The Consciousness School of Human potential
and Genius development ~
a true oasis of wisdom, creativity and harmony
Our Education is based on the time-tested humanistic pedagogical principles
and the balance of arts, sciences and ethics
Ages 0-16
The Academy consists of 7 integrated and interactive, experiential and experimental Programs:
The School of arts and humanities: visual, textile, design, and tactile arts, literary arts and the performing arts – music, theatre, dance, media and film.
The School of health and well-being: holistic & clinical medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nutrition, survival skills, happiness, wisdom & altruism economics.
The School of plant science, animal care and ecology: culinary arts (gastronomy & food science) biology, agriculture, horticulture, permaculture, eco-farming, bee keeping, husbandry (wild and domesticated animals)
The School of business & economy: entrepreneurship, political science, marketing, law, sustainability, history, political science, philanthropy
The School of wisdom and truth: philosophy, social science, cosmology, spiritual studies & investigation, theology, energy studies and ethics.
The School of family and relationships: parenting, communication, child culture, family biology, psychology, cultural anthropology.
The School of sciences: the invention and improvement of ethical technology and its application that can bring sustainability, peace and health to the world.
Our Private Academy is unique in the following ways:
- Guaranteed life-long effort for economic and moral support
- Excellent Scholarship, Apprenticeship and Certification programs
- Membership to healing centers and resorts
- Authentic International cultural environment.
- Detection, cultivation, and application of talents
- Cooperative, Experiential & Self-initiated learning
- Integration of nature, city-life, work, education, travel and home
- An Eco-friendly environment
- Spiritual, philosophical, political, socio-economic and dietary freedom
- Universal code of ethics and advanced communication
- Unstructured environment, flexible attendance
- Unique Age mixing, small group interaction and individual attention
- Thorough selection of teachers & the optimum teacher–student matching
- Established on time tested superior humanistic educational models
- Transparency of activities and strong parental involvement
Our academy is one of a kind thanks to the integration of many successful methods for nurturing a well-balanced creative and altruistic person:
1. Genius detection and cultivation. Here children can discover their true genius, develop it and share it with others. Individual talents are accurately and naturally recognized and cultivated. In other words, our students know exactly what their inherent abilities are and how to use them effectively for a fulfilling life. The students are guided to nurture their balanced genius by prioritizing their focus on their inherited desires, strengths and highest needs through participation in a meaningful and ethical work environment.
2. Enjoyable & Creative Education. Here children can learn to immediately create by releasing their innate abilities. By knowing the simple formula of creativity students produce extraordinary works of fine art, literature, music, philosophy, architecture, culinary art or medicine. Professions are selected according to students' natural inclinations and passions. We believe that developing mastery within our own chosen field is the foundation for an enjoyable and useful education.
3. Experiential Learning. Children learn by working and solving problems here at the academy or through apprenticed work at local hospitals, theaters, farms, restaurants, etc. Students will learn side by side with professional adults: gardening, milking, baking, treating injuries, diagnosing and healing ailments, building eco-houses, riding horses, sewing and knitting clothes, acting at the theatre, and debating.
4. Integration of nature, city-life, work, education and travel. Our Academy is a bridge between science and art, ethics and economy, between cognition and realization, between old and young, as well as between the different cultures of the world. Our new humanistic education creates an innovative and relational lifestyle: where home, education, work, culture and nature all are integrated, because basic human needs like clean air, shelter, water, food, work, rest, social interaction, spiritual freedom are all interconnected, not artificially separated.
Imagine a sanctuary of pristine nature and architectural splendour where you are always welcome. It feels like a home. It is both a destination and a journey. It is where you can come any time of the day and safely learn or teach what you need. It is a haven where your mind is being developed in harmony with your spirit.
Once we expand into the nature campus the students will raise their own oxygenated reservoir fish, edible algae, farm animals: chickens, ducks, cows, goats, sheep, horses and donkeys for fresh milk, cheese and eggs. Here they will build their own ecological barns and huts from the ground up, make their own furniture by hand, decorate the rooms with their own weaved carpets, rugs and curtains. At the Academy sanctuary students will landscape by planting fruit/nut bearing trees, medicinal plants and culinary herbs.
Students will also grow their own vegetables and berries in gardens and in greenhouses with the deepest care and gratitude. Here they will design, sew, weave, knit and crochet their own clothing made of natural fibers such as linen, bamboo, cotton, including the wool that they shear from their own sheep they raise.
