Start up MicroSociety® School and Middle School Academy Professional Development Options

The beauty of  MicroSociety schools is their flexibility. You can start small, in a classroom, grade, by a team or after school program; however, implementing MicroSociety school-wide offers the greatest benefits to children. Whichever strategy fits your level of readiness, traditional academic subjects are studied most of the day, then applied “on the job” in a microcosm of the real world. Typically, students spend one hour or one class period each day in their jobs where they learn to run businesses, apply technology, develop government and social agencies, create cultural and arts organizations and engage their miniature societies in service for their neighborhoods. Gradually, they become immersed in the realities of a free-market economy, replete with taxes, property, income issues, and politics.

The MicroSociety model has delivered results in hundreds of schools across the country, because it addresses the driving force behind school failure: the lack of relevance to kids’ lives. MICROSOCIETY Inc. provides teachers with a clear answer to two persistent questions students ask:  “Why do I need to know this?” and “How do I fit in?”

The MicroSociety School and the MicroSociety Middle School Academy
MICROSOCIETY Inc. offers schools two levels of training and technical assistance for implementing a school-wide program depending upon the goals of the school and district. The cost of the program varies with the number of teachers and students involved and the degree of curriculum integration, standards, alignment and community engagement desired.

Fundamental and Comprehensive Services was created to encourage, enable and empower students to take genuine responsibility for their own educational lives. To this end, it provides the necessary small and large group professional development, individual coaching, and on and off site technical assistance to build capacity of staff and the internal organizational support structures and community engagement strategies to help children and youth achieve academic success and to promote long term reform sustainability.

Whole School, Fundamental
The Whole School Fundamental program (WSF) involves 15 days of on-site professional development and off-site technical assistance by our National Certified Trainers each year, for one to three years. A balanced combination of curriculum and standards integration, enrichment, real world connections and purposeful community engagement, WSF multiplies the opportunities for students to find success. Our Fundamental Library of curriculum and instructional and assessment materials for students, teachers, and administrators supports professional development.

Whole School, Comprehensive
The Whole School Comprehensive program (WSC) is recommended for schools in need of academic improvement. Implementation requires a school’s commitment to a three-year process of professional development, integration and alignment of curriculum, instruction, and standards as well as purposeful parent and community involvement. Principal and teacher leadership is facilitated by the creation of MicroSociety Alignment Teams. These teams are designed to reduce burn out and improve morale. MICROSOCIETY certified national trainers provide up to 20 days of on-site professional development and off-site technical assistance each year. A Comprehensive Library of curriculum, instructional and assessment materials for students, teachers, and administrators support the professional development. A CD containing MicroSociety curriculum and assessment instruments are included for easy on-site duplication.