Learning Beyond the Classroom

At WonderED, students are not limited to a one-size-fits-all curriculum. Instead, they build their academic path using a variety of learning methods and evidence-creation options to demonstrate their growth and mastery. Whether through formal online courses, hands-on projects, book studies, community engagement, or real-world experiences, students have the freedom to learn in ways that best suit their strengths, interests, and goals. It is designed for personal, flexible and meaningful learning.

How WonderED Works: A Personalized Learning Approach

1. Choose How to Learn

Students can engage with academic content in multiple ways:

✅ Project-Based Learning (PBL): Hands-on, student-driven projects that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

✅ Formal Online Classes: Structured courses across multiple platforms to ensure students meet academic requirements at their own pace.

✅ Book Studies: Deep dives into literature and nonfiction, fostering analytical thinking and discussion.

✅ Community-Based Learning: Real-world experiences—internships, volunteer work, cultural activities—recognized as valid forms of learning.

✅ Independent Research & Self-Directed Study: Students take ownership of their learning through personalized research and inquiry-based exploration.

Each learning method provides opportunities to demonstrate mastery through multiple forms of evidence, allowing students to showcase what they know in ways that are meaningful to them.

Process for Discovering Effective Online Learning Methods:

Step 1: Initial Assessment

Purpose: Understand the student’s current learning preferences, strengths, and challenges.

Actions:

• Conduct a short survey or interview to determine the student’s preferred learning style (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic).
• Review previous academic performance and feedback to identify areas of strength and struggle.
• Ask the student about past experiences with online learning tools (if any).

Step 2: Exploration of Learning Platforms

• Purpose: Expose the student to a variety of online learning methods.
• Actions:
  • Provide access to different platforms, such as:
    • Interactive learning apps (e.g., quizzes, games, simulations).
    • Video-based platforms (e.g., instructional videos, recorded lessons).
    • Text-based resources (e.g., eBooks, articles, or PDFs).
    • Collaborative tools (e.g., virtual study groups, discussion boards).
  • Introduce a mix of synchronous (live classes) and asynchronous (self-paced modules) learning options.

Step 3: Trial and Observation

• Purpose: Allow the student to experiment with different methods and observe their engagement and progress.
• Actions:
  • Assign short tasks or lessons using various platforms (e.g., a math problem on an interactive app vs. watching a video explanation).
  • Observe the student’s engagement level, ease of use, and feedback about each method.
  • Encourage students to note what they enjoyed or found challenging about each approach.

Step 4: Collect Feedback

• Purpose: Gather insights directly from the student about their preferences and experiences.
• Actions:
  • Ask the student to rank the platforms or methods based on how helpful and enjoyable they found them.
  • Use specific questions like:
    • Which platform helped you understand the topic best?
    • Did you feel more focused during any particular method?
    • Was any format too challenging or frustrating?

Step 5: Analyze and Adjust

• Purpose: Identify patterns in the student’s preferences and performance.
• Actions:
  • Review the student’s feedback alongside their performance (e.g., quiz scores, task completion rates).
  • Identify the top-performing platforms or methods that resonate with the student.
  • Eliminate methods that were ineffective or caused disengagement.

Step 6: Personalized Learning Plan

• Purpose: Create a customized approach to the student’s learning.
• Actions:
  • Incorporate the most effective methods into a structured learning plan.
  • Balance their preferred methods with occasional exposure to other styles to build adaptability.
  • Set goals for monitoring and refining the plan over time.

Step 7: Ongoing Monitoring

• Purpose: Ensure the chosen methods remain effective as the student progresses.
• Actions:
  • Regularly check in with the student to reassess preferences and performance.
  • Adapt the learning methods as the student’s needs and subjects evolve.

This process ensures a student-centered approach to discovering and optimizing their ideal learning environment. These steps can be taken with individuals or groups of students.

2. Show Mastery Through Evidence Creation

At WonderED Academy, learning is measured through evidence, not just tests and grades. Students demonstrate their understanding by creating:

📌 Project Portfolios – Showcasing their work, research, and final products.
📌 Reflections & Self-Assessments – Articulating personal growth and learning.
📌 Community Experience Documentation – Highlighting skills developed through real-world experiences.
📌 Course Completions & Assessments – Earning credit through formal classes.
📌 Creative Expressions – Writing, multimedia projects, coding, and artistic works.