5. Transparency of activities and parental involvement. Parents who are registered academy members can interact with their own children and participate with them in most open activities and meetings. All open group sessions (except for individual & group closed sessions and counseling) can be observed by members of the academy and registered guests.
Parents are an integral part of our academy, as two ideal continuum support systems strengthen each other: one - the family setting, second - the school setting. Our purpose is to improve and perpetuate the family relationships by supporting parental authority. With a full consent and interest of the students certain class activities may be even filmed and documented for educational purposes.
6. Cooperative learning. Imagine a place filled with curious, intelligent and caring individuals who embrace your new thoughts, give feedback, support you and encourage you to be who you are meant to be. Here learning is based on affection and democratic principles without classrooms grades and tests. Here children celebrate life by given responsibility to follow their own interests, look after themselves and one another.
Here their skills and knowledge are immediately put into practice for the maximum potential and benefit of other people. In turn increasing their sense of self-worth and altruism, birthing new paradigms in arts, science, and spirituality.
The future will need more teams working for the welfare of all. Faculty members nurture both the individual dreams and the collective community interests through focusing on strengths and cultivating them. Students will learn ethical entrepreneurship, gifting economy, relational arts and nurturing relationships replacing competitiveness and materialism. Through self-initiated activities students will set priorities, allocate resources, and work with others in a vibrant multi-age academy enjoying total intellectual freedom. By being responsible for themselves and for the academy's operation, they will learn to lead effective lives.
7. Spiritual, political, socio-economic and dietary freedom. We seek unity not uniformity. We intend not to indoctrinate, but to inspire and empower children. Unlike many private schools no dietary, spiritual, philosophical, economic or political affiliation is necessary to be at the academy. Here students discuss the vital problems of humankind independent of political boundaries or limits, whether spiritual or physical.
We are a forum and a natural studio-laboratory where these problems can be solved objectively, scientifically, globally, and free from vested interests of regional, religious or cultural attachments. Spiritual Tolerance - an open-minded exploration of reality based on scientific and spiritual insights forms closer relationships. Here faith and spirituality can be found reasonable, science-affirming, healthy, hopeful, and humane.
We strive to apply the ancient wisdom from the practical and indigenous traditions of the world and the new insights and discoveries of science and psychology. We stress the importance of each individual finding their own meaning and ways to realization in life and fulfillment in work. By creatively exploring many mysteries from all philosophical and spiritual paths we allow students to choose their own learning whether it is neutral, religious, metaphysical or scientific.
8. Universal code of ethics and advanced communication. At our academy the first thing that we teach children is awareness of other people's needs. The children are gently and patiently taught about how their actions hugely impact others. There is a clear purpose in living our lives with gratefulness, integrity, simplicity, empathy and harmony. Here children develop the ability to make clear logical arguments, and deal with complex ethical issues. The only way our children can know, feel and express compassion is by experiencing it. In order to help children to be more loving, an engaging environment needs to be created. Therefore, we ourselves demonstrate our values of pure living by being open-minded and nurturing.
Both administration and students carefully select each staff member for their humble, radiant and compassionate attitud. No position or work is considered less significant on campus. Here we learn to empathize and nurture others through attentive communication, touch and problem resolution. We discover how to effectively listen and convey our thoughts and are taught to express feelings in a creative, peaceful and productive way. We also learn to listen with openness to different perspectives, knowing how to accept criticism in a loving way, as a tool for growth as differences strengthen our vision and expand our awareness.
Here we are committed to communicate in a non-violent way, bringing our truth in a constructive and non-reactive way, with humility and sensibility. Without making judgments or assumptions we make this a secure place where we can feel, think and express ourselves without fear and without masks, knowing always that our freedom ends where the other person's freedom begins.
9. Ecological food production and living. Within walking distance we reach both our cultural city oasis as well as a our tranquil nature retreat. Children learn from nature, its fauna and flora, preserving and stimulating its abundance. Students minimize their use and consumption of natural resources, build eco-friendly constructions and learn about composting, recycling. Organic food is grown, prepared and served by the students themselves.
The Consciousness Sanctuary (The Academy) is about being real. Real education. Real food. Real furniture. Real life. Real communication. Real people working, interacting, playing, learning and laughing together...real connection! The journey of learning is as important as the destination ~ and over time a true generational legacy is created.
