Liberating Minds, Inspiring Wisdom: A Christian Arts-Based School for Students with Learning Differences
For a school dedicated to awakening genius through creative discovery, it is important to find teachers who have caught the vision and love being pushed to be their best. Our new teachers this year fit the bill. Let us introduce Ms. Melody Heath (Temple U), new teacher of science and math, Mr. Aaron Vander-Collins (Liberty U, Rutgers), our new teacher of music.], and Mr. Jabarr Graves (Chatham U) new teacher of art.
Sophia Academy’s school year is hurtling to a close. As we continue to delve into history and science, math and literature, we also take time to learn outside the classroom. This spring, our field trips included an art-based trip to the Schuylkill River and its hiking trails, a science trip to Eastern University’s planetarium and observatory, and a hands-on trip to a New Jersey egg farm where we helped care for animals and made home-made pizza.
What is “authentic, hands-on” education? Education that prepares students with skills they can use in the adult world of 2022 and beyond. As part of Sophia Academy’s mission to awaken genius in students with language-based learning differences, we are always seeking to find ways to give our students practice with the same skills they might use as an adult.
We were fortunate to receive an award for the school as part of the Excellence in Teaching Award given to Mr. Brockman. With that award, we purchased curricula and equipment to enable students to learn design and development skills as they use tinkerCAD. Our new 3D printer has students quite excited!
Comparing water samples gathered from Lorimar Park, growing mold on jack-o-lanterns, checking out crystalline structures under a microscope: these are just a few ways students put feet and hands on their learning under the direction of Mrs. Gudz, Biology teacher at Sophia Academy. Mrs. Gudz comes to Sophia after years of teaching and working in the health professions. She loves making the world of science come alive to students (and vice versa), but she especially loves the opportunity to help young men and women grow in character, in wisdom, and in favor with God.
Sophia Academy will staff a table at Great Philly Schools’ High School Fair on September 15-16, 2017. Eighth graders across the city will pour into the Pennsylvania Convention Center on those days to shop for high schools. None of them yet know of the gem of a school called Sophia Academy. Most won’t need us. Others will, but they won’t have heard that hope and success are close at hand. We will spend two days spreading the word about Sophia Academy–our arts-based high school for bright students with language-based learning differences. Our tag line is “multi-sensory education for learning differently.” We are convinced by both research and experience that multi-sensory education makes all the difference in the world for those who have struggled with reading or math or executive function or processing. Send your friends our way!