While high schools are apt at providing textbook knowledge and academic skills, the rapid pace of societal and technological advancements requires learning rooted in the real world, trial and error and solutionary thinking. This has created a disconnect between traditional education and the demands of the future.

To truly prepare learners for the challenges of the future, high schools must bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world experiences. At 糖心APP, we equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to confidently navigate the array of different pathways available after graduation. Our curriculum is based on听on the skills needed for the industries of the future, and tools for whole human flourishing. By connecting classroom learning to practical applications, learners gain a deeper understanding of concepts and develop skills to address real challenges.

We know that every learner’s learning journey is different, which is why we prepare our learners for multiple pathways beyond graduation. Our learners benefit from various resources, including micro-internship opportunities and a plethora of professional networking opportunities.

We aim to prepare learners for four key pathways: Traditional Universities, Innovative Universities, Direct to Industry, and Entrepreneurship. We do so by providing weekly sessions, aptly named Pathway Advisory, where we explore the jobs and industries of the future, engage in discussions about the evolving landscape of higher education, and most importantly, uncover the future we want to create for each of our learners.

Additionally, we organize immersive experiences such as our annual听where we connect future-oriented organizations with learners, ensuring they can gain valuable insights and make informed decisions about their future.

Our is different from your typical university fair. It covers a range of post-graduation pathways, including:

Progressive Universities:

Our learners get the inside scoop on how top-tier universities are equipping their students with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in today’s rapidly changing workforce.

Gap Year Possibilities:

Gap-year opportunities allow for personal and professional growth. We provide an array of gap year partners who can support our learners on their journey, whether it’s experience before higher education or transitioning directly into the workforce.

Entrepreneurial Insights:

Many of our learners express the desire to make the world a better place through entrepreneurial pursuits. We provide them with firsthand accounts from trailblazers who chose the entrepreneurial path.

At 糖心APP, we celebrate that each individual is unique in their dreams, passions, and aspirations. We understand that a one-size-fits-all approach to education is outdated. Instead, we are committed to providing personalized journeys for every learner who walks through our doors.

By providing learners with unique, real-world experiences, and catering to their strengths, interests, and goals, we unlock the full potential of each learner. Their journey therefore remains uniquely theirs, and we support them every step of the way.

The post Pathways after high school: Navigating the road to the future first appeared on 糖心APP.

The 鈥榟umane education鈥� movement is seen worldwide, from school ecology programs and initiatives to entire schools adopting the 鈥榞reen鈥� way of thinking, the stellar example of such a model being .

This is precisely what the term 鈥楬umane education鈥� stands for; it refers to a type of education that promotes empathy, compassion, and ethical values towards all living beings, including humans and animals. The focus of humane education is on values such as kindness, respect, and non-violence, and it goes beyond traditional subjects to encompass issues such as animal welfare, environmental conservation, and human rights, aiming to cultivate a sense of empathy and social responsibility in individuals.

What is Humane Education?

The concept of humane education has gained popularity in recent years as people have become more aware of the impact of human actions on the environment and other species. One of the coiners of the phrase is Zoe Weil, Co-founder and President of the , who also sits on the Advisory Board of听糖心APP. This type of education seeks to raise awareness about animal welfare, environmental conservation, and human rights, and to encourage individuals to make informed and responsible decisions.

To ensure that people have the skills and experiences to become solution-oriented, humane education experts focus on four main categories:

• Acquire knowledge and objective information about interconnected local and global challenges and understand interdisciplinary relations
• Think deeply about our world and develop critical thinking, as well as think strategically and creatively about the future of the world
• Make compassionate and responsible choices听by fostering wonder and appreciation for the natural world; empathy for people and animals; and commitment to doing one鈥檚 best and least harm
• Focus on solutions by understanding the world鈥檚 greatest challenges, providing opportunities to collaboratively engage in problem-solving, and presenting and implementing solutions

One of the core principles of humane education is that all beings are valuable and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. This means that the focus is not just on protecting the rights of humans, but also the rights of animals and the natural world. The consciousness of our impact on our environment and other human beings – and beings in general – is ever-growing and our education models follow the rise in such consciousness, bringing welfare and environmental protection to the forefront of the curriculum.

Another important aspect of humane education is that it helps individuals develop critical thinking skills and make informed decisions. What humane education does well is equipping learners to understand complex issues and not to act before weighing in the consequences of their actions. This allows every individual to develop empathy, but also critical thinking, and develop a better humanity for all.

This in turn helps to create a more peaceful and tolerant society. Promoting empathy and compassion towards all beings helps individuals to understand and appreciate the diversity of life and to respect the perspectives of others. By doing so, it removes societal conflicts and brings a diverse group together in a common mission – making our world a better place.

Why Humane Education?

• it promotes empathy and compassion and helps individuals understand the perspectives of others and treat all beings with kindness and respect
• Encourages informed and responsible decision–making with awareness of potential consequences on others and on our planet
• It nurtures environmental and social responsibility and eliminates the ego-driven response to the world鈥檚 greatest challenges
• It improves overall well-being by promoting peace, empathy, and ethical values

Where can humane education be found?

Although it is natural to find humane learning challenge-based learning schools and organizations with a humane outlook, its reach goes beyond that. Humane education can be delivered through a variety of means, including schools, community organizations, and online resources. You can begin your research through the 鈥檚 resources, some of which come with evidence of completion. However, its reach goes beyond that.

