A microschool aims to make a “colossal” impact by scaling
Oct 4, 2024
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Shireen Rattigan, founder of Colossal Academy, discusses her journey from public and Montessori school teacher to innovator in education. She shares how she transformed a pandemic pod into a thriving microschool network, focusing on personalized learning and community building. Shireen explores the benefits of franchising microschools and launching Colossal Online, emphasizing project-based learning and real-world applications. She also highlights the importance of accessibility in education, aiming to empower families with diverse options for their children’s learning.
Shiren Rattigan's creation of a franchise network for Colossal Academy exemplifies a scalable solution addressing diverse educational needs across Florida.
Colossal Online's flexible curriculum focuses on personalized learning and real-world skills, ensuring accessibility for all families without financial barriers.
Deep dives
Shireen Radigan's Journey to Educational Entrepreneurship
Shireen Radigan, a former public and private school teacher, founded Colossal Academy in Fort Lauderdale, evolving from a pandemic pod into a thriving micro-school. Her entrepreneurial journey emphasizes the significance of intuition in decision-making, leading to opportunities for growth and teaching jobs in her community. As Colossal Academy expanded, Shireen recognized the need for broader educational options and created a franchise network, allowing others to implement the Colossal model in their communities. This growth reflects her commitment to providing diverse educational opportunities through innovative solutions that prioritize freedom and flexibility for both students and educators.
Innovative Online Education Experience
Colossal Online offers a dynamic curriculum designed to cater to the individual needs of students while incorporating relevant real-world skills. This includes engaging lessons on personal branding and sustainability that encourage students to explore learning through hands-on projects and collaborative discussions. The online structure provides flexibility through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes, allowing families to customize their educational experience based on their unique needs. By leveraging various digital platforms, students can learn core subjects, with opportunities for mentorship and personalized support from enthusiastic educators.
Empowering Educators in Unconventional Models
Colossal Academy prioritizes attracting passionate educators who thrive in non-traditional learning environments, often drawing teachers leaving conventional classrooms due to safety concerns and the desire for professional fulfillment. Recruitment efforts emphasize community connections and utilize various channels, including social media and word-of-mouth, to find educators who share a commitment to innovative teaching methods. Teachers at Colossal are encouraged to create engaging learning experiences, enabling them to tailor their instruction to meet students' interests and needs. This focus on educator motivation contributes to a supportive and enriching learning atmosphere for students.
The Core Value of Accessibility in Education
Colossal Online is dedicated to making education accessible to all families through affordability and adherence to education savings account (ESA) funding programs. This commitment ensures that diverse learners can access high-quality education opportunities without financial barriers. The emphasis on flexibility allows families to design their educational journeys that cater to individual preferences and lifestyles. In doing so, Colossal Online aims to foster an inclusive educational ecosystem, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive in their learning experience.
A former public school teacher and founder of Colossal Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Shiren Rattigan is expanding her microschool model by creating a franchise network of "colossalized" microschools throughout the Sunshine State, as well as lacunhing Colossal Online to enable learners everywhere to access high-quality, highly individualized education.
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