What if activism, academics, + 'adulting' were taught in middle/high school?
No need to imagine. That's what we do best.
The Nguzo Saba
The Nguzo Saba is a Swahili phrase that describes the elements needed for a successful community.
These Seven Principles are essential standards of personal and social excellence directed toward building and sustaining moral community, and strengthening and maintaining the community’s capacity to define, defend and develop its interests in the most positive and productive sense.
We in America may know them from the black holiday of Kwanzaa as they were selected by Dr. Maulana Karanga as the 7 guiding principles for the holiday.
01/
UMOJA | UNITY
02/
KUJICHAGULIA | SELF DETERMINATION
03/
UJIMA | COLLECTIVE WORK + RESPONSIBILITY
04/
UJAMAA | COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS
05/
NIA | PURPOSE
06/
KUUMBA | CREATIVITY
07/
IMANI | FAITH
​
OUR VALUES
SERVICE
ACADEMIC MASTERY
CHARACTER
Journey Based Learning
Based on seven principles of all civilization called the "Nguzo Saba" or first fruits. These seven principles will be the guiding character focus for each year and each students journey based learning experience.
Journey Based Learning is an approach to education that values "learning to do" and "learning to be" over simply "learning to know".
At 7PCA each year the school, teachers, and students will create the "Journey" for the year. This is the overarching question that each student's individually developed project will seek to answer, and will be answered by every content area. An example of a student's journey and how their pillar will support that journey is listed below.
Who am I
and where am I going?
You are a hero in training seeking your powers or special gifts that you are passionate about and will help improve the world.
What skills do I need and which schools should I master?
Identifying the skill sets that are foundational for any career such as, reading, writing, and arithmetic while also mastering the skills that strengthen your identified gifts and better prepare you to be a “hero for your community”.
Who will affirm me and hold me accountable?
Ensuring teachers are “Masters” in their content to help students identify their gifts and passions and to ensure they have the skills to carry them through. Our teachers must believe that EVERY student who enters their environment is a genius and it is their duty to help identify their areas of genius.
How do I
prove what I
can do?
The presentation of all of your content specific mini-projects that combined displays the “journey” of our learning for the year!