Author: Director

Sophia Academy believes in spending as much time as possible in multi-sensory, hands-on learning. Does that mean we don’t deal with the content that will prepare our students for the future whether that’s college or career?  Not at all.

Whether working on equations in Physics, memorizing  Latin vocabulary, reading Julius Caesar, or drawing angles, Sophia students are finding success with a standard high school curriculum.

Our difference?  We infuse the visual and performing arts into that curriculum as part of our Awakening Genius model. 

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Each year, students studying Ancient World Cultures participate in a hands-on DIG. After studying culture in general, and ancient cultures in particular, they create their own culture, produce artifacts that will reveal an aspect of their culture, bury it–and then the fun begins.

When students exchange archeological plots, they are required to dig carefully, clean the artifact, and study it for clues. How was this society ruled? What does the artifact reveal about the cultures’s religion? Economy? Family structure? Is there a “rosetta stone” to use to decipher the language?

Why do we turn ourselves into archeologists?  Doesn’t it slow down the acquisition of knowledge?  It is our goal to cement a broad general store of knowledge into each of our students’ minds. The best way to accomplish this is to have them learn by doing. And so we dig in the dirt.

Whether building an eco-system, creating a clean basketball court from a filthy warehouse floor, or baking bread, Sophia Academy students practice science and math with their hands. We set aside some days every month to engage in what we call authentic learning. Other days, we work diligently through problems in Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, and take tests on kilocalories and DNA. But some days? Some days we build, create, and produce with our hands. That brings us joy.

While speaking with parents and potential students at the GreatPhilly Schools Fair (#phillyhsfair), we were reminded of why we have all our 9th graders take a class in Chair Caning:  it provides a way for them to use their hands, often their strongest mode; it prepares them for the future with a bankable skill; it is fun.  Good reasons all. But here’s the best reason:  weaving a cane seat through all seven steps requires every student to “cross the midline.”

So what, you say? Ah, but listen well to occupational therapist, JJ Schweikert, who explains that

“When we perform activities that cross the midline of our body, these movements are helping build pathways in the brain that are extremely important for various skills such as gross motor, fine motor and cognitive skills. All movement requires a sense of balance.  When the equilibrium is deficient, it can affect how we sit and may produce an increase in fidgeting and restlessness.  Poor midline skills can also cause the learner to have scattered attention.  Movements that cross the midline are important for fine motor skills, directional skills (such as up, down, left and right) and for interpreting symbols (such as letters or numbers).

In other words, Sophia Academy requires Chair Caning because it makes our brains grow smarter and work better.  Since research shows a strong connection between dyslexia and midline crossing deficiency, we’re all about crossing the midline.

We focus on executive function skills in all of Sophia Academy’s classes: the ability to plan, organize, categorize, achieve, and so on.  But, according to the Center on the Developing Child at Harv are University, there are many things parents can do at home to help teens acquire more robust executive function skills.  Among these are

• Encourage your teen to identify something specific that he wants to accomplish. Start with something fairly simple and achievable.
• help your teen develop plans for steps to reach these goals. Have them think through what can be done to achieve both short and long-term goals
• Remind your teen to periodically monitor his behavior and consider whether he is dong the things he planned. Have him ask “Is this part of the plan? If not, why am I doing it? Has something changed?”
• Self-talk is a powerful way to bring thoughts and actions into consciousness. Encourage self talk that focuses on growth.
• Help your teen to be mindful of interruptions
• Encourage self-reflection through the keeping of a journal.  

Excitement is in the air at Sophia Academy as we move to new classrooms, add new students, meet new teachers, and add new subjects to our curriculum. Our move to 5500 Tabor Avenue began in June and was complete by the second week of September. Classrooms that are bright, airy, and painted a calming light yellow have had an obvious impact as students have thrown themselves willingly into work as varied as Latin and Logic, Government and Geometry. 

Our newest teacher, Ms. Spearman, has students loving both Drama and history class, where she uses the History Alive curriculum, while our Math tutor and PE teacher provides fun as well as academic success. Best of all, we welcome a new class of ninth graders who have bonded well with our current students.  Their presence keep us on track for our growth projections for our third year.

EBLI (ebli.com) stands for Evidence Based Literacy Instruction that is suitable for any reader: young, old, elementary, high school, slow, fast, whatever.  All students at Sophia Academy @ ICHS will have EBLI instruction as part of their English class.  We expect to see quick gains in comprehension as shown by the material our students are able to conquer. According to the EBLI research and data collection, the average student gains almost three grade levels with only 9 hours of instruction!  It increases reading accuracy, reading speed, and reading comprehension for all students from the lowest to the highest reader in the class, by building a strong foundation (phonemic awareness, EBLI concepts and skills), solid walls(vocabulary, fluency, spelling and writing), and an impervious roof (reading text and Guided Reading) to our literacy house. We encourage you to visit the website ebli.com to watch the videos and learn more.

 Creative Teacher?

Sophia Academy @ICHS,  an arts-based school providing multi-sensory and personalized education for bright students with language-based learning difference, seeks an exceptional, renaissance teacher to provide engaging instruction in multiple subjects.

Job Description

• Cultivate a learning environment that encourages discovery, creativity, and student growth through a rigorous, hands-on, and inquiry-driven approach.
• Offer positive feedback and coaching to promote student confidence and high academic outcomes.
• Demonstrate awareness of students’ backgrounds, skills, proficiency levels, interests, learning styles, and special needs in lesson planning, pacing, and presentation.
• Employ innovative instructional methods and adjust instructional strategies to meet each student’s learning needs.
• Utilize a variety of creative assessments to track student learning
• Meet all teaching and job expectations with positive professionalism.
• Willingly take on other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Clear Christian testimony
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in primary subject
• Effective classroom experience
• A love of exploration, discovery, and creativity
• Willingness to build new skills through college courses or professional development
• Maintain compliance with state and federal laws; pass pre-employment background check.
• Able to teach combinations of subjects

Desired Qualifications and Attributes:

• Pennsylvania Teaching Certification
• Visionary
• Organized
• Experience or training with students with dyslexia or dyscalculia

If interested, complete our application