On October 30, 2022, 18-year-old Nicholas set a world record in the men's 200-metre freestyle S14 swimming event at the FINA [International Swimming Federation] World Cup preliminaries in Toronto. Three months earlier, he had set a Commonwealth Games record in the 200-m freestyle S14 Para swimming event in Birmingham, England. Those achievements followed a silver medal in the same event [...]
SelfDesign® Learning Community is all about supporting learners so that they can be successful in their learning and in meeting their learning goals. It’s what we do. It’s what we’re known for. It’s what sets us apart from many other schools. As part of that, SelfDesign Support Services arranges support for learners and their families who have been diagnosed with [...]
SelfDesign believes in the safety, acceptance and inclusion of all learners in regard to ability, learning style, culture, race, personal or spiritual beliefs, and gender identity and expression. We work year-round to find ways to implement SOGI 123 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 123) throughout our organization and offerings to support our learners and other community members who identify as [...]
SelfDesign believes that learning happens in relationship and in community. To help make this happen, we offer safe spaces where our learners can gather, connect and share. These include everything from our Genius Hours for learners in grade 3 to 9 to our themes, workshops and circles for learners in grades 6 to 12. One secure online space we hold [...]
When SelfDesign learners and their families, and educators gathered in the Lower Mainland last spring for our Commencement Ceremony celebrating our Class of 2022, they were treated to a performance by one of their peers. At the ceremony, Amelia, who finished her SelfDesign learning journey in June with a Dogwood Diploma (B.C. certificate of graduation), sang a haunting traditional Celtic [...]
SelfDesign learner Grace wasn’t looking forward to writing the three grade 10 and 12 provincial assessments she needed in order to get her Dogwood Diploma (B.C. Graduation Certificate). Every young person in B.C. seeking to finish grade 12 with a Dogwood Diploma is required to write the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s Grade 10 Numeracy Assessment, Grade 10 Literacy [...]
Nikki is leaving SelfDesign! OVer the past 15 years, she has been a SelfDesign parent, learning consultant, former chief learning officer, principal and vice principal. We spoke to Nikki about her SelfDesign experiences and the changes she has seen unfold and been part of at SelfDesign.
We recognize that parents and guardians know their child’s needs best and may have clear ideas as to the types of learning activities that would facilitate their growth and development. A number of SelfDesign parents and guardians share their insights about how they view and approach their role of supporting their children’s learning.
Imposter syndrome. skepticism and fear of judgement are often the biggest challenges parents face when deciding to homeschool their kids. Lori Bender is one of these parents. She felt insecure in her ability and unsure of what her children were supposed to be learning for their age groups. It caused her to question whether home learning would be the right decision for her family. Luckily, her friend with an older son had taken the leap, giving Lori the opportunity to observe and ask questions before making her final decision. She dove into homeschooling shortly after, and years later, she’s still overjoyed with her choice.
To help support families and educators as they make the shift to SelfDesign’s unique approach to learning, we offer a guided, interactive online course that explores the SelfDesign philosophy in the practice of their daily family lives.
