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Is my learner ready to start their journey at Creator's House?

Question #3

Look-Fors: Is Your Learner Ready?

Readiness looks very different between the studios. Select the corresponding tab below for more details.

Is Your Learner Ready for Spark Studio?

Spark Studio is designed as a springboard into the older studios. It combines the best of Montessori, loose parts play, and practical hands-on learning. There are some things that you can look for to gauge whether or not your learner is ready to thrive:

Curiosity

Learners with an insatiable sense of curiosity about the world and people around them tend to thrive in this particular learning environment. This innate drive is one of the most basic components that fuels our educational model.

Basic Social Skills & Emotional Regulation

We understand that the Spark Studio is a unique time in a young learners life.  We are not looking for a young learner to have mastered what is mentioned below but to be on a journey of growth and that they have an increasing level of understanding in the following: the ability to be sociable as well as work and play independently with some redirection. An understanding of respecting the boundaries of others and agreed upon boundaries within the studio. The basic ability to cope with their own emotions.

Physical and Mental Independence

In order to thrive in this environment, young learners must be physically self-reliant, and no longer need a nap.  They must be able to understand simple instructions and to communicate their needs and wants.

Is Your Learner Ready for Explorer Studio (ages 7-11)

Sometimes prospective parents aren’t quite sure how to tell whether or not their young learner is ready for our unique learning environment. There are some things that you can look for to gauge whether or not they’re ready to thrive:

Curiosity

Learners with an insatiable sense of curiosity about the world and people around them tend to thrive in this particular learning environment. This innate drive is one of the most basic components that fuels our educational model.

Basic Social Skills

The ability to participate in a 15-minute discussion with peers and collaborate respectfully in a group/team environment are two things in particular that help to unlock the power of the Socratic process and team-based learning opportunities.

Basic Reading Skills

In order to effectively participate in Quests and other group work, learners must be able to read before joining our Explorer Studio.

Physical and Mental Independence

In order to thrive in this environment, they must be physically self-reliant and have the developmental readiness to set, remember and pursue simple SMART goals over the course of a few hours every day.

Basic Tech Skills

In order to fully leverage the power of the latest game-based core-skills learning platforms, it is helpful to be comfortable operating a laptop (think: basic apps and programs on a Chromebook).

Is Your Learner Ready for Makers Studio (ages 12-14)

Sometimes prospective parents aren’t quite sure how to tell whether or not their young learner is ready for our unique learning environment. There are some things that you can look for to gauge whether or not they’re ready to thrive:

Curiosity

Learners with an insatiable sense of curiosity about the world and people around them tend to thrive in this particular learning environment. This innate drive is one of the most basic components that fuels our educational model.

Executive Function

In order to thrive in this environment, they must be able to set, remember and pursue SMART goals over the course of a few hours every day.

Social Skills

The ability to collaborate respectfully with peers across team-based learning opportunities.

Hard Work

Deep learning brings a special sense of joy, but the mastery required for a Hero’s Journey in our Makers Studio goes even further, requiring commitment, discipline, and hard work toward a worthy goal.

Tech Skills

In order to fully leverage the power of the latest game-based core-skills learning platforms learners must be comfortable operating a laptop.

Help Your Child Get Ready

What can I do at home to get my child ready for Creator's House?

Everyone develops at their own pace, so fostering a sense of curiosity and wonder in the world around them, making a habit of working letters and numbers into everyday conversation, and reading with them daily is often all they need…the rest is just, well…time and patience!

One simple framework for building these daily habits is to try to focus your interactions into 1 of 3 categories:

Make an observation: : Act as a mirror and keep it as concise, judgement-free and non-emotional as you can. Sometimes it helps to pretend that you are a radio sports commentator and just narrate what you see. (eg: “I see that you…”, “I noticed that …”, “So it looks like Andrew is trying REALLY hard to get that door open…he’s using both hands to turn it but it’s not budging!…”)

Ask a question: Open-ended works best (if it can be answered with a yes or a no, then it’s not open-ended). (eg: “Why do you think…”; “How many X do you think…”; “Tell me about what letters you see…”) If their eyes glaze over, frame your question in a more concrete way. (eg: “What do you think that squirrel over there is doing? Why do you think she is doing that?”; “Wow! That’s a tall tower….How many blocks do you think we used?”; “Tell me more about what letters are on the shirt you are wearing…”)

Oohs & Ahhhs: : Fostering curiosity, excitement and gratitude can often be achieved by verbalizing the beauty you see, even in the most ordinary of things. (eg: “Wow! Isn’t this neat? What a beautiful butterfly this is! Look look at how it flies! And those colors! How lucky are we?!”)