Why We Are Different
The most effective learning for children occurs in a context that relates to the world around them. More importantly, if that context is within their community integrating family, school, business and industry, government, higher education, and civic entities.
CHILDREN CAN EXPERIENCE A TOTAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT©
Today, too many education programs aimed at improving the learning and success of children are siloed efforts where the school or after-school staff are expected to knit key functions together to achieve an integrated solution. This is where Global Learning and Leadership is truly different. GL2 provides an integrated holistic program featuring key components so critical to their success in the future.
STEM / STEAM
The bulk of future careers will be in STEM related fields. The unique, highly-engaging Spy Club curriculum integrates STEM literacy as students travel the world searching for clues to solve intriguing mysteries. Along the way, they will be engaged in a unique hands-on, integrated and inquiry-based curriculum. During interactive activities, STEM concepts such as the ones listed below will be taught via missions and training exercises: physics, chemistry, geometry, simple to difficult math equations, map literacy, geography, earth science, astronomy, biology and biotechnology, hydrology, botany, food science, forensics, engineering/design/build, codes and ciphers, resource management, STEM inventions by ancient civilizations (China, India, Egypt, Japan), ethics, and much more.
College and Career Awareness and Readiness
Students need a future orientation based on exposure to all potential college and careers opportunities in the world in which they will live and work. GL2’s program approaches utilizes Journeys Map for students to explore their learning paths and vast digital content mapped to their goals. Learning paths are created from vast databases, which are constantly updated and organized by patented technology into maps aligned with state learning standards. Students record learning experiences and map then to career choices. Teachers, students, and parents can see the skills and knowledge needed within 17 career clusters, 1800 career pathways. Content and capabilities of local and regional industry, business, colleges, and skill craft training entities will be included in Journeys Maps for students to comprehend.
Community Engagement
Every community has access to unique Industry, business, college and technical education, governmental entities, and much more that reflect its capability. Too often, these resources are not substantively engaged with students at any level of education. If they are, it is a one-time experience, rather than continually demonstrating the presence of STEM related careers and work experience present right where the students live. Many times, the community itself doesn’t realize the potential it has. GL2’s business experts are able to work with communities to bring their assets forward and develop a system of engagement activities for students showing career and work opportunities in a real hands-on manner.
Technical Assistance
No substantive effort at improving the learning achievement of students happens without targeted training and professional staff development. GL2 uses focused, ongoing professional development of staff, curriculum design/development, regular measurement and assessment to determine program efficacy and student growth. Through a team of K-12 and college level teachers and administrators with a history of success, GL2 builds the capacity of the organization to conduct the program, sustain it over time, and develop the ability to act as a resource to other entities within the community to expand the STEM program to other locations.
Customizable
Each setting is unique with regards to its needs, assets, and goals. Our program lends itself to building on the resources and capabilities within the community and integrate them into the local program. Rather than a “cookie cutter” approach, GL2 staff spend time in the community teaming with key players to develop a program that meets their needs to build a sense of ownership in this effort. Case in point, many local churches will be willing to be a sponsor using their space for after-school and summer programs and access to their members with unique experiences to support STEM activities. They are an unused asset that provide a critical piece of the system to supplement education as well as daycare needs for working parents.
Supplement, not supplant
Our program is designed and directed to supplement the educational programs and efforts within the community. We are not there to supplant any program. Our goal is to build upon and expand current school efforts by bringing programs, technical assistance, knowledge, and expertise, either within the school day or in after-school or summer settings.
No one entity can do it all. It requires a total learning community©.
Utilization of Targeted Technology
The world in which our children will work will utilize more and more technology. GL2 has vetted technology offerings such the Journeys Map, the Foundations Learning System, and use of virtual presence communication capability for local, national and global interactions reflecting state-of-the-art solutions to address student learning needs. In addition, the Spy Club curriculum utilizes many different forms and applications of technology, including digital microscopes, video production, robotics, solar panels, and 3D design/printing.
Measurable
Our program uses a multiple measures approach to provide quantifiable and qualitative data on student achievement including, but not limited, to the following factors: attendance, behavior, academic growth, student, staff, and parent input, demonstrations of STEM related skills and knowledge, college and career awareness and readiness.
No other program available today is as focused in such an integrative manner to the needs of our children and communities. This is particularly true for African American, minority and impoverished students. If we do not change the learning achievement of children in PreK-8, our goals for students at the high school and college levels will never be realized.