Dear Parent, First of all, thank you. Thank you for taking this journey with us down the Road Less Travelled. For some of you, you came to us from a different road and discovered it wasn’t for your child. For others, it was a calling, a deep innate knowing that change is needed in the world of education, and this feels like it. Or maybe it was knowing that your child loves and thrives when surrounded by nature, engaged in a self-guided project. There is a whole gamut of reasons that may have brought you here, and in joining RLTA, you are now a part of a shared vision for a change in the way we educate our children. We appreciate your boldness because the road less travelled isn’t for everyone. In 2020, the world is changing dramatically in ways many never imagined it would. Today’s education needs to prepare our children to walk confidently into the unknown, as resilient and courageous people. We see the evidence of lifelong learners at RLTA as we witness students working together to make a kite, harness the power of fire to create an ember carved bowl, or sew their own creations from fabric. Watching the students grow as they follow their passions tells us that learning is flourishing at RLTA. Again, welcome to a community of people and families, making a lasting impact in the lives of children and the world around them. Thank you for standing up for a change and nurturing the dreams of our future generations. Sincerely, Aaron Rosen Principal, RLTA
CHAPTER 1
EMPOWERED
LEARNING
To be empowered is to be supported.
A
t the centre of every child’s journey to young
adulthood is the massive acquisition of skills and
knowledge. It is rarer and arguably more important
that knowledge be transformed into wisdom. It is also rare
for children to develop the attributes of a lifelong learner:
someone whose thirst for knowledge is never satiated as
they live life more like a quest than a routine. At RLTA, we
want children to become the heroes of their own lives. To
do this, we know that we must continuously be seeking
ways to empower them.
To be empowered is to be supported. To be empowered is
to feel the wind in your sails as you cruise through the
waters of life towards your hopes and dreams. Empowering
a child means we do a lot, to do less. Doing less means
exhibiting restraint over ourselves as educators and
mentors to allow their creative spirit to flourish, so your
child may gain confidence through competence. At RLTA,
the teachers and mentors are more a part of the student’s
environment than a taskmaster drilling them on curriculum
points. We merely want to be a positive and grounding
presence. We want your child’s successes to come from
their own trials and tribulations and their collaboration with others. A lifelong learner adapts to any situation, seeking the knowledge they need in any circumstance to bring relief to their own lives and those in their communities. How does a child learn to learn? Is it of benefit to the child for the teacher to become the holder of all the knowledge? Or is it better for the children to learn to be seekers of knowledge who are aware of the many different sources that are out there? Personal experience, information resources, and of course, some guidance from trusted teachers and mentors are some of the ways we hope to nurture the learning spirit in your child. We hope to come alongside them as they learn, rather than to stand over them, feeding them information.
CHAPTER 2 THE LEARNING BUFFET Educational choose your own adventures. Our classroom spaces, whether inside or out, are “learning buffets,” educational choose-your-own adventures for children to discover and engage with on their own terms. While they choose their adventure, we create the space for them to explore it, feel it and see it for themselves. When our teachers engage them with a question, it is to help build the child’s confidence, rather showing them what they don’t know yet, and spoon-feeding them information. At RLTA, we wholeheartedly welcome and encourage the students to bring their inspirations to school, to pursue and explore together. To support these inspirations and pursuits, we also set-up the “learning buffet.” The learning buffet is a curated presentation of materials and activities for the children to explore. These materials may be related to the theme we are currently exploring in our Future Conscious Curriculum, or they may be unrelated and presented to offer diversity and to appeal to a specific child’s interests. Some of the content of the learning buffet may be present all the time, for the students to explore regularly (such as a reading nook, a math corner). There are also spontaneous arrivals to the buffet intended to spark conversation, fuel a child’s passions or create new opportunities for children to learn and explore. Through
continuous nourishment of their passions, we know the students at RLTA will flourish and thrive in their lives as individuals and community members.
CHAPTER 3 FUTURE CONSCIOUS CURRICULUM We are there to mentor, and deeply engage with them along the way. People often ask about our curriculum. While we put much careful thought into the learning journey, it may look slightly different from what you’re used to. The word “curriculum” indicates a pre-meditated route. A road map, with the destination and stops already set. To avoid limiting each child’s unique learning journey, or placing expectations on what they “should” learn and when, we work hard to follow the inspirations and curiosities of each student, letting them hold the map, creating their own route. We are there to mentor and genuinely engage with them along the way. Learning objectives are something that we reflect on retrospectively: noticing, and sharing with you, the
milestones that were reached, and activities engaged in, as your child progresses. As a part of the learning environment, children will find invitations to explore future conscious themes, in the form of fresh materials, work stations, or group projects they may wish to take part in. Our themes are designed to engage the child in academic skills naturally but within the context of real-world, tangible topics. Things that they can see happening outside of their window in nature, or out in the community. Some examples of past themes we have explored are Biz Kids, where students had the chance to explore where different products come from in the world, learn about money, and even create their own holiday market. Another was Food Systems, where we explored the journey from farm to table, practiced our cooking skills, dissected fruits and vegetables, and repurposed palettes to build a garden.