This Mastery-Based Learning approach ensures that students can demonstrate what they know in ways that best reflect their learning journey.

How Evidence of Learning Shows Progress

Instead of relying only on tests and grades to measure what students know, evidence of learning allows students to show their knowledge and skills in many different ways. This could include things like projects, essays, presentations, artwork, videos, experiments, or even real-world experiences like internships or community work.

How It Works

1. Students Create or Collect Work – A student completes a project, writes a paper, records a video, or gathers any other work that demonstrates what they’ve learned.
2. Students Tag Their Work – They connect their work to specific topics, skills, and competencies (for example, a science experiment might show knowledge of biology, data analysis, and problem-solving).
3. Teachers and AI Help Evaluate the Work – The submitted evidence is reviewed for quality and complexity based on rubrics or predefined criteria. AI can assist in analyzing the depth of learning, while teachers can confirm or provide feedback.
4. Credit and Progress Tracking – Each piece of evidence contributes to earning credits based on how much effort and understanding it demonstrates. Students can track how their work adds up toward graduation requirements, skills mastery, or personal learning goals.
5. Students and Teachers See Growth Over Time – Instead of just seeing a final grade, students (and their families) can view a digital portfolio showing all the work they've done, how it connects to their goals, and what they need to work on next.

Why This Matters

• More Ways to Show Learning – Not everyone excels at traditional tests, so this approach gives students more ways to prove what they know.
• Personalized Learning Paths – Students can work on topics that interest them while still meeting educational requirements.
• Real-World Readiness – Colleges and employers value portfolios of work that showcase problem-solving, creativity, and effort.

3. Track Progress

WonderED Academy uses a Mastery-Based framework, where students earn credit based on Quality × Complexity rather than just seat time. Each student’s progress is tracked dynamically through:

🔹 A Personalized Learning Pathway – Customizable to align with graduation goals and career aspirations.
🔹 Real-Time Tracking – Automatically calculating earned points (credits) based on completed work.
🔹 Teacher & Parent Collaboration – Allowing for mentorship, guidance, and collaboration in a student’s academic journey.
🔹 Suggestions for Next Steps – Helping students identify opportunities to meet remaining graduation requirements.

Why This Works for Students

🌟 Personalized Pathway – Every student chooses learning methods that match their interests.
🌟 Hands-On Learning – Projects, internships, and independent research bring subjects to life.
🌟 Flexible & Engaging – No rigid schedules—students earn credits in a way that works for them.
🌟 College & Career Ready – Practical skills like financial literacy, public speaking, and research prepare students for success beyond school.

Our Belief: Flexible Learning

At WonderED Academy, it’s understood that every student is unique, and so are their learning styles. That’s why WonderED designed a flexible learning environment, online or in-person, that adapts to the student’s pace, interests, and goals.

With a blend of structured curriculum and creative exploration, WonderED provides a holistic educational experience that goes beyond the classroom.

Our Expectation: The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is a guiding framework that outlines the shared responsibilities of Staff, Students, and Parents/Guardians in creating a successful and supportive learning environment. Each group plays a vital role—like a third of the whole—to ensure students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

When each “third” contributes intentionally:

• Students grow as self-directed, reflective learners.
• Staff foster engaging, inclusive, and competency-based learning.
• Families provide essential support and connection from home.

Together, these three parts form a strong foundation for personalized , empowered learning.