10. Unstructured environment & flexible attendance. The Academy serves as a year-round learning center for developing creative minds. The activities are scheduled by students themselves in order to accommodates different their biological and mental clocks. There are kids who love creating in a noisy environment, and there are also more introverted kids who need more peace and quiet for their studies. Therefore time, space and activities are personalized. Why would everyone eat the same fish fillet, or have only one hug a day? We are all different, so should our time for learning, nourishment and working individualized.
Here children together with teachers decide what they learn. Here they find time and space to sit and dream and discuss, and there is no haste or pressure to learn. We teach our children to adapt and grow. Making mistakes and having an active mind are requirements to personal growth. The academy is a family simulated environment where children can continue learning to be compassionate and prepare for loving and honest relationships later in life.
11. The optimum matching of teachers and students. In our learning environment children, adults and families would choose to be grouped according to natural compatibility. The very grouping itselft is based the most optimum matching of personalities ~ a natural connection. The students can choose their own teachers, and teachers can choose their own students. All the students can vote and decide if a particular teacher and her teaching methods are suitable for them or not. Our teachers however establish and maintain their reputation by inspirational teaching. Our students are taught to honor their teachers, mentors and elders.
12. Individual attention and care is provided for all students. Even if there is only child in the whole school interested in becoming a medical doctor, she will be fully and completely prepared for her future profession. That means that such student will have as many teachers and mentors as she needs for her education. In our system an individual student is as important as the whole group.
13. Apprenticeships and access to useful knowledge. Here children are encouraged to help adults and be immersed in their world as much as they like. For a child any interesting work is more useful and fun than play, and meaningful activity is an essential part of childhood development.
Apprenticeships are the platforms where children can learn proficiently the skills and crafts at an early age through observation, emulation and actual practice. Children are able to go to professionals' studios to work. For example, part of the time, young dancers' group go to rehearsals and concerts to observe and learn from professional dancers. The young composers go to other musicians' recording studios to learn and create. The young entrepreneurs collaborate with their favorite business leaders. There are unique learning and working opportunities that develop between our students and other institutions and companies.
14. Merging all levels of education. There is a fusion all levels of education from kindergardten to post-university. Our faculty are committed to help our students not only supply the tools to increase students' knowledge and skills, but also to provide economic support. We will provide our own assessments, accreditation diplomas, certifications for the completion of the school. After graduation the students can continue studying here or apply for other colleges or universities around the world. We guarantee to provide necessary tutoring so our students are accepted into any major university in the world.
Our faculty will be providing necessary venues for continuous self-education, self-employment or employment. Those who become successful in their careers while at the academy can either continue working or teaching here at our schools, or go to another institute or an exciting job that we help to find. Even after graduation profit sharing of the academy continues. So the success of other students can also be a slight but comforting financial support.
Our primary goal is to have our students live a fulfilling life. If our students do choose to live and work abroad we help them as much as possible to find the positions there as well, always welcoming them back home when they are ready to come back. Our continuum interaction is of global scale.
15. Future market. A degree used to be the security of the late industrial age. Not any more. The new era will need independent thinkers and spiritual scientists. Work will mean operating in teams and outsourcing. Without clear foresight people will be changing careers five to eight times in their lifetime. The future is volatile and unless we train children to adapt quickly and accurately gauge the priorities, they will not be able to thrive. We will be training children for many of the forecasted occupations, and teach them how to create new occupations that are not yet existent.
The global market is one of the necessary financial stabilizers for our students and the academy. "Mediocre leaders focus on control and goals, visionary leaders ~ on creativity and change". Our school prepares the students for the constant and immense changes in the future. They must be quick to adapt to brand new economy and technology that will be changing rapidly. They must be aware of the opportunities and still enjoy being in the process without losing peace and equilibrium. We teach children to have common sense and be flexible in order to solve future problems.
16. Self-sufficiency and intelligent funding of the academy. Our Private academy accepts children from all socio-economic backgrounds, from the poorest to the most affluent. The final goal of the academy is to make it tuition free. The funding of the schools will be based on two philanthropists-founders funds in addition to different trial support systems:
- Small and large business sponsors and individual philanthropists whose sole interest is in the radical improvement of the education. Sponsors' names are displayed on the Website, school and media outlets. Each sponsor can choose to support a particular student, teacher, or a particular activity or administrative expense such as the building, eco farm maintenance and cost, transportation, musical instruments, etc. They can also choose to be part of the profit sharing program and may receive tax deductions.
- The local and international large business sponsorship. The corporations, or institutions who want their workers' families participate in our schools sponsor their own children who have to go through regular admission process.
