On this episode, redefinED’s executive editor speaks to a leader in the charter school organization about the exploding demand for its classical liberal arts education. Currently serving more than 20,000 students in brick-and-mortar classrooms in Arizona and Texas, Great Hearts Online launched in August because of the COVID-19 pandemic and currently serves approximately 1,000 students across both states.
The two discuss the perils of emergency online learning, which Indorf refers to as potentially “lonely, procedural, and uninspiring.” They also discuss how Great Hearts works directly with its families early in the school design process to create a learning environment that best fits their needs, and Great Hearts’ upcoming plans for pods and micro-schools.
“There’s been a lot of work to create virtual and in-person community and to teach students how to build healthy relationships in each … That’s an important part of becoming literate and healthy in our technology-enhanced world.”
EPISODE DETAILS:
· Great Hearts’ commitment to fostering robust online and in-person communities for its families
· The pivot from temporarily online schooling to a robust full-time program for families who want it
· How families are involved in the development of Great Hearts’ programs
· Plans for expansion beyond Arizona and Texas and pods and micro-schools supported by Great Hearts Online
