Mindful Leaders Academy logo, private academy in Lakewood Ranch, FL

Seven subjects, one Monday.

Every Monday, 9am to 3pm at Harvest United Methodist Church in Lakewood Ranch, each cohort moves through hour-long blocks, each taught by a different specialist.

A homeschool program for birth through 8th grade, built around the learning that is hardest to recreate at home.

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Why Monday looks different

At home

Phonics, arithmetic and workbooks work well at the kitchen table with mom.

At Mindful Leaders

Science experiments, clay, mosaics, group scenes and big STEM builds need materials, setup, cleanup and other kids. We take those on, so the mess and the magic happen here.

How we teach

Our curriculum is project-based and collaborative. Mondays are built around the learning that comes alive with a group of peers: experiments, art, building and shared problem-solving.

Project-based and hands-on

Science experiments, STEM builds and art projects that would take an hour of setup at home happen here, with every material provided and friends to try ideas with.

Thinking at the highest level

Projects aim at the top of Bloom's taxonomy, analyzing and creating. Students predict, test, adjust and engineer solutions instead of only memorizing and recalling.

Collaboration and leadership

Group work teaches compromise and taking turns: when to lead, when to follow, and when the best idea is someone else's. Homeschoolers get steady practice collaborating with peers here.

Speaking with confidence

Every subject builds in chances to present, from science fair findings to a 1920s news broadcast.

A specialist for every subject

Every class is taught by a paid, professional educator who is an expert in that field. Even our youngest learners have their own music, art and enrichment teachers.

Written here

Nearly all of our curriculum is custom written by Mindful Leaders Academy, pairing instructional designers with subject-matter experts. You will not find it anywhere else. Drama is the one exception, taught with an established children's drama program's curriculum.

Explore the seven subjects

PreK students in goggles watch pink foam in STEM class

STEM

Hands-on science led by Ms. Lisa, who holds a master's degree in education and has more than 35 years of experience teaching STEM. Every step of every project happens in class, so families never have to stage a science project at home.

Kids will

  • Make a hypothesis, test it, and repeat the trial to see if the result holds
  • Run classmates' experiments as well as their own
  • Use real scientific method vocabulary

For: PreK-K/1 · Upper Elementary · Middle

Explore STEM
A colorful portrait drawing takes shape in art class

Art

Led by Ms. Lauren, who holds a degree in early childhood art education. Older students learn the history behind a style before creating in it. Younger artists build fine motor skills through process art that usually begins with a story.

Kids will

  • Explore clay, mosaic tiling and grouting, cloth, chalk pastels, watercolor, acrylics, paint pens and foil press
  • Learn the history and artists behind a style
  • Create original work in that style

For: Mommy & Me, PreK + K/1 · Upper Elementary + Middle Grades

Explore Art

Spanish

Taught by Ms. Yuri, who is fluent in both Spanish and English and has extensive experience teaching Spanish. Her classes are movement based, so students hear, speak, sing and act out the language instead of memorizing lists.

Kids will

  • Learn everyday words and phrases through movement and games
  • Sing and repeat songs and stories
  • Practice speaking with partners

For: K/1 · Upper Elementary · Middle

Explore Spanish

Drama

Led by Mr. Zack, a lead teacher and director with a local children's drama program, now in his ninth year of teaching. Drama is our one subject taught with that program's established curriculum.

Kids will

  • Warm up voice and body with games
  • Practice improvisation and thinking on their feet
  • Build characters and act out stories

For: PreK-K/1 · Upper Elementary

Explore Drama
A toddler strums a ukulele during music

Music

Led by Ms. Alicia, who has years of experience teaching family music classes, private lessons and school enrichment. The youngest learners explore rhythm and movement, and by K/1 students are reading music and playing full songs.

Kids will

  • Keep rhythm patterns and beats
  • Move, sing and play with instruments and props
  • Learn music theory and begin reading music (K/1)

For: Mommy & Me + PreK · K/1

Explore Music

Humanities

Social studies taught decade by decade with Ms. Carolyn. Students build historical context through hands-on, visual activities, then create an artifact that shows what they learned.

Kids will

  • Explore a decade through activities like Mystery Suitcase, Build the Decade and Decade Snapshot
  • Learn the vocabulary of the era, like the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl
  • Study the people, inventions, pop culture, sports and money of the time

For: Upper Elementary · Middle

Explore Humanities
A PreK student proudly holds an owl themed snack plate

PreK Enrichment

Thematic units that pair a story with science, math and phonics. Each class opens with a book, then children count, sort, build patterns and practice letters around it.

Kids will

  • Start every class with a book
  • Count with manipulatives, build patterns and sort by color
  • Practice phonics, writing letters and first words

For: Mommy & Me · PreK

Explore PreK Enrichment

Professionally led, thoughtfully planned

At Mindful Leaders, every class is planned and taught by a hired professional, with drop-off for elementary and middle school students so parents get their Monday back.

Book a Tour

Come spend a Monday with us

Tours are short and honest. You will see the rooms, meet the guide who would lead your child's cohort, and get straight answers about fit.

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