Author: Director

Sophia Academy moves! We began the school year at Esperanza College on North 5th Street in a quiet, airy, full of light building. We are grateful to Esperanza College for their generosity to us.

Moving is a critical piece of the Sophia education and our Awakening Genius model as well–moving with our bodies that is. Three times a week, Sophia students begin with The Kinetic Classroom, engaging in movement exercises that they must “read” off a large screen. Research shows that this type of body/brain connection leads to significant increases in cognitive development. Ms. Purring, our Drama and English teacher, comes to us with a background in physical theater and theatrical movement and ably leads the entire school in growing our brains.

In our academic classes, we are mindful that movement often equals knowledge imprinted on the memory. Moving hands, moving feet, moving bodies are some of the ways we learn English and History, Math and Latin. Other times we look like every other high school, but moving first helps us when we need to sit. . Come visit Sophia Academy and see how multi-sensory education can awaken the genius in every student.

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Sophia Academy is happy to announce the graduation of four seniors on June 6, 2019 with commencement exercises held at New Life Church, Philadelphia. Valedictorian Sam Doggett gave us a brief overview of his Sophia Academy experience, while commencement speaker Rev. Larry Smith spoke to the graduates about who they wanted to be in the future. Congratulations Sam, Reese, Destiny, and Jared!

Congratulations to our four seniors who will graduate in nine short weeks, finishing twelve years of schooling. Senioritis notwithstanding, Sophia Academy is proud of the seniors and their work. Let us introduce them to you:

Completing high school in three years, inquisitive REESE is a Sophia Academy success story. After experiencing our multi-sensory education, Reese shone in math and in science class where he loved working with the microscope in inquiry–based learning. Reese plans to work immediately after high school. Possible careers: graphic artist, lab tech, music teacher. 

Sophia Academy’s first Valedictorian, witty SAM enjoys our small classes and personal attention. He has made a name for himself as both a steadfast worker and a creative thinker and has become an inveterate reader. He thinks about pursuing criminal psychology after high school. Possible careers: detective, politician, criminal psychologist, coach or teacher.

Contemplative JARED joined us for his senior year to finish up the last of his requirements. His attentive mind and willingness to answer posed questions keeps discussion moving, a much appreciated gift. Jared plans to attend Community College. Possible careers: Accounts Receivable, IRS Data Entry, Landscaping, Gamer

Teachable DESTINY, who works hard in class, is an articulate speaker and great at connecting theory to real life. She added the feminine side to Sophia for two years. Possible careers: Health care professional, cosmetology, public relations, or sales.

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. 

Sophia Academy is pleased to offer attractive apparel with our logo for sale.  A percentage of each sale comes back to us for our educational needs.  Visit
www.sophiaphilashop.com today and find a perfect Christmas gift for everyone in your family.

 

 

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.