Prisma Mission

Our mission is to prepare learners to thrive in a rapidly changing world. To thrive means to be equipped to engage in fulfilling work, form positive relationships, and cultivate well-being; while being driven to create a positive impact. Studies show that 65% of today’s elementary school students will work in careers that are yet to be invented. The Prisma curriculum is designed with this reality in mind. We strive to be the best school in the world at creating learners who thrive because they have the skills to teach themselves anything and have the mindset to navigate uncertain situations.

In addition to mastery of core academics, Prisma learners also develop the Prisma Powers (the skills to succeed as a lifelong learner), Foundational Knowledge (concepts & context needed for future academic success and to understand the world), and an Impact Orientation (the mindset to take action to make a positive impact on their community or world).

The Prisma Powers

• **Applied Curiosity: **Curious people can learn anything, and progress depends on people who can ask & answer their own questions. Luckily, kids naturally have this ability- they are born curious. It’s our job to safeguard the natural curiosity of learners through experiences that excite and interest kids. We also teach kids to apply their natural curiosity through developing skills in research, close reading, scientific inquiry, and data analysis.
• Innovator’s Mindset: Schools often train kids to follow directions and do things “right” the first time, but most work in the future will require creativity and iteration. Thinking like an innovator will equip Prisma learners for fast-paced, creative, entrepreneurial work. Learners develop an innovator’s mindset through projects in design thinking, creativity, invention, engineering, and business entrepreneurship. We also emphasize iteration & develop kids’ responsiveness to feedback by valuing mistakes & failure, giving constructive criticism, & requiring multiple revisions of their work.
• Communication & Collaboration: In their future lives, kids will work on teams with peers who may be distributed all over the world. They’ll need to be able to express themselves clearly, persuasively, and creatively; orally and in writing; and to be skilled in the art of collaboration. We develop effective written communication skills through embedded, authentic writing projects & Literacy Labs. Learners build oral communication & collaboration skills through our Collaborative Problem Solving Workshops, Expo Day presentations, and many daily opportunities to discuss and share with peers.
• Initiative & Follow Through: Success takes more than great ideas: to have a meaningful impact and reach your potential, people need to be able to execute on a vision, especially when nobody gives them a road map. We expect Prisma learners to be self-directed, take initiative, and hold themselves accountable to doing their personal best, not just achieving the minimum requirements. We support learners in developing focus, time management, & organizational strategies that put them in the driver’s seat of their success. Through our coaching relationships, standups, and self-directed journeys, kids learn how to set goals, make a plan, and bring their ideas to reality.

Foundational Knowledge

• Self: To thrive in an uncertain future will require confidence, resilience, self-awareness, and an ability to deeply reflect in pursuit of self-improvement. We get to know each learner as an individual, and design a program that supports them in getting to know themselves. We personalize our curriculum so learners get used to making their own choices, and reflecting on their own interests, emotions, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Systems: The world is facing more complex problems than ever; to solve them, the world needs people armed with strong knowledge of foundational concepts and thinking strategies from mathematics, science, and technology. Prisma learners go beyond solving problems with solutions found with a quick Google or in the back of a textbook. They build real-world connections through interdisciplinary math, science, and technology projects & collaborative workshops. They create models, computer programs, and data visualizations. Learners know not just how to use current mathematical, scientific, and technological tools, but imagine how they’ll use the tools of the future.
• Society: It’s essential that solving future problems involves more than just technology & data, but ethics, and a deep understanding of humanity & culture. By exploring past, present, and future human narratives across literature, philosophy, history, civics, world cultures, and art, Prisma learners build context and develop their own perspectives and values. Learners contemplate the ethics of the future and the tough decisions that their generation will face. As part of a global community, Prisma learners are exposed to different perspectives from all over the world.

Impact Orientation

• Context: Learners are aware of ways they can make a difference. They seek to understand problems before solving them.
• Mindset: Learners want to make a positive impact and believe in their ability to do so.