An Adventurous Approach to Education: Embracing Celebration Education as a Complete Curriculum
Welcome to the exciting world of Celebration Education! I'm Heather Martinson, the founder of this one-of-a-kind learning adventure, and today, I want to share with you how our curriculum can transform your child's learning journey into a vibrant and immersive experience - without the need for traditional textbooks and worksheets.
Celebration Education revolves around the premise of experiential learning. Every year, we focus on a specific theme. For instance, this year, we're delving into the concept of sustainable farming, journeying through five different topics including ‘Origins of Agriculture,’ ‘Sumerian Inventions,’ ‘Arts and Animals,’ ‘The Incredible Sun,’ and ‘Delightful Dirt,’ which will be the topic for both weeks five and six.
Hands-on Learning Experiences
Each week, we introduce a new topic that relates to our annual theme. Our approach goes beyond lectures and encourages hands-on activities, enhancing students' understanding of the concepts introduced. For example, when studying 'A Christmas Carol,' during our hero-themed year, we incorporated discussions and activities about England, where the story takes place.
The aim here is to spark students' interest and encourage them to explore the topic further on their own.
Fireworks - Igniting Learning Passion at Home
To support learning outside the classroom, we have a list of activities - we call them 'fireworks.' Families can access these with a family membership at https://learningoutsidethebox.com/. These are fun projects that students can do at home to further engage with the week's topic. They are not assignments but merely suggestions to stoke curiosity and learning.
Let's take our Leonardo da Vinci week, from said hero year, as an example. The 'fireworks' for this week included noticing art in everyday life, critiquing a piece of art, discussing metaphors, and even creating a story or poem about a picture observed.
Venturing Outside the Classroom
Our curriculum is not limited to the classroom. We facilitate semimonthly field trips. All these trips tie back to the week's topic, creating an integrated learning experience for our students.
Journaling - Your Child's Language Arts Toolkit
We believe that all language arts can be taught through journaling. Journaling allows students to express themselves, draw, write, and collect their thoughts and ideas. We encourage learning more about journaling as a curriculum at https://www.celebrationeducation.com/single-post/2016/11/23/journaling.
A New Approach to Math
Math is a subject that many find intimidating, but at Celebration Education, we make it accessible and engaging. We ditch the textbooks and embrace a more organic way of learning through math literature, games, and real-life projects. These methods make the subject enjoyable and practical, ultimately fostering a deeper understanding of the subject.
Enrichment Classes
Celebration Education believes in nurturing each child's unique genius. That's why we encourage involvement in enrichment classes that cater to their individual strengths. Whether it's art, music, or science, we aim to provide the necessary resources and opportunities for students to explore and grow in their areas of interest.
Celebrations - Marking Milestones
We round off our curriculum with celebrations, where we gather six times a year to appreciate our accomplishments, showcase our work, and enjoy time together as a community.
The Celebration Education curriculum is designed to inspire creativity and lead to a world of possibilities. If you're already part of our journey or considering joining us, remember that this learning experience is not restricted to the confines of our classrooms. The world is our classroom, and every adventure becomes a learning experience.
I'm thrilled to be part of your child's learning journey, and I'm always here to answer any queries you might have about our program. Happy learning!