- The Academy fund is created advertised on vital media outlets including. Tax deductible voluntary donations will be accepted from all over the world including our own future successful alumni and families.
- Government sponsored educational assistance and world wide grants. The grants will also come from various global foundations specifically interested in progressive alternative education.
- Volunteer assistants and teachers. There will be many volunteers who will work part-time or full time with students, such as retired professionals who still enjoy sharing their wisdom with the young and many others who want to participate.
- Profit sharing. If the alumni or the attending students whose work is promoted by the academy marketing team reach financial success, a small portion of the profits is shared amongst all academy members including students, teachers, administration and sponsors. This increases co-operation, teamwork and eliminates professional jealousy or envy.
The developed intellectual and material property is profit shared with everyone who have devoted many years to contributing to the students' success. The goal of the school is a self-sufficient enterprise ~ self-sustained system that involves every single person who is involved with the academy. This way we eliminate intense competition within the academy and allow every teacher, mentor and sponsor to fully invest their time in the children for lifelong security and success. In a way, both the teacher and the student are guaranteed economic stability, no matter if disabled, unemployed, etc. It is very likely that the students' future children might be attending the same school.
We never lose our relationship with any of the alumni, as the connection or collaboration continues. In parallel, we will be teaching a gifting economy that creates sustainability outside the monetary system in addition to simple survival skills where back to basics living can be experienced by any adventuresome spirit.
17. Thorough selection of teachers. In our academy we will choose teachers based on four criteria:
- Love for children. Those who naturally relate to children and are able to share their enthusiasm for knowledge. And likewise, who, naturally, are liked and wanted by children.
- Creativity. Those who can create, solve problems, think "outside the box" and inspire children to originate new ideas and projects. In the olden times it was the teachers who went out to villages and attempted to teach the children. If they did not engage them they had to leave somewhere else. Only those who were able to interest children were hired by the villages who gave the teachers room and board.
- Compatibility. Mutual connection to our team, children's group and faculty is a must.
- Skills and References. Extraordinary patience with children is essential as well as an ability to restrain from over-teaching. All teachers selected are highly skilled and passionate in their own fields. It is not the age, degrees or diplomas that are the fulcrum of teachers' accomplishments, but the demonstration of knowledge, skill and references.
Even right now it is not sufficient to find a great surgeon with a marvelous diploma under his belt. The families would check all possible references and recommendations about the surgeon's success. The same way we ask around if a particular restaurant manager or a hair stylist is competent or not. It matters less how many standardized tests he's passing, it matters how satisfied the customers are with their meals and haircuts. - Autonomy and freedom for teachers. After a thorough screening and selection process, the chosen teachers are given 4 week intensive training and 1 month trial teaching with students. Once the basics of a new educational philosophy is understood, the teacher can begin teaching. Once the trial relationship of 1 month is established, and the students approve, the teacher will remain teaching for the remaining academic year. However, weekly councils by students monitors the teacher-student relationship.
The students vote and decide, if they want to continue being taught by a particular teacher. The daily interaction with students provide an immediate gauge of the ability of the teacher to engage children. Once a great rapport is established a teacher should be given freedom and independence to create unique ways of advancement. Ideally, the teacher would have a lifelong relationship with the students.
The teacher-student bond is sacred and serious, and it would be nurtured every year in one capacity or another similar to bonds of family members. Therefore, the student has to carefully choose his/her teacher, and the teacher has to carefully choose the student. A perfect teacher is not one who knows the most but who can inspire the most altruistic creativity and growth for both himself and others. Therefore a teacher could be both an expert or a student in the field as all our students are also assistant teachers.
18. Safety, Order & Balanced Democracy. Safety, respect for one another, overall order, and hygiene is of utmost importance at the academy. Both children and teenagers will have role models for work and family. Our hope is that they will find a rather stimulating life and a safe haven in our school. Staff does not use adult authority to impose values and solve all problems. Even though the children will make most of the decisions at the academy, there will always be the nurturing and wise guidance of adults ~ the students' freedom within the staff's approved boundaries.
The final decision making of certain issues like health, safety, transportation, travel, sexual & moral codes of conduct, etc. may fall upon the hands of the administration faculty and members-parents. In other words, if students decide to vote and petition to plant toxic plants at the greenhouse, but the adult administration overrules the petition, then the students have to conform to the final ruling. On the other hand, if the students prove their case that they need an additional shed for farm equipment, or a new window in the art studio or they need to visit St. Petersburg museum, they are given the freed to create funds and time to pursue such goals.
