iPlanets Academy
INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING
iPLANETS ACADEMY seeks to prepare our children for life and further their education. We know why we learn, and how we learn, are just as important as what we learn. Our educational program is grounded in a deep respect for our children's intellectual rigor. We work with our children to internalize a process we call "QRA"—Question, Reflection, Action—which ensures that they think critically, integrate new knowledge, and apply what they learn. We help them to develop their individual sense of purpose as they become caring citizens of the world.
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Close, cooperative relationships between teachers and students are the firmest foundation for effective learning. Young minds learn best in an environment of trust and respect where each student is valued as a unique, gifted individual.
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Our children are expected to move beyond just memorizing facts to “higher-order thinking skills” to analyze, interpret, synthesize, and create. Working within an above-grade-level curriculum, they become skilled at prioritizing and managing academic challenges as they progress.
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We feel children learn best when they are acknowledged and included in the classroom. This is why iPLANETS ACADEMY values small class sizes with rations being just 1:8, where every voice is heard.
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They are encouraged to interact with the natural world as a part of their learning environment. This is why we strive to maintain a balance of 60% classroom time and 40% out in our communities.
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We seek to provide a global perspective. In a world that is increasingly international and cross-cultural, we emphasize our students' development of cultural competence and the ability to view each challenge and opportunity from multiple perspectives.
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Classroom learning must be authenticated by real-world experience.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
Why Use Problem-Based Learning?
Problem-Based Learning or PBL is a student-centered, inquiry-based instructional model in which learners engage with an authentic, ill-structured problem that requires further research.
Our children identify gaps in their knowledge, conduct research, and apply their learning to develop solutions and present their findings. Through collaboration and inquiry, students can cultivate problem-solving, metacognitive skills, engagement in learning, and intrinsic motivation.
A well-designed PBL project provides students with the opportunity to develop skills related to:
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Working in teams.
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Managing projects and holding leadership roles.
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Oral and written communication.
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Self-awareness and evaluation of group processes.
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Working independently.
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Critical thinking and analysis.
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Explaining concepts.
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Self-directed learning.
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Applying course content to real-world examples.
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Researching and information literacy.
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Problem-solving across disciplines.
Students generally must:
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Examine and define the problem.
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Explore what they already know about underlying issues related to it.
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Determine what they need to learn and where they can acquire the information and tools necessary to solve the problem.
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Evaluate possible ways to solve the problem.
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Solve the problem.
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Report on their findings.
"The more anger
towards the past
you carry in your heart,
the less capable you are
of loving in the present."
~Barbara De Angelis
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
Our program allows your child(ren) to embrace creativity and critical thinking with relatable project-based learning. Process (rather than content), is emphasized and the challenge of teaching is to help students learn how to learn rather than to simply impart information. Much of life requires solving problems or overcoming challenges via the input of two (2) or more individuals. From learning to walk, write, or speak, to conducting research. Think of these problems to be solved or challenges to overcome as projects.
Since projects are a way of life from newborn to adulthood it seems fitting that our education system should focus on starting our learning journey exactly where we need to end up in our lives. That is, our education should begin and persist with projects since ultimately adulthood and the world of work require an innate ability within us to be problem solvers.
Here at iPLANETS ACADEMY we use a Project-based approach when teaching:
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Critical Thinking — An ability to transcend simple recollection of information and upgrade to logical reasoning via analyzing information and applying correlating knowledge-based principles.
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Communication — The ability to share information, ideas, arguments, and narrative clearly and correctly according to the situation.
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Cooperation — The ability to pool resources for the success of the group or project, whether the resources are information or ideas.
PBL encourages students to delve further into a subject past simply recalling information for quizzes, tests, or exams. PBL pushes students to analyze a problem and correctly adjust and apply knowledge in search of solutions.
After having delved deeply into subject areas to find solutions our children then have increased knowledge, superior understanding, and even some mastery of the subject matter because it was reinforced via completion of a project.