Wherever possible and natural, we draw in cultural, mathematical, physical, artistic, and linguistic skills, empowering the students to gain these skills through their own explorations of the themes. Also…we’re now located on a working farm. Our new location at Haute Goat Farm is ripe with learning opportunities for students to learn about tending plants and animals. We couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities ahead of us as we bridge the worlds of farm and forest at the legendary Haute Goat Farm.
CHAPTER 4 COMMUNICATIONS Let the communication flow as they grow. Communication at RLTA is an everyday occurrence. Maintaining good lines of communication between caregivers (parents and teachers) and children is essential in supporting their growth, celebrating their successes and supporting them in their challenges. For quick check-ins and “just so you know” conversations to inform the staff of a sleepless night, a new source of inspiration, or a change in their emotional/physical well being, the drop-off is a great time to pass this kind of information along. At pick-up, we always do our best to pass on any important occurrences from the day, like any significant incidents, triumphs, or inspirations to take home and explore further.
At the end of each week, a “story of the week” email is sent out describing what the students have been up to in regards to any themes we were exploring together and any inspirations so that the conversations can be picked up at home. In addition, our social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) show pictures and videos of daily happenings at RLTA. For more in-depth conversations, we make a friendly request that you schedule a time to check-in with your child’s teacher or the principal. Scheduling longer meetings is helpful for all of us so we can give our undivided attention to each other and for us to ensure our daily opening/closing duties can be tended. Also, there are two scheduled parent- teacher conferences in our school year for you to sit down with your children’s teachers and chat. That being said, we want you to feel comfortable in approaching us throughout the year to let the communication flow as your children grow.
In the realm of growth, student assessment is a topic that has been widely debated in the field of education. John Holt, educator and pioneer in youth rights theory, believed that assessment could be quite detrimental to learning, as it can be seen by the child almost as mistrust, in that it is a testing, checking, or confirming that the child is actually learning what they “should,” and at the “right” rate. As a parent, you naturally want to know how your child is progressing at school, and we want you to be a part of your child’s learning journey as much as possible. We are committed to showing you what your child has engaged with without necessarily grading those efforts. We want to observe their progress without placing a value on it based on outside expectations. Parents will be updated often on
current themes and lines of inquiry, and what activities were offered each week. They will be kept up to date on milestones reached (did your child learn a new word? Build something they were especially proud of after learning to use a new tool?) as a means of celebration. A way to track without judgement. Pictures and videos of your child in action are often available, so you can feel confident and know what they are learning.
CHAPTER 5 SCHOOL ESSENTIALS Pack for success. Every season at RLTA is embraced. We do not hide from the wet or the cold, we meet it with open arms and a warm jacket. When you get your child ready for the year at RLTA please make sure you have good gear. Good gear does not necessarily mean expensive. It’s more important that it’s weather appropriate. For instance, on wet fall and spring days, never send your children to school with cotton t-shirts and pants. To see more info on how to dress your children appropriately to be outside in the elements please see our blog post on how to dress for the weather or talk to one of our staff. Being outside and staying physically active, playing games, exploring, etc., means a lot of calories are burned, which means you will notice a spike in the appetite of your already, potentially ravenous children. So, packing lots of snacks and a lunch for the day is important. We encourage your children to eat when they are hungry, as they learn to take care of themselves. Self-care and learning to be responsible for ourselves is engrained in the culture of RLTA. We encourage the children to make the effort to put on their boots, carry their backpacks, and monitor their other physical needs. Of course we are cueing them, and
with the cues come the gentle reminders that they are on a
journey to gaining new skills everyday.
Here is a brief bulleted list of what we request be sent to
school with your children, so that they are setup for
success.
• Lunch and two snacks (minimum)
• Backpack
• Clothing specific to the day’s weather conditions
• Slippers/Indoor shoes (stays at school)
• Full change of clothes (stays at school)
As the year rolls by there will be a learning curve for your
child and the whole family, with fine tuning the gear and the
food, so please know that we are here to help.APPENDIX A
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF RLTA
What might a day spent here with us look like? Below is a
sample of how a typical day is organized, with lots of room
for improvisation. Some days we might take off for a hike,
have a guest come and share new skills with us, or work on
big projects!