Staff

• Be physically and mentally present each day in online sessions and meetings
  → Ensures consistency, availability, and builds trust with students and families.
• Act as a learning guide and mentor for students and families
  → Supports the whole learner by providing personalized guidance.
• Support students in identifying necessary resources, materials, and digital tools
  → Helps students become more independent and resourceful.
• Serve as content area experts when appropriate
  → Ensures academic rigor and clarity in instruction.
• Maintain a safe and supportive learning environment
  → Fosters emotional well-being and engagement.
• Model WonderED competencies while living by the student-created charter
  → Sets a strong example of values and shared agreements.
• Intentionally teach competencies and skills through engaging, relevant experiences
  → Promotes deep learning through voice and choice.
• Give high-quality feedback on tasks, assignments, and projects
  → Drives student improvement and reflection.
• Communicate important information with students and families
  → Keeps everyone aligned and reduces confusion.
• Participate in regular Professional Learning and Kid Talk sessions
  → Supports continuous educator growth and student-focused collaboration.

Students

• Be physically and mentally present each day in online sessions and meetings
  → Maximizes engagement and builds accountability.
• Arrive in meetings on time with necessary materials and technology
  → Shows readiness to learn and respect for others’ time.
• Identify and maintain a comfortable, appropriate learning environment
  → Improves focus and academic performance.
• Participate fully – with camera ON
  → Enhances presence and builds connection with peers and teachers.
• Keep non-educational tech away during learning
  → Reduces distractions and improves concentration.
• Maintain a supportive learning environment by living the classroom charter
  → Promotes a positive, collaborative community.
• Accept personal responsibility for actions
  → Develops integrity and self-discipline.
• Complete tasks and projects by set deadlines
  → Builds time management skills and reliability.
• Record and reflect on learning experiences in LMS
  → Encourages self-awareness and ownership of learning.
• Advocate for learning experiences in areas of interest/talent
  → Fuels passion and encourages self-directed learning.
• Accept feedback and incorporate it – maintain a growth mindset
  → Strengthens resilience and lifelong learning skills.
• Check email daily and follow through
  → Promotes effective communication and organization.
• Proactively communicate with Advisor when disruptions arise
  → Builds self-advocacy and strengthens support systems.
• Ask for help when anything is unclear
  → Demonstrates responsibility and helps close learning gaps.

Parents/Guardians

• Support student in being on time to meetings with materials
  → Reinforces responsibility and structure at home.
• Help set up and maintain an appropriate learning environment
  → Creates a space conducive to learning and focus.
• Familiarize yourself with the WonderED model, assessments, and competencies
  → Improves ability to support learning and communicate with staff.
• Know student expectations and assist with completion
  → Provides scaffolding while fostering independence.
• Emphasize reading and writing at home
  → Strengthens foundational skills crucial to all subjects.
• Support student interests and project design
  → Encourages creativity, ownership, and deeper learning.
• Check in with students regularly on progress and tasks
  → Builds student accountability and emotional support.
• Share your time, talent, and/or treasure with the school community
  → Enriches the learning environment and strengthens community bonds.
• Stay informed via email, newsletter, and school website
  → Ensures active engagement and timely responses.

Our Approach: Five Elements of Learning

WonderED achieves this vision through five distinct Elements of Learning. These ensure a well-rounded and engaging learning journey:

🔗 Daily Advisory for Social-Emotional Growth: Each day begins with a live Advisory session, where students connect with an Advisor to check n, set goals, and foster meaningful relationships. These sessions promote social-emotional learning, providing students with the skills and support they need to thrive both academically and personally.

🔗Core Courses Across Multiple Platforms: WonderED offers a robust selection of core courses through an array of platforms to provide students with a rich and diverse learning experience. Whether the student excels in math, science, literature, or the arts, the tailored curriculum meets the student where they are and helps them soar to new heights.

🔗 Book Studies for Critical Thinking: Through engaging Book Studies, students enhance reading and critical thinking abilities. These sessions encourage deep discussions, creativity, and analytical skills—all essential for academic success and lifelong learning.

🔗 Collaborative and Independent Project-Based Learning: WonderED empowers students to explore their interests and develop critical skills through both group and independent project-based learning. This approach allows students to work collaboratively on team initiatives while also pursuing individual goals and innovations, fostering a balance of teamwork and self-direction.

🔗 Community-Based Learning: Our community learning initiatives encourage students to step outside the virtual classroom and engage in activities such as dance, art, and other extracurricular pursuits. This type of learning promotes cultural enrichment, personal growth, and a stronger connection to the world around them.