By Bronwyn Rivera
At Signum Academy, we believe in providing experiences for kids and teens to enjoy themselves and explore a range of ideas in the safety and flexibility of small online classrooms led by qualified teachers. Individual students and home-school co-ops enjoy Signum Academy. The Academy hosts four different clubs, where members can participate in highly interactive, low-stakes sessions to foster a love for learning:
- Book Club – We’re going on a literary adventure! Students who sign up for Book Club will learn to sharpen their critical thinking skills, engage in friendly debate with fellow bookworms, and share their unique perspectives without worrying about interpreting a story the “right” way. Students will also get to demonstrate their creative talents by completing a personal project inspired by the selected book. A new book is chosen each month from a list provided by the teacher. This discussion group is great for Elementary grade students. A group can be formed for other ages at request.
- Writing Club – In Writing Club, the rules are simple: practice internet etiquette, come prepared for each meeting, and wear funny hats every other Friday. Writing Club members can practice their composition, experiment with different genres, and challenge each other with creative prompts, Round-Robin style. Please note that this club does have a peer evaluation aspect called “Feedback Day,” during which students can give and receive thoughtful responses to a written piece. Sharing is voluntary, and students who wish to pass on Feedback Day will be respected. This workshop group is just right for high school and mature middle school writers. A more skills and games based group can be formed for younger writers on request.
- Conversation Club – From French to Mandarin to English for non-native speakers, Conversation Club is ideal for students to immerse themselves in different languages and cultures. Conversation Club leaders will teach students various techniques to help them speak and read foreign languages fluently and confidently. In between meetings, leaders may assign texts or videos between meetings for further practice and supplementation. Club sessions may include some English instruction or total immersion, depending on the grade range. There are currently seven languages on offer, but we invite you to contact us if there’s another language you, your child, or co-op are interested in learning.
- Translation Club – Keeping dead languages alive, one club meeting at a time. Students who sign up for Translation Club will not only learn the importance of ancient languages but help preserve them through reading and translating different texts. We are currently running our famous Old English translation section. If enough students ask for another language, such as Ancient Greek or Old Norse, we will honor this request and arrange an appropriate classroom. Like the Conversation Club, please contact us if you, your child, or co-op are interested in learning another language that does not appear on the list.
We want all prospective families to know that we understand students have school and other activities. Therefore, to ensure our members get to learn without feeling overwhelmed, Signum Academy does not issue graded work, and we keep club assignments to a minimum (if your Writing Club student spends their weekends on their novels, though, we consider that a win for stories everywhere)
Signup for Signum Academy is ongoing. We encourage registering in advance to ensure students receive a Signum email, access to their learning materials, and online classroom login instructions promptly (e.g., if you sign up for Writing Club today, you’ll be ready to go for October’s module).
We aim to keep costs as low as possible for Signum Academy members. Each club costs $90 (about $10 per hour) to cover administrative fees and payment for our teachers. Under the supervision of Director Rob Gosselin, all Signum Academy leaders have undergone background checks and are experienced instructors in their fields.
Memberships are monthly subscriptions that automatically renew at the end of the month. You may cancel your membership anytime via email at no extra charge. We also have Discount Rates for homeschooling groups, school groups, and military families. Students who refer their friends and family to Signum Academy will receive a month at no cost! To see additional subscription information, visit our Club Pricing page.
We are pleased to inform high schoolers in New Hampshire that when you join Signum Academy, you are eligible to earn language and literature credits toward graduation courtesy of the NH Department of Education’s Learn Everywhere Program. Please click here for a thorough breakdown of Signum’s involvement in the program and how to participate.
Lastly, we highly value feedback from Clubs’ parents and provide some testimonials below:
Writing Club with Sparrow F. Alden and Ms. Elise: My child’s favorite thing about the club is the interaction between the preceptor and students. The club’s atmosphere is friendly and supportive, and the online classroom format helps my child to do warm-ups quickly.
Book Club with Ms. Elise: The social aspect of reading and learning together with other kids has been fantastic! It has made a huge improvement in formulating thoughts and writing capabilities. Meeting up regularly with Ms. Elise and with kids of similar ages has provided a fun group atmosphere for getting to know new literary characters. Even when life gets busy, the online format is simple enough that the kids can be independent and attend the meetings on their own.
Writing Club with Sparrow F. Alden: My child really enjoys the interaction with Sparrow and the other students. [The online format] has been very easy to use.
Whether you are searching for an after-school club for one kid, one teen, or several students, our message remains the same: welcome to Signum Academy. We’re glad you’re here.
Coco, this four-year-old Shih Tsu, is fluent in Portugese, Spanish, and Canine. She is an integral part of Conversation Club.
