Vidya is partnered with Maker Learning Network, a TK-12 school service provider based in Santa Clarita, California. Since the successful launch of iLEAD Charter Schools in the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys ten years ago, Maker Learning Network has opened schools in Ohio, Colorado and Hawaii. Vidya is MLN’s first brick-and-mortar private school.
MLN and Vidya empower children to “think for themselves” — that is, not just about solving problems but about developing an organic vision of the world. We are firm believers in the power of project-based learning, coupled with deeper learning and a focus on social-emotional development. Maker Learning Network encourages and supports the following in all their schools:
- Appropriate and applicable cross-curricular, grade-level standards.
- Formative and summative assessments to track and support learner progress.
- Opportunities for personalized learning and entry points, including extensions and modifications, as needed.
- Connections to industry experts for exposure to career, skill, and content development.
- Social-emotional learning targets mindfully applied throughout projects.
- Metacognitive practices to increase learner agency and lifelong learning strategies.
With a focus on project-based learning, the Maker Learning Network model embodies five key pillars:
- International: Learning foreign languages and cultures makes our learners compassionate, open-minded world citizens.
- Leadership: Practicing leadership from a young age prepares our learners for a lifetime of listening, collaborating, inspiring — leading.
- Entrepreneurial Development: Encouraging learners to work in teams, take risks and learn from failure nurtures their ability to innovate and ignites their entrepreneurial spirit.
- Arts: Creating and exploring the world through the artistic experience enhances all subject areas.
- Design Thinking: Participating in project-based learning leads to more meaningful experiences and deeper understanding.
Vidya may be less than a year old and may have just a few staff members, but supporting us now is a 500-plus-educator-strong team to guide us with their experience and help us succeed. Thus, with Maker Learning Network, Vidya gains immediate access to practical implementation of field-tested ideas that work, such as project-based learning (PBL), social-emotional learning (SEL), blended learning, and individualized learning plans (ILPs). As a partner, MLN will further assist Vidya with many of the operational and back-office functions, such as human resources, payroll, benefits, staff training, student and staff support, communications and outreach, marketing, facilities, information technology, finance and accounting, and crisis management.