Curriculum options

Greetings, Visitor!

For the last few weeks, I have been diving deeply into curating a strong curriculum library for my future families and students.

I am seeking options that offer self-paced and asynchronous programs with some built-in program-specific support. I am also seeking options that do not follow an August-May calendar year and that are a better fit for Athena's year-round program.

Learning is continuous. It never stops. It also does not align with an antiquated agrarian society calendar where children were needed for farm labor during the summer months. Long summer breaks not only disrupt the momentum of learning but they also box families into a pre-determined schedule that does not fit everyone's needs or goals. Teachers know the "summer slide" very well. After a long, summer break, effective teachers understand that before they introduce any new material, they must first spend several weeks reviewing material from the previous school year. This "review time" could be used for new learning or deeper dives into various topics. Long summer breaks from school also widen gaps for students who cannot access summer enrichment programs. Lastly, the traditional calendar also creates an intense, unrelenting 10-month work period for teachers, followed by a summer where many obtain second jobs to make ends meet. This may lead to teacher burnout.

Instead, year-long programs with built-in intercessions allow for continuous learning, a momentum of growth, and immediate and targeted interventions when needed.  Teachers can develop a more steady and less disrupted learning flow with breaks for everyone along the way. Additionally, families who wish to travel more understand that travel rates are always more expensive during the "peak" seasons, including during June and July. A year-long program allows for families who wish to travel to do so with more flexibility during the multiple intercessions that take place throughout the year.