Athena Academy for Dyslexic Learners

Our rollercoaster builders had a wonderful time using their math and physics skills and big dyslexic brains to conceive these creations!

Would your dyslexic student benefit from a Summer Confidence Boost?
www.athenaacademy.org/summer

Athena Academy for Dyslexic Learners Dyslexic education that builds confidence for Dyslexic or Twice-Exceptional (2E) children, grades 1-8. Children who feel confident about how they learn do better in school.

Our 4th and 5th graders had an unforgettable 3-day outdoor education adventure at WOLF School in Aptos! Hiking through redwood forests, spotting bright banana slugs, touching newts, uncovering salamanders and wrapping up the day with entertaining campfire skits. Students also went ocean kayaking in Moss Landing and saw otters, harbor seals and sea lions up close and later enjoyed a night hike to see bioluminescent bugs and stargaze.

Our elementary school students had a visit from two therapy dogs. They were delighted to read to the dogs and have lots of snuggly fun!

Academic and emotional renewal that celebrates your child's neurodiversity. Go to our website now and see what's possible when a child feels confident and believes in their abilities. https://athenaacademy.org/

Give your dyslexic child a Summer educational confidence boost!
https://athenaacademy.org/summer-camp/

Athena Academy for Dyslexic Learners Dyslexic education that builds confidence for Dyslexic or Twice-Exceptional (2E) children, grades 1-8. Children who feel confident about how they learn do better in school.

The fall middle school drama students recently presented the class play, How the West Was Worn. The play took place during the Wild West, and the students presented it to their parents, classmates, teachers, and Athena alumni as an end of semester project. A fun time was had by all!

Sign-Up Right Now for our Virtual Information Sessions. Our Inquiry Form is RIght Here: https://aa-ca.client.renweb.com/oa/inquiry.cfm?memberid=4911

Athena Academy for Dyslexic Learners Dyslexic education that builds confidence for Dyslexic or Twice-Exceptional (2E) children, grades 1-8. Children who feel confident about how they learn do better in school.

Dyslexia and the Developing Brain Research on dyslexia is identifying the many factors — neural to societal — that are linked to the condition

How can graphs help us tell stories? Students enjoyed visiting other math classes today and sharing positive feedback with their peers.

The best gift you can give kids this Christmas is the knowledge that their Dyslexic Thinking skills are valuable and vital.

And by understanding what you're Xtraordinary at, there's no limit to where your Dyslexic Thinking skills will take you!

Grab a copy of Xtraordinary People, written by Dyslexic Thinking expert and Founder of Made By Dyslexia, Kate Griggs, and slip it into someone's stocking

Available at http://amzn.to/32BHNCX

How strong are a bird's hollow bones? Ask our middle school ornithologists who did a science lab about it today!

As part of our middle school unit on medieval Africa, students studied ancient symbols and techniques used in handmade clothing. They printed their own cloth using authentic symbol stamps that each represented a different value of the society.

Is your bright dyslexic child losing their confidence at school?
Join one of our virtual information sessions to learn about a different way of learning and life at a school that celebrates their neuro-diverse talents and helps them believe in their own wisdom.
Next session: Wednesday, December 13, 9:00 - 10:30
https://athenaacademy.org/admissions/campus-visit/

Athena Academy for Dyslexic Learners Dyslexic education that builds confidence for Dyslexic or Twice-Exceptional (2E) children, grades 1-8. Children who feel confident about how they learn do better in school.

Sharing how to learn words and language through meaning first. The clay model below clayed by an adult client shows the meaning of 'onto' so beautifully and with a sense of movement, too.

Picture-thinkers or hands-on, creative people learn easily when they engage with meaning first:
🌿 They clay the meaning*, then explore and experience the real meaning of the word in the real world.
🌿 The word is also clayed: visual, hands-on work, yet with focused reference to the meaning in the dictionary.
🌿 The dictionary meaning is: onto used to show movement into or on a particular place
🌿 We ask, 'Where is the exact meaning of onto in the model?'
In this case, they would point at the foot leaving the lower block of clay moving to the higher block... also indicating movement. Now they have shown you that they understand the meaning of onto!
*Learners clay meaning in their own context making it interesting and relevant for them. eg Zebra stepping onto the rock.

🌿 Please feel free to ask us any questions about the way we facilitate learning for all ages children to adults.

Boosting Fine Motor Skills with Every Stitch!

Fun Friday electives at Athena give students the opportunity to learn new skills! Learning to knit engages both sides of the brain, and has students work left to the right and in a circular manner, which helps children with reading skills. There is a ton of counting, skip counting, adding, subtracting, and patterning involved as well.

Is your dyslexic child losing their confidence at school?

Join one of our virtual information sessions to learn about a different way of learning and life at a school that celebrates their neurodiverse talents and helps them believe in their own wisdom.

Next session: Wednesday, November 29, 9:00 - 10:15am
https://athenaacademy.org/admissions/campus-visit/

Did you know, can often be spotted in the classroom by their "Spiky Profile"?

We score very highly in some things - often in the top percentiles - and very low in other things - often in the bottom percentiles.

This means we're great storytellers, but find spelling tricky. We're incredible lateral thinkers, but we struggle to remember times tables. We ask questions no one else has thought of, but have trouble getting our thoughts down on paper.

Understand more about by taking our new, FREE, training: Dyslexic Thinking in Schools - available NOW: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/empower-dyslexic-thinking-schools/ in partnership with Microsoft Education

Made by Dyslexia has launched an exciting, free training: Empowering Dyslexic Thinking in the Workspace.