8:30- Drop off
9:00 As children are arriving we are playing group
games, engaging in free play, and maybe
gathering around the fire, or simply wandering
and wondering.
9:00- Opening circle
9:15 Our days always begin and end in a circle. We
sing our favourite songs, share gratitude, check
in with our emotions and share things we are
excited about that day.
9:15- Mindfulness practice
9:30 We try to engage with a mindfulness exercise
each day. This is a few quiet moments to
meditate, move our bodies, or do some fun
breathing exercises, activating our calm.9:30- Morning snack
9:45 At this time, kids can take out their morning
snack, and chat with one another while they
fuel up for the morning.
9:45- Focus time
11:30 Snack is followed by a block of time where the
students can quietly engage with the “learning
buffet,” choosing to pick up math materials, sit
in the reading corner and work with literacy
tools, do some art, or maybe help with farm
chores, learning about agriculture. There will
be a group lesson/activity on offer based on the
current theme, which children can choose to
participate in. These activities are designed to
engage children in academic skills through the
lens of real-world themes. (For example if our
current theme is food systems, the activity
might be brainstorming where our food comes
from beyond the grocery store, or maybe a
math lesson on seed counting, or a reading
comprehension activity using recipes).
11:30- Lunch time!
12:0012:00- Free play outside
12:45 Time to let loose! After working quietly for the
morning, kids have time to play in the forest,
fields, and mud kitchen!
12:45- Story time
1:15 After free play there is story time, when we can
cozy up, rest our eyes and our bodies, listen to
a story, watch a shadow puppet show, take a
nap, or read independently.
1:15- Work period
2:30 In the afternoon we have another block of time
during which the students can choose to work
on projects inspired by our theme or their own
discoveries, engage with learning materials,
craft, read, etc. (For example if our current
theme is food systems, students may engage in
a project such as building a pallet garden,
sprouting seeds, or cooking.)
2:30- Afternoon snack
2:45 Refuel, chat with friends.2:45- Closing circle
3:00 We end our day in circle once again, where we
have time to tell stories from our day, our
favourite part of the day, maybe new things
learned or discovered…
3:00- Packing up backpacks
3:15 We encourage independence as the students
learn about caring for their belongings, getting
ready for home time.
3:15 PickupAPPENDIX B SCHOOL CALENDARS
APPENDIX C RLTA TUITION 2020-2021 At RLTA, tuition can be paid three ways. Choose the plan that best suits your families needs: 1. Academic Year Single Payment 2. Academic Year Instalments 3. Academic Year Term Instalments 1. Academic Year Single Payment Enrolment deposit payable with $2000 submission of tuition agreement Administrative fees payable with $250 submission of Tuition Agreement Discount 10% of annual tuition Amount due before discount, $14000 admin fees and taxes if applicable Total number of tuition payments 1 Balance payable for single payment $10,850.00 option or amount of 1st discount and deposit applied tuition payment for instalment options Due date of single payment or first August 15, 2020 instalment Amount of subsequent payments N/A Due date of subsequent payments N/A
2. Academic Year Instalments
Enrolment deposit payable with $2000
submission of tuition agreement
Administrative fees payable with $250
submission of Tuition Agreement
Discount
Amount due before discount, $14000
admin fees and taxes if applicable
Total number of tuition payments 12
Balance payable for single payment $1,166.74
option or amount of 1st
tuition payment for instalment
options
Due date of single payment or first August 15, 2020
instalment
Amount of subsequent payments $1,166.66
Deposit to be applied to 11th
and 12th payments
Due date of subsequent payments 1st day of each month following
the date of first payment for
the subsequent 11 months3. Academic Year Term Instalments
Enrolment deposit payable with $2000
submission of tuition agreement
Administrative fees payable with $250
submission of Tuition Agreement
Discount 5% of annual tuition
Amount due before discount, $14000
admin fees and taxes if applicable
Total number of tuition payments 3
Balance payable for single payment $4433.34
option or amount of 1st Discount applied over all
tuition payment for instalment payments
options
Due date of single payment or first August 15, 2020
instalment
Amount of subsequent payments $4433.33
Deposit to be applied to
payment for 3rd term
Due date of subsequent payments 15th day of the month
preceding the commencement
of the 2nd and 3rd term.
To setup your payment plan, choose the option that works best
for your family and email admin@rltacademy.caYou can also read
