The Prisma curriculum has two core components: Knowledge and Real world learning. Each is equally important and learners spend about half of their time each week on each component. Knowledge badges incorporate study of seven academic disciplines (English, Math, Social Studies, History, Arts & Culture, Tech & Design, and Self & Wellness), and Real world learning is comprised of Mastery, Life skills, Worldview, and Experiential learning. 

• Learners earn ten Knowledge badges each year. Badges cover a diverse range of engaging topics that are more like specialized college courses than regular school subjects, from “Pleasure Reading” to “Digital Art” to “Futurology” to “Brains.” Learners complete Knowledge badges at their own pace using high-quality resources vetted, curated and designed by the Prisma team. All badges allow students to dive as deep as they want into content they’re interested in and to select or create their own tasks and projects to demonstrate their learning. The last three weeks of each learning cycle is spent working on an interdisciplinary project completely designed by the learner, incorporating what they’ve learned from their Knowledge badges. 
• Mastery badges: Learners earn one Mastery badge per year by engaging in deliberate practice to develop a skill of their choice—anything from Italian cooking to classical piano to basketball free-throws. 
• Life skills & Worldview badges: Learners meet virtually with their learning coach and the other members of their cohort on Monday-Thursday mornings to work toward Worldview and Life skills badges. To earn Worldview badges, learners dive deep into a challenge or question affecting society—from school reform to factual and unbiased news—and debate, discuss, and propose solutions. To earn Life skills badges, learners participate in twice-weekly workshops, lessons, and expert Q&As to gain real-world skills they need to be successful, like oral and written communication, developing good habits, becoming a leader, and project design & management. 
• Experiential learning badges: Learners earn three Experiential learning badges per year, one for completing a local service learning project with their cohort during the month of December, one for engaging in one of our many social clubs, and the other for pursuing a summer learning opportunity, such as volunteer work, a youth leadership program, a part-time job, or an internship/apprenticeship. Learning coaches help connect learners with appropriate summer learning opportunities and mentor them before, during, and after the experience.

Educational content is delivered via a variety of resources and mediums. Group time is primarily facilitated by live video, and we use a wide selection of apps and websites for uniquely paced, self-directed, and collaborative learning, as curated by our curriculum team. We also offer in-person components that both reinforce and enhance the online portion of our program (once it is safe to do so respective to COVID-19).

We believe that time is precious, so we don’t ask kids to get together without a valuable purpose. Thankfully, fantastic resources exist for learning math, languages, and all sorts of topics independently. As such, learners’ time together focuses on collaborative experiences that are enriched by a community environment, such as current events discussions, presentations of individual passion projects, debates ranging from ethics and history to politics and philosophy, experiential, multi-month group projects, community service learning, and more.

At Prisma, we leverage modern technology to facilitate meaningful, rich social connections, and our network of Prisma cohorts allows learners to to form social clubs and plan virtual activities to make new friends around the country based on common interests. We are also committed to frequently getting kids away from their screens and out in their communities. Part of what makes Prisma exceptional are the local and community-focused elements of our program. We are global and local citizens who create, debate, problem-solve, and play together.

Prisma’s model draws inspiration from project-based learning, inquiry and problem-based learning, interest-driven learning, social-emotional learning, and deeper learning theory. Each of these approaches has empirically proven positive results for learners including increased academic performance, critical thinking, creativity, long-term motivation, and love of learning.

Our flexible, online learning environment allows learners to deepen their understanding of content that interests them by learning to be independent researchers, confident digital citizens, and skilled project and time managers. Instead of being limited to the resources available inside four school walls, learners have the freedom and guidance to follow their curiosity wherever it leads, to destinations virtual and physical. Our interactive components allow learners to collaborate authentically with their peers, rather than listening to dry online lectures or conversing in dull discussion forums. Our coaches are highly trained in using technology to enhance their ability to educate, rather than trying to poorly reproduce traditional classroom methods online.

