Redesigning Education And Living Meaningfully (REALM)

The REALM is working to redefine what school means by offering real-world project-based classes, taught by teachers passionate about their subject matter, offered on a flexible basis, enabling families to build weekly schedules that work best for them, in an environment that will soon enable coworking for parents alongside the co-learning options for kids. For 13 years, The REALM has served kids ages 5-15 with classes offered in age bands or skill levels, not traditional grade levels. With over 110 current families in west Los Angeles and dozens on a waitlist, The REALM is working to expand into larger space, add a high school program in the fall and begin replicating the program design in other cities nationally. 

As moms, friends, and educators, Jessica & Victoria came together in 2009 to design a new school model that would better serve the needs of individual students, offer creative and flexible solutions for families, and provide a safe space for teachers to truly teach what, how and when they wanted - all while building a physical space and community that is more reflective of a village than of a traditional school. They started with 1 student and through a lot of hard work and sweat equity, they have grown The REALM to be sustainable - serving over 3500 families over the past 14 years. As they say, on their website:

The REALM stands for our transformational goal: Redesigning Education and Living Meaningfully. Walking in, you can feel the difference in the fluid design or our spaces, the excitement of our teachers, and the sheer joy in the kids. Parents have freedom to create their children’s schedule, students take classes they are genuinely interested in, and our students score widely above “grade level” on Standardized Tests such as the Star 360 (conducted through charter schools) in core academic subjects. 100% of our graduates are now attending their high school or program of choice, with some rising 9th graders jumping straight into college courses.

Families come to The REALM seeking a learning environment for their kids and a community for their families where they feel heard, trusted, valued, and loved.  They are looking for a choice in how, when and what their kids are learning and seek a customized educational experience. They are looking for passionate, inspiring teachers and relevant, experiential classes.  Parents are frustrated with the outdated educational model that no longer serves our students or their future success and happiness. Parents want their children to be seen and treated as the unique individuals that they are, filled with possibility rather than a sum of test scores and grades.  Parents want their children to be on a pursuit of discovery of their own strengths, passion and interests and be allowed to try on various learning styles and preferences.

At REALM, we offer customized experiential learning. Families have freedom, and every schedule is centered around the students and what they are interested in learning that semester. We actively help kids find their strengths and understand their areas of struggle. Students are not given labels to define their learning preferences or unique abilities. We do not issue grades or scores. Kids demonstrate learning through projects, written essays, spoken word performances, science projects - we value and showcase real-world knowledge.

The REALM trusts kids and families to discern for themselves who they are, what they need to learn, and which choices will contribute to their sense of living a meaningful life. We trust their self-determination and curiosity. We trust that their varied ways of knowing are valid, and their interdisciplinary interests add richness to our shared worlds.

Check out their website at at: www.realmlearning.com and on Instagram: @realmlearning

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