I was very fortunate to get into Kimberlin Academy when I was in elementary school and living in Texas. We had to go in and be tested. Out of a few hundred to try out, only 20-something of us got in. Kimberlin was a school that very strongly encouraged the arts, creativity, and critical thinking. Being accepted into this school set the foundation of how I approach education today. When I was in kindergarten, we were already doing presentations for the class. We learned how to research and present to the class. Learning these skills at such an early age when there are no issues with self-esteem gave me the confidence to speak in front of my peers. I didn’t know to be nervous, so I wasn’t. In first grade, after reading “The Velveteen Rabbit” and attending a performance of it on a field trip, we were given the task of making a project out of the book. I made a play and performed it by myself in front of the class, using some of my beanie babies as my actors. I had an absolute blast. This taught me to approach projects in a way that they are interesting to my classmates and audience. In second grade we would take time every week to work on a few concepts of fifth grade math. This was challenging, but very rewarding. Unfortunately, I had to move to Tennessee during my second grade year, but I will always be thankful for the boost that Kimberlin Academy gave me in my education.
Ohhhhh!! I want to hear more about Kimberlin! This was very well-crafted narrative reflection on the benefits of this particular educational philosophy at work. I am rather intrigued by the curriculum and pedagogical methods at work here. So cool. Gosh, this is the way I would prefer to teach my own children, and had I been given the opportunity and support for home-schooling, I would have gone that route as an alternate to some public (and private) schools. I can tell this school had a real impact on your overall academic philosophies and personality, too. Thank you for sharing:) 33/30 points possible
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