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Prisma is the world’s most engaging virtual school that combines a fun, real-world curriculum with powerful mentorship from experienced coaches and a supportive peer community.
Prior to Prisma, we were part of a vibrant homeschooling community. We did classes together and weekly nature meetups. Most of our academic learning was done on our own. Some of that learning included Outschool classes. During covid, my kids did even more Outschool classes. They really enjoyed the classes, but felt it would be better if you could have the same kids in the classes together. Once in person activities started again, my 11 year old daughter began asking for more academic work. We had used different curriculums, but she wanted more. I started to do research and looked into micro schools, but then found Prisma.
The learning experience was very natural. A lot of it was through experiences, and trying to be child driven. But we also did some school at home with reading/writing curriculum, those were not as enjoyable. The biggest challenges we were facing was not knowing how the kids were progressing, and also feeling like their entire education rested on my shoulders.
After reading about Prisma, I talked with Victoria, and everything she described sounded exactly like what we wanted. I was really only looking for something for Matilda, who was 11 at the time, but both of my children wanted to try out a sample workshop. When they tried the workshop, it was over, they both loved it! Henry was so enthusiastic about joining that I signed both of them up.
My hope when joining Prisma was that they would have fun learning and that our family would be inspired by the projects. My only real concern was technology. I have always been scared of my kids using technology. They never watched kids shows or did video games, but that changed a bunch with covid. I was worried about them spending a lot of time on computers, but his concern fell away very quickly as I found that they were learning how to responsibly use technology as a tool.
The first big surprise for me was the amazing team I would get to help me. I didn’t feel so alone when it came to supporting my kids' academic education. And second was the way that my kids would learn how to responsibly use technology as a tool. But best of all is the amazing ability they have grown to build relationships online that translate when they meet in person. Being able to build teams remotely is going to be a priceless skill for their entire life.
Our entire family has grown so much. We have improved how we communicate with each other, become more open minded, and learned how to manage meetings better. And we have all changed our perspectives by incorporating the Prisma powers into our everyday life.
Matilda's biggest areas of growth were in leadership and writing. She has always been a leader, but she has really had the opportunity to lead groups while at Prisma. And she has really embraced writing. She went from only wanting to write a simple paragraph in the first cycle to choosing to write a book in the last cycle. I was so shocked when she chose that option for her project.
Henry’s biggest growth area has been getting comfortable with public speaking and speaking up for himself. When he started, he was too nervous to put his camera on when it was a big group. He didn’t want to do Expo day. But the coaches met him where he was and brainstormed ways he did want to participate. They were so understanding and made him so comfortable. By the time Cycle 4 Expo Day came around, Henry was so excited for it that he was literally dancing.
We have had two favorite themes. The first cycle was Uncharted Territories. The books the kids read and the different ways of thinking were so much fun. Henry created an art deco advertisement for a settlement on Mars. He was exposed to the idea of future jobs including being a chef in space. And his diorama and video he made was awesome. The second favorite was Unsolved Mysteries. The history the kids learned about and how they came up with their own theories to present was fun to watch.
Kristi is an amazing mentor to all of us. For the kids, she has a special way of inspiring and supporting them in a way where they can really show their personalities in their work. The learning coaches are the key to Prisma’s success.
My kids have made friends at Prisma. The first time we ever did an in person meetup, you could see the amazing community that was being made. As soon as people saw us coming, they were enthusiastically waving hi. There was no awkwardness. The kids just jumped right in to having fun. And that hasn’t changed. Every time we get to spend time with these amazing kids, the experience is invaluable.
My entire family has become more confident in how we are doing overall. We are engaged and have a better sense of where we are going. And we are never lacking for inspiration.
Want to learn more about how Prisma can empower your child to thrive?
Talk with usTalk with usMiddle School Curriculum Designer Lizzie uses her diverse experiences: studying Literature at Harvard, leading outdoor adventure expeditions, and teaching high school English, to help Prisma learners find their voices.
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