Humane learning activities aren鈥檛 standardized and can take many forms, depending on whether they entail a formal education program, which depends on their medium and setting. Usually, they take the form of activities such as hands-on activities, discussions, workshops, and multimedia resources. In addition, many educational institutions that have embraced this type of education are very hands-on, with a project-based or a challenge-based learning model at their core. 糖心APP鈥檚 model is one in which you will find humanity to be the focus of all learning, and its values are tightly knit with those of Humane Education.

Humane education is one step forward

As we find ourselves in a post-pandemic, war-ridden world, the value of Humane Education is apparent, now more than ever. The world needs humans who understand the world in an interconnected and ethical way and are able to craft the best solutions for the future. By promoting empathy, community, challenge-based learning, and skill development, we can empower future generations to be informed and responsible participants in our common humanity and strive toward creating a more harmonious and equitable world.

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Create a Vision Board for Yourself

Vision boards are great to remind you of your personal goals and aspiration during your day-to-day. A number of influential people utilize this tool to visualize their ideal life. These vision boards, also called dream boards or goal boards, can be created by cutting, writing, drawing, or printing out your elements. However, as our eyes are more and more directed toward digital screens, more and more people choose to convey their visions digitally. Canva is a great tool to do so. Simply click create and choose your format – whether it be screen format for your laptop or mobile size to put as your screensaver. Now that you have a blank slate of a document to work with, it’s time to create your vision board. There are several different ways to do this, but this is my personal favorite:

• Firstly, select the right template for your vision board. Canva has many different templates to choose from, including blank templates or templates with lines or grids that help guide where things should go.
• Secondly, import images from your computer or directly from the internet (you can find useful resources and ). Use images that really resonate with you and your goals: what are the things you wish to see in your future life?
• Thirdly, add text to reflect your goals and motivations for doing whatever it is that you want to do; this might be anything from “I want more money” to “I want to change the world”. The sky is really the limit here – all of these will define your personal brand, so make use of the resourceful images, elements, and videos to really bring your vision to life!
  
  Here鈥檚 a great wishing to focus on her academic success.

Lastly, share this vision board with friends and family so that they can provide feedback on what could make it even more effective–and set it as wallpaper on your electronics so every day when you glance at your phone or laptop, you will remember how awesome life will be once everything comes together!

Create a Mood Board

Mood boards are different from vision boards in their purpose: while vision boards define your goals and ambitions, mood boards set the tone for your upcoming personal brand. Mood boards are a great way to make sure your branding is consistent across all of your marketing materials. They can also be used as a visual representation of your brand, and make it easy for you to keep track of things like logo colors and fonts. The goal of making a mood board is to create a personation of who you are: your personality, your hobbies, interests, and things that you care about and are passionate about exploring. To create a mood board in Canva: 听

• Click on the “Mood Boards” icon at the top left corner of the page. Then, click “Create.鈥�
• Choose an image from their library or upload one yourself. If you’re using an image from their library, make sure to select “Image” as its type in the right-hand column; otherwise, you’ll have to add it manually by clicking 鈥淯pload鈥� and 鈥淪elect your own image鈥�. When adding an image of the internet, you can always copy that image (right-click and then 鈥楥opy image鈥� or 鈥楥opy鈥�) and paste it into the canvas – this will automatically upload your image.
• Add text wherever possible – this will help you understand yourself! For example: “I love my cat.” Or maybe even something more specific like, “I am kind to everyone who cares about animals because we share a similar love”. This will help you dive deep into your personality.

Here鈥檚 a great example of a mood board! Created by

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Create a Logo and Brand Elements Using Canva’s Templates

By now, you should鈥檝e gotten a lot of information from your mood board that can help you define your . The next step is to create a logo and brand elements by utilizing Canva’s templates, which are free and easy to use. You can decide whether you want to create a text-based or image-based logo. If you choose an image, make sure that it’s clear enough so that people who see your profile will be able to read it. For example, if the word “design” is part of your business name or description and you want it in your logo, try using a font like Helvetica so that people can easily decipher what the letters mean. Make sure to use consistent fonts across all your communication. Luckily, Canva comes with pre-defined font pairings that you can choose from, or if none are really speaking to you, you can use this incredible . You must also have a consistent color scheme across all of your branding materials so that everything looks professional. Again, your mood board or even your favorite color can serve as an inspiration. Here鈥檚 an example of the amazing final product:

A fantastic product of great typography and color scheme from the mood board example above! Follow and support her work. Are you ready to share your personal brand with the world and use your unique set of skills to better the world? Check out part two to learn how to use Canva to create compelling communication material.

The post How to: utilize Canva to build your own personal brand Pt. 1 first appeared on 糖心APP.

Create a CV.

• • In the home page, search for听Resume听and select one of the templates that truly match your mood board鈥檚 values. Do not worry about colors and fonts – you will be able to change this later. If you have extensive experience which you are willing to share, make sure that your template offers a few pages that can hold all of your info.
  • Next, upload your photo and add your information and fill out your CV. Canva has an amazing feature where you can add templates even once you started designing, so if the current selection doesn鈥檛 make the cut anymore, feel free to shift to a different template found under the Templates card.

The post How to: utilize Canva to build your own personal brand Pt. 2 first appeared on 糖心APP.