THE ABC's OF D.I.C.E.
The children are taught according to an acronym developed by Mimi Ross which is: D.I.C.E.
Which focuses on the below principles:
D-Discovery
I-Intelligences (All 9)
C-Cognitive
E-Exploration
All lessons are love, language-based, multisensory, cumulative, cognitive, and flexible. Multisensory learning involves the simultaneous use of visual, auditory, and tactile pathways to enhance memory and learning.
D.I.C.E. focuses on the below principles:
A-Academics
B- Behaviors
C-Character Development
We maintain very low ratios to have the time and freedom from distraction to ensure that each child is taught and evaluated appropriately on a regular basis, and we are able to respond to each child's needs quickly and effectively. It also gives an opportunity to build a strong bond that is often much more difficult in settings with a higher amount of children.
HOLIDAYS
We do not celebrate all holidays
but we do attend holiday and religious events. We also celebrate some wacky ones throughout the year for fun.
If you would like to celebrate a Birthday at iPLANETS ACADEMY please give at least a 4-day notice so we can make adjustments to our schedules.
iPLANETS ACADEMY promotes INclusion so ALL the children MUST be allowed to participate. Please do not invite children from iPLANETS ACADEMY to your home, party place, celebrations, birthday party, or ANY event unless ALL children are invited. NO EXCEPTIONS!
If ALL were invited but some declined to attend that is okay and acceptable. But under no circumstances shall a child from iPLANETS ACADEMY be purposely excluded. We do not exchange or give gifts during our celebrations.
All food must be store-bought and in its original package. Leftover food will be discarded except for foods that do not require refrigeration and/or that were never opened. In those cases, they will be given to the children for a snack.
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but more should think of changing themselves."
~Leo Tolstoy
We celebrate the children's birthdays monthly. In the next two columns, take a look at some of the holidays we recognize, incorporate in our daily learning, and participate in when they fall on our regular school days. Some are federal, some are wacky, all are fun, and as you can see, we LOVE to celebrate!
iPLANETS ACADEMY
CELEBRATIONS
Here is the list of
iPLANETS ACADEMY celebrations:
Emancipation Proclamation
(Jan 1)
Bird Day (Jan 5)
Hat Day (Jan 15)
Michelle LaVaughn Obama
(Jan 17)
Kid Inventors Day (Jan 17)
National Popcorn Day (Jan 19)
MLK Jr. Day (3rd Mon of Jan)
Opposite Day (Jan 25)
International Polar Bear
Day (Jan 27)
National LEGO Day (Jan 28)
Backwards Day (Jan 31)
Rosa Parks Day (Feb 4 )
Thank Your Mailman Day (Feb 4)
National Kite-Flying Day (Feb 8)
National Pizza Day (Feb 9)
Random Acts of Kindness
Day (Feb 17)
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Presidents Day
(Third Mon in Feb)
Black History Weekly +
(Month of Feb)
Farm Science Day (Feb 22)
Tell a Fairy Tale Day (Feb 26)
Pi Day (Mar 14)
Waffle Day (Mar 25)
Tuskegee Airmen
Commemoration Day
(Fourth Thurs in Mar)
Vietnam Veterans Day (Mar 29)
Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez
(Mar 31)
National Children’s Book Day
(Apr 2)
National Student-Athlete Day
(Apr 6)
Zoo Lover’s Day (Apr 8)
Grilled Cheese Day (Apr 12)
Scrabble Day (Apr 13)
National Animal Crackers Day
(Apr 18)
Haiku Poetry Day (Apr 18)
