ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County is now the home of a new pilot program for preschool educators called “Empowering Communities to Shape Their Worlds.”
The program features a new approach that allows students and teachers to take control of their learning experiences. The curriculum was developed by Epic Innovation Collective, using research done with Project Zero.
Project Zero is housed at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. We visited Young Innovators Academy to learn more about the program, involving educators from 25 early learning centers.
“So we’re shifting away from outdated teaching practices like direct instruction, worksheets in early childhood setting to more progressive approaches that teach kids how to make with their own hands and how to feel they are capable of finding solutions to challenges,” said Marnie Forestieri, CEO and Founder of Young Innovators Academy.
Edward Clapp is a principal investigator at Project Zero. He explained that the program focuses on “maker-centric” learning in a structured way. He describes this as a “program of professional development,” with facilitators returning to Central Florida in September and then wrapping up the program at the end of next year.
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Teacher Debra Clark tells us she’s ready to get started.
“I’m incredibly excited,” she said. “They’re going to help us help them to become really good thinkers. Think through the process, scientific process.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Young Innovators Academy, you can visit them online by clicking here.
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