SELFDESIGN
British Columbia, CA
About SelfDesign
“The SelfDesign Learning Community is among the largest distance/distributed learning schools and personalized learning programs in British Columbia, Canada. Funded by the BC Ministry of Education, SelfDesign enables learners to complete K-12 by exploring their passions and taking the lead in their own learning and life. With personalized guidance from BC-certified educators, learning unfolds at home and within local and online communities.”
Physical Composition & Location
SelfDesign has no central, physical location. Students’ learning takes place in their homes and online, ensuring that learning environments are uniquely suited to each student. Learning is everywhere!
Demographics & Staff
Students can enrol in SelfDesign as young as kindergarten and as old as Grade 12. The school is free, making it an accessible option for all families in British Columbia.
SelfDesign employs 150 educators certified by the British Columbia Ministry of Education. Students are “matched” with a teacher for the best possible fit. From kindergarten to Grade 9, teachers are called “learning consultants;” from Grade 10 to Grade 12, teachers are called “guiding mentors.” As reflected in these names, educators’ roles evolve as the student gets older. From Grade 10 to Grade 12, students can also access “course mentors” to provide subject-specific guidance as well as ESL-trained mentors to help with language proficiency.
SelfDesign teachers:
Bring the rigour and insight of certified educators, as well as the creativity and energy that led them to SelfDesign. Many are parents. Most are well-travelled. All are active in their local communities and passionate about their specialties and crafts. These educators receive mentorship when they join. They also participate in ongoing professional development as they work together to keep SelfDesign on the leading edge.
To read the biographies on all SelfDesign Educators (Link: https://planner.selfdesign.org/enrollment/bios/home.seam)
Holistic Curriculum
Personal and Leadership Development
Since learning is based on self-pacing and schedules are flexible, students must learn to take responsibility for their own learning early. The goal is for students to understand that life is learning and that learning is a lifelong endeavour. SelfDesign focuses on four elements of learning:
1. Passion
2. Curiosity
3. Leadership
4. Community
1. Passion
2. Curiosity
3. Leadership
4. Community