Earth Day (Apr 22)
Pretzel Day (Apr 26)
Arbor Day (Last Fri in Apr)
Passover (15th-22nd of the
Hebrew month of Nissan)
Cinco de Mayo (May 5 )
National Teacher Day (May 5)
National Space Day (May 7)
National Train Day (May 8)
National Day of Prayer (First
Thurs of May)
Military Spouse Appreciation Day
(Friday before Mother's Day )
Mother's Day
(Second Sun of May)
Scavenger Hunt Day (May 24)
National Missing Children's
Day (May 25)
Armed Forces Day
(third Sat of May)
Memorial Day (Last Mon of May)
International Dinosaur Day
(Jun 1)
National Donut Day (Jun 4)
Yo-Yo Day (Jun 6)
World Ocean Day (Jun 8)
Corn on the Cob Day (Jun 11)
Monkey Around Day (Jun 14)
International Day of the African
Child (Jun 16)
International Picnic Day (Jun 18)
Juneteenth (Jun 19)
Windrush Day (Jun 22)
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Father's Day (Third Sun of Jun)
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CELEBRATIONS
CONTINUED
Macaroni Day (Jul 8)
Barn Day (Jul 11)
Paper Bag Day (Jul 12)
World Emoji Day (Jul 17)
Ice Cream Day (Jul 18)
Space Exploration Day (Jul 20)
National Watermelon Day (Aug 3)
Barack Obama Day (Aug 4)
Voting Rights Act of 1965
(Aug 6)
International Youth Day
(Aug 12)
National Roller Coaster Day
(Aug 16)
National Aviation Day (Aug 19)
iPLANETS ACADEMY Founder
Day (Aug 28 )
Labor Day (First Mon in Sept)
Grandparents Day
(1st Sun after Labor Day)
Patriot Day (Sept 11)
Independence Day in Mexico
(Sept 16)
Miniature Golf Day (Sept 21)
Checkers Day (Sept 23)
World Card Making Day (Oct 3)
World Taco Day (Oct 4)
National Child Health Day
(First Mon of Oct)
Indigenous Peoples' Day
(Second Monday in Oct)
National Farmer's Day
(Oct12)
Fossil Day (Oct 13)
Dictionary Day (Oct 16)
Black Poetry Day (Oct 17)
Chocolate Cupcake Day (Oct 18)
Indigenous Peoples' Day
(2nd Mon in Oct)
Kamala Devi Harris Birthday
(Oct 20 )
International Sloth Day (Oct 20)
National Mentoring Day
(Oct27)
International Animation
Day (Oct 28)
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Fall Harvest and Costume
Dress Up (Oct 31)
GO HERE for a list of costumes
we do not allow.
National Brush Day (Nov 1)
National Homeschool Day of
Prayer (First Fri of Nov)
World Science Day (Nov 10) Sesame Street Day (Nov 10)
Veterans Day (Nov 11)
World Kindness Day (Nov 13)
National Pickle Day (Nov 14)
Take a Hike Day (Nov 17)
National Adoption Day (Nov 20 )
Universal Children’s Day (Nov 20)
Friendsgiving Day
(4th Fri of Nov)
Native American Heritage Day
(Day after Thanksgiving)
Día de la Constitución
{Constitution Day} (Dec 6)
National Cotton Candy Day
(Dec 7)
Gingerbread House Day (Dec 12)
National Cocoa Day (Dec13)
International Monkey
Day (Dec 14)
Ugly Sweater Day (Dec 17)
[We Donate Sweaters}
Winter Solstice and Tre Boy
Birthday Celebration (Dec 21)
National Candy Cane Day
(Dec 26)
iPLANETS ACADEMY Kwanzaa
Version
(Dec 26-Jan 1) We do not
celebrate it the same as the
regular Kwanzaa but we have
adopted their 7 Principles for
our celebration. GO HERE for
more information on how we
celebrate it.
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PLEASE NOTE: There is no reduction in weekly fees for these holidays or celebrations EXCEPT all those enrolled for more than 28 days (in celebration of Mothers Day, Fathers Day, and Grandparents Day) will get one week free. In the month of May, everybody will be up-charged $28.00 in celebration of National Teachers Day.
So that's a FULL WEEK for ONLY $28.00 in May!