Future workplaces will depend on Dyslexic Thinking skills – that’s what the research from the World Economic Forum tells us. They are soft skills that AI can’t replace like innovation, lateral thinking, complex problem solving and interpersonal skills. But 62% say they need to learn more about Dyslexic Thinking. That’s why we’ve created free training to empower every workplace.

TAKE AN HOUR TO EMPOWER DYSLEXIA

The training takes just 1 hour to complete. In just 60 minutes, you can learn how to empower the Dyslexic Thinking skills that will move you and your business forward.

You can take it as an individual, or ask your whole organisation to take it.

It will help every dyslexic to feel empowered to use their valuable Dyslexic Thinking skills in their workplace and give tips on how to advocate for yourself. Plus it will help employers to create a culture where Dyslexic Thinkers thrive.

Empowering Dyslexic Thinking at Work Online Class | LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com Discover practical strategies to leverage the power of dyslexia and dyslexic thinking in the workplace.

Is your dyslexic child losing their confidence at school?

Join one of our virtual information sessions to learn about a different way of learning and life at a school that celebrates their neurodiverse talents and helps them believe in their own wisdom.

Next session: Wednesday, October 25, 9:00 - 10:30
https://athenaacademy.org/admissions/campus-visit/

Athena Academy for Dyslexic Learners Dyslexic education that builds confidence for Dyslexic or Twice-Exceptional (2E) children, grades 1-8. Children who feel confident about how they learn do better in school.

Our students enjoyed the ribbon cutting for the new playground by the Magical Bridge Foundation at El Carmelo Elementary School in Palo Alto. They were excited to have the opportunity to share the math projects they were working on, which were inspired by the inclusive nature of the playground.

Athena Academy students are featured in Dear Dyslexia: The Postcard Project, a global art project that invites people of all ages with dyslexia to celebrate their relationship to dyslexia on a postcard.

The project is created by dyslexic designer Gil Gershoni, who struggled with dyslexia as a child before discovering the many benefits of dyslexic thinking. The founder of Gershoni Creative (), a San Francisco design agency whose clients include Apple and Spotify, Gershoni is also the creator of Dyslexic Design Thinking (), a program that celebrates the power of dyslexic thinking and explores how it influences the way we think, create, and relate to each other.

To participate, download a postcard template (deardyslexiapostcards.com), describe your experience with dyslexia using words and images, and send it to Dyslexic Design Thinking.

Join trailblazing explorer Ann Bancroft, Olympic legend Greg Louganis, Justice League director Zach Snyder, ad agency founder Rich Silverstein, comedian Liz Miele, Nobel Prize-winning biophysicist Jacques Dubouchet, TV host and author Carmen Agra Deedy, Captain Underpants children’s author and illustrator Dav Pilkey and over one thousand students from around the world who have already shared their work.

Postcards will be displayed in an online gallery and some may be selected to appear in the global art project launching October 3rd for Dyslexia Awareness Month. Find out more at deardyslexiapostcards.com.

Ever wonder what we are up to at Athena Academy?!
Listen to our amazing Director of Admissions, Anne, on the Forget What you Learned podcast.
https://www.forgetwhatyoulearned.com/episodes/s1e9

Project-Based, Individualized Learning: Anne Boswell Discusses Athena Academy's Innovative Model — Forget What You Learned Listen to episode:

We are ‘Confident’ that this school year is going to be amazing!!!

DID YOU KNOW?
On July 12th the California Mathematics Framework was unanimously passed by the State Board of Education. The new framework proposes a mathematics approach of teaching to "big ideas," allowing mathematical connections to be highlighted. One of the author's of the new framework, Jo Boaler, has been informing our math curriculum at Athena Academy for years! We are excited for other schools to now follow suit.

(read more about the new California Mathematics Framework herehttps://www.youcubed.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Mathematics-Big-Ideas-CDE-Aug-2021-for-website.pdf )

We love Mr. Danny, one of the original two students at Athena! Now as a successful college student he delights in returning and sharing his confidence (and clay skills) with our littlest summer school attendees.

Dyslexia is a super power!

Is your dyslexic superpower 'wonder'?

John Hoke III, Nike's Chief Design Officer, tells graduates at Penn State that 'wonder' is the superpower that has helped him build his career and that his dyslexia is a 'gift to see the world differently'.

As dyslexics, we use our skills of curiosity and sense of wonder to explore all there is to know about a topic we're passionate about – and we use our questioning skills to ask 'what if?' and 'why not?' – which sparks innovation – whether that's striving to create the world's best running shoe or inventing something that we can't live without – like the light bulb 💡

Listen to John's inspiring Commencement speech by clicking on the link in this Fortune article: https://bit.ly/45LVPxT.

We brought the farm to Athena today!! What a wonderful way to end a year of learning, fun and confidence building!

Our school play was magnificent. Middle School students ventured into the magical Land of Oz, where the cast of characters confronted hopes, wishes, fears, and dilemmas in a brilliant production filled with amazing acting performances.

Having the courage to stand in front of an audience, requires a strong sense of faith in yourself and your abilities.

Our students were outstanding and displayed so much confidence, personality and charisma.

Congratulations to Ms. Yelnick and all our performers for an outstanding production.

Our youngest students have been studying the life cycle of various insects and the role they play in our environment. This week these young entomologists celebrated the hatching of their praying mantis eggs!