360 Degree Education Plan
ALA 360 Degree Education Plan
Adopting the “Utah Life Skills” document into this process is very important to us as it keeps us in line with state expectations. This document simply describes the framework that influences instruction in our school as it deals with the elements of; thinking and reasoning skills, communication, character, social & civic responsibility, systems thinking, appreciating aesthetic value, and employability. In other words, implementing the elements of this document will help us produce students who have been taught using important life skills and are therefore better prepared to be quality citizens. We at Abundant Life Academy believe that many of the pieces of our program already use these skills; it is a matter of incorporating it all into a total “school” experience. The “school day” for students at Abundant Life Academy will consist of; (1) four hours of academic time, working mostly on required academic core courses. The courses will use certified teachers as tutors, helping the students through the self paced booklets. More face to face time with the teacher is something that ALA students can take advantage of. Each course consists of ten or twelve booklets depending on what course it is; (2) one hour of physical fitness activity. We want our students to participate in team activities such as team sports, chorus, debate team or drama team. Because some of these teams do not have physical activities, we provide time where our students can remain physically active; (3) one hour of training in courses on leadership, bible studies, service, character, life skills, and financial literacy. These courses are all taught separately and consist of instruction as well as activities to put these traits to use in the students life; (4) one hour of training in courses that provide reinforcement in aesthetic appreciation, thinking and reasoning skills, communication and employability, among others.
Our Bible course teaches biblical based Christian values and ethics. Though we hope and pray that our students know and accept God, our goal is to teach principles from the Bible that will re-enforce positive, Godly behavior and help make our students better people. Coupled with our Bible course, our mercy ministries course teaches students about Christian service from local to around the world. Students will research areas where help is needed, finding important information on the economy, local customs, religions, etc. Students will be required to participate in planning and implementation of these service opportunities in order to advance through the Abundant Life Academy school program. We have also felt it important to incorporate other educationally sound courses that will influence and strengthen, within our students, many of the skills mentioned above. Our goal is to use courses that re-enforce interests that the students have as well as to teach some of the above mentioned qualities. These may include such courses as art, music, drama, debate, building construction, mechanics, welding, cooking, and others. These courses are limited somewhat to availability of instructors. Our desire is to help students be well rounded, learn to appreciate their surroundings, and have more skills and knowledge. We want these courses to take our students outside the classroom and into our world as much as possible. We are also interested in implementing courses that can be used in conjunction with our mercy ministries in some way. For example, students may use things they have learned in art or drama or building construction to help provide service to those in need. These courses may also provide opportunities to earn money used for mercy ministries. It is essential for our students to participate in the entire designed educational plan in order to take full advantage of the positive changes that can occur in their life while they are attending our school. Although each of these four areas includes courses from which students will earn academic credit, they are all required elements in working through the three trimesters of the Abundant Life Academy school program and transitioning back to their home and family. We place high value on instruction that allows our students to grow in many ways that help them be better and more appreciative people and better citizens. Because we see so much value in all of these courses we want all of our students to participate whether academic credit is needed or not. Courses taken in area (3) above, along with the regular academic requirements, will also be required in order to earn a high school diploma from Abundant Life Academy if that is the student’s desire. Our school employs two part time certified school counselors (Mrs. Jeanine Johnson and Mr. Bill Sorbe) to work with the students in creating or improving a resume, researching careers, researching colleges and universities, finding scholarship opportunities, as well as preparing for and taking college placement tests, as well as some therapeutic counceling.
Daily School Schedule for Student Girls:Girls 8:00 to 10:15 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. on Friday is academic school time.10:30 to 11:30 a.m. is physical activity time.1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday is Mercy Ministries course for trimester one students and “quality ed.” courses for trimester two and three students. 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday is Leadership course for trimester one students and Bible studies for trimester two and three students.2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday is Mercy Ministries course for trimester two and three students and “quality ed.” courses for trimester one students. 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday is Leadership course for trimester two and three students and Bible studies for trimester one students.1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Friday is Life Skills course for all students.3:00 to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday is academic school time.
Daily School Schedule for Student Boys:Boys 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday is physical activity time.10:15 to 12:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 10:00 to 12:00 on Friday is academic school time.1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday is Mercy Ministries course for trimester one students and “quality ed.” courses for trimester two and three students.1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday is Leadership course for trimester one students and Bible studies for trimester two and three students.2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday is Mercy Ministries course for trimester two and three students and “quality ed.” courses for trimester one students.2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday is Leadership course for trimester two and three students and Bible studies for trimester one students.1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Friday is Life Skills course for all students.4:45 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday is academic school time. Instructors: Although they will have their own curriculum for Leadership, Bible, and Mercy Ministries, trimester three students will also be required to teach these courses from time to time as directed by Pastor Sandy Brunson for Bible studies, Brian Hogie for Leadership, and Kathleen Beck for Mercy Ministries. For these courses, trimester one will be taught in the school room and trimester two in the chapel. Quality Ed. courses will change from time to time. Currently we will offer the following; *Art taught by Candice Sweet who has many years experience teaching drawing and painting. *Music taught by Ron Tuit, with many years of teaching experience in choral and instrumental music. *Building Construction taught by George Kelly, who taught shop for many years at the local public school. Although art will be taught in the cafeteria, music in the chapel, and building construction in the boy’s commons area, instructors are being encouraged to take students off campus, where feasible, to enhance the effectiveness of the course. Students will stay in one quality ed. course for three months and then have the opportunity to move to a different course. Other courses will be developed to enhance other interests of the students. |
It is important to Abundant Life Academy that our students have the best opportunity that we can give them for a quality, well rounded education. While our students are with us, we see how important it is to approach every angle of positive educational practices. To this end, we at Abundant Life Academy have adopted, and put into practice, what we call “360 degree education” for our students. This means that we will try to reach our students academically, physically, emotionally and spiritually, creating a more holistic approach to educating our students. Support from our school community will be an important part of this educational approach. We will continue to use quality Christian based curriculum for the academic courses and the curriculum will continue to be self paced, using certified teacher/tutors to aide in its completion.
Our leadership program teaches students to recognize their personality traits and ways to use these traits to encourage students to control strong traits and improve weaker ones that will help them improve their life. The leadership program also teaches human behavior, emotional intelligence, and choice and accountability among other positive life changing components. Coupled with the leadership course, the students will be involved with a life skills course that includes in depth learning and activities on topics of employability, consumerism, financial literacy, adult roles, self-esteem, and other skills for quality life.
Through all of the courses provided here at Abundant Life Academy we feel it is possible to help our students be some of the most prepared academically, emotionally, physically and spiritually. We are committed to having our students prepared in more than academics. We want well rounded, self starting, inquisitive individuals who see the quality of the world around them and see opportunities to excel and who do not see their surroundings as a barrier to their growth and development. Our 360 degree educational program is a means to accomplish our goals of preparing our students in every way possible to make a successful transition into a life of positive change.