Saying that Covid-19 has been difficult is a gross understatement. Just in the field of education, we have witnessed an exodus of quality teachers, inequitable access to learning, and burdening constraints placed on students and educators.
Breathe. You are here, we are here, and we're alive. That is what matters in this moment.
At NuMinds, we responded in every way that we could think of. The moment the pandemic struck home, we taped our network to release NuMinds.TV -- free online lessons in geography, roleplay, STEAM projects for K-5, and more. There are lessons fully in Spanish, lessons in Arabic...even adult programming focused on building resilience.
We modified all of our programs for online learning--delivering a virtual Camp Pursuit summer program every week. That was 12 weeks, 36 original courses--each with over 10 hours of activities. We fought for sponsorships and donations to bring free and reduced access to underserved communities.
Unfortunately, like many organizations, our efforts weren't enough to keep and maintain our full staff. We prioritized our Inspirators (our teachers), but by the end of 2020, we had reached a point where we needed to get lean on operations in order to weather the pandemic while delivering the high-quality enrichment services we're known for.
SO...HOW DOES CAMP PURSUIT WORK?
To make Camp Pursuit a reality, we partner with local schools and organizations to bring Camp Pursuit to communities across the globe.
It's actually pretty amazing. We get the opportunity to empower teachers--training them in our unique approach to curriculum and instruction, provide them with engaging STEAM curriculum, and then coach and support them as they share the love for real inspired learning with their community.
SO, HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS?
We are picky. Very picky.
Our unique approach to learning is more than a handout and a box of stuff. Every teacher is required to complete 6+ hours of training focusing on interdisciplinary learning, growth mindset feedback strategies, and open-ended inductive pedagogy. Plus, every camper must be allowed the freedom and flexibility to choose their own learning. We don't care how shiny the robot is, if that kid isn't into robots, forget about engagement. Allowing campers the ability to pursue what they're curious about is the namesake of Camp Pursuit, and we demand it.
The partners we select are amazing, and they believe in the mission and vision of Camp Pursuit! As we form more-and-more partnerships, we'll add them to our landing page at www.CampPursuit.com
I DON'T SEE CAMP PURSUIT IN MY AREA, WHAT CAN I DO?
While we're picky about the quality and training, we make the process of putting on Camp Pursuit simple.
Curriculum...we wrote it.
Activities....we built them.
Website and registration...we host them.
Training and support...we cover them.
If you know a school or organization who would embrace our unique approach to learning, please let us know. We partner with the organization, creating scholarships and revenue sharing opportunities to bring money back to the organization.
Have more questions? We love questions...they are the fuel that drives human ingenuity! Please feel free to contact us at hello@numien.com