Academic rigor is highly prioritized at Prisma. Learning just happens differently here, for the better! Instead of checking boxes to meet externally derived educational standards, we encourage learners to follow their curiosity to excavate their interests and passions. This fuels learning that’s fun and engaging while facilitating whole-person development. Learning this way, along with the skillful support of our Learning coaches, enables the achievement of academic mastery while allowing the love of learning to flourish. Much of the recent wave of innovation in education focused on acceptance to highly ranked colleges and high test scores as the gold standards of success. We believe that mastery of ‘core’ content and exceptional educational outcomes can be achieved without test anxiety, without dry lectures delivered to students, and without adults directing a child’s every move. We also know that now more than ever, top colleges are looking for well-rounded students with a rich portfolio of projects, a resume of real-world experiences, and the ability to express themselves with originality and confidence. Learners who partner with Prisma will be far ahead of their traditionally-educated peers in this respect.

Prisma operates on a year-round schedule, with several breaks ranging in length from two to four weeks. Learners spend September through June working on Knowledge, Life Skills, Worldview, and Mastery badges during three twelve-week learning cycles. Each cycle ends with an expo day, where families come together to celebrate students’ hard work on their self-directed projects. In July and August, learners pursue an Experience badge by completing a summer opportunity of their choice. The summer cycle schedule is highly flexible, to accommodate family travel and other summer fun.

Learners who choose Prisma generally expect to spend 5-6 hours per day learning. Each day starts with a 10 am Stand up meeting with other members of their cohort and their Learning coach. Learners then participate in working toward either their Life skills or Worldview badge, during which they debate, discuss, and work in small teams to solve problems and create solutions to real-world problems. Learners are then free to structure their time in the way that works best for them, be it working on Knowledge badges, practicing for their Mastery badge, joining one of our clubs or social groups, or working with other Prisma learners on a group project. Check out our sample week in the life of a learner.

Prisma cohorts generally engage in morning live group learning with afternoons reserved for independent work (offering greater flexibility later in the day). Because our goal is for your child to have a rich educational experience, including contributing to a collaborative group environment, we ask learners to consistently participate in synchronous group time. That being said, we're willing to consider your family's flexibility needs, and missing a day here and there is totally fine!

Prisma cohorts start on September 8, 2020. Check out our 2020-2021 calendar.

We believe that learners are more than a test score and that depth of knowledge cannot be assessed via traditional assessments. Learners are given rich written and verbal feedback on their contributions to their cohort in Worldview and Life skills badges, on their improvement in their Mastery badge, and on their self-selected projects in Knowledge badges. 

That said, we perform a small amount of pre-testing in Reading and Math to understand where each learner is coming from in terms of academic skills. We also administer regular survey-style assessments (not like traditional school tests) to measure learner well-being, skill acquisition, and achievement.

No, kids who learn with Prisma earn badges that represent their mastery of content. They also receive frequent written and verbal feedback from their Learning coach and peers.

Prisma’s badges can be translated to create a mastery-based transcript that would be recognized by any traditional school. We help each learner maintain a cumulative portfolio containing their Prisma documentation, writing, projects, and coach feedback that families can include when applying for admission to selective schools and programs.

In order to participate in Prisma, learners need a strong internet connection and consistent access to a computer with a camera and a microphone - which can be built-in, like on a laptop. We also strongly recommend that learners have access to a quiet and private learning space that’s free from distraction. 

If your family doesn’t have a computer that can be designated to your child’s primary use, please contact your local school district to see whether your child’s local school allows ‘homeschoolers’ to check out laptops (one-to-one laptop programs), access the school library, etc. While we are investigating how to connect learners with technology resources, we are not presently able to include a technology bundle within Prisma’s pricing.

Learners who partner with Prisma should be able to independently navigate online resources such as live video, learning websites, Google Docs and PowerPoint, etc. While we provide each new learner with the tools to navigate the platforms that everyone at Prisma uses, if your child does not yet know how to type or independently navigate online resources, we may ask your child to complete a digital literacy orientation before starting Prisma.