My teaching goal has always been simple: to guide students in finding their voice and being heard. As a visual arts educator, I have had the freedom and flexibility to do this for the last 20 years. Apollo has presented a new opportunity for me to achieve my goal. Students can create works of art while adding new dimensions of depth to their work with the inclusion of English and Social Studies. Engaging in real and meaningful conversations about their ideas, their lives, and their projects has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. |
Apollo—a blend of art, social studies, and English—allows for a “newness” that I’ve never experienced. Each day, we have the opportunity for individualized instruction, tapping into the individual needs of the students as they work on projects. With each conversation, a bond is created or enriched, and this interaction amplifies the human experience at school. I’m proud to be a part of Apollo—to change the lives of students as they change mine. |
I'm proud of my first 14 years in education. I have worked to create authentic learning experiences that cognitively and socially engage students to think about their role in the community and the world. Starting Apollo, however, has allowed us to reengineer the learning process and shift the focus of "school" to the learner. I am excited to continue working with students in a collaborative environment to creatively fuse social studies with English and art. |
Brandy Detwiler
I am really excited to be part of the Apollo team, a program I have watched evolve the past couple years. While I have always incorporated into my traditional classes elements of mass customized learning, having the opportunity to work with a team of teachers and students in a fully MCL environment has always been a dream of mine. I believe that students learn best when they have an audience beyond the classroom, have personal interest in their learning, find relevance in what they are learning, and are met at their individual learning needs. Apollo provides students with a place to thrive and build relationships as students connect and explore the three content areas as part of their learning process. |