19. Choices of diverse skills. Here students study to become reflective visual and performing artists, educators, philosophers, writers, composers, producers, scientists, medical practitioners, healers, spiritual & political leaders, psychologists, entrepreneurs, scholars and creative parents and grandparents.
What is unique about our school is that we grow together supporting one another artistically, morally, spiritually and economically. Every individual learns what they need to know through life circumstances and there is no need to design a one-size-fits-all curriculum that will prepare a young person for adult life.
20. Unique Age mixing and Small Group Interaction. We nurture long term relationships even after the students decide to leave the sanctuary. Our educational system is more like an extended family that will be always there for you no matter how long you are away. We would like to limit to 4-10 students in each group so the communication and interaction would be more productive, friendly and comfortable.
Grouping is also interchangeable and flexible: students are not permanently separated into specific age-groups. They are allowed to mix freely, interacting with those younger and older than themselves; free age-mixing is emphasized as a powerful tool for learning and development in all ages. For instance, a twelve-year-old artist can still join a younger group for a better compatibility, or a seven-year-old can participate in thirteen year olds' debates. The bottom line is that there is total freedom to choose any group provided that the group and if a teacher/assistant approves of it.
21. Self-regulated and initiated learning and leisure. It takes an average of 30 hours to learn to read, 30 hours to learn to write and 30 hours to become sufficiently mathematically competent, when the learning is instigated by the child. Academics are learnt naturally through focusing on the passions. There are no traditional methodologies, although children are free to request instruction on any subject or talk to any staff member about an interest.
Some students, especially boys, don't worry about reading until they're 9 or 11, but surrounded by library books, research rooms and computers, surrounded by other kids who can read, they eventually become not only readers, but successful scholars. Actually, a natural delay in reading increases creativity and improves well-being.
For leisure students might use word games, board games, spontaneous acting, story telling, and the school hours are spent outdoors as often as needed: snow igloo building, ice sculpting, sledding, skiing, fishing, swimming, canoeing, tree climbing, tight rope walking, juggling, bicycling, walking, swinging on swings, vigorous games such as tennis/basketball games at the courts and other imaginative amusements all generated by the pupils according to need.
Our children will be sculpting, knitting, designing with special materials to learn the ancient arts. There are dozens of cultural and entertainment things for children as well: puppet theater, youth theater, youth cinemas, spas, gourmet restaurants and cafes, art museums, universites,.etc. where they will apprentice and work.
22. Sufficient time to master skills. Talent is something you are born with, but genius is a developed talent and something you devote your life to. At the academy the students can devote countless hours to sculpting, woodworking or composing for months at a time. Here they learn not only the skills, but become originators of ideas and creators of arts.
In terms of current expertise theory, 10 years and 10,000 hours of devoted practice are needed to get to become an expert. In other words, for many people the secret to mastering any skill is to put in at least 10,000 hours of work. The truth about successful people is that they got there through hard work and knowledge. When it comes to success ~ motivation and training is almost as important as talent.
24. Based on time tested superior educational models. There are actually hundreds of educational examples throughout history that have been time tested and we have combined and sampled numerous solid value elements that were superior from different cultures and eras.
We Are Now Accepting Teachers, and Students (ages 0-16).
Foreli Kramarik-Blinstrubaite - Founder and Principal of the Academy
Author, Speaker, Counselor, Educator, Editor, Anthropology Researcher, Entrepreneur, Cultural Adviser, Composer and the Mother of five children. Having grown up in a very progressive self-educated environment Foreli at 17 received a Educators diploma from The Academy of Sciences of Vilnius, Lithuania and with her family founded the first semi-private school.
Foreli continued her teaching, counseling and extensive research abroad on parenting, relationships, happiness, health, self-sufficiency, longevity, wisdom and creativity. Her research field encompassed holistic education & medicine, spiritual and cultural studies, philosophy, arts, gifting economy, future sciences, universal history, psychology, neuro-linguistics , anthropology, and harmonious sustainable civilization designs.
(www.foreli.org)
info@www.foreli.org
Student Admission depends on 3 criteria:
1. The child's own ability, desire, ambition, interest, and enthusiasm to establish a connection to our existing team of faculty, advisors, teachers and registered students.
2. The family's understanding and acceptance of our vision. The parental connection to our team determines if the program is right for a particular child and family.
3. Space and funds availability. If an enrolled student's family cannot afford the tuition, the academy faculty will do everything possible to secure the scholarship. In other words, a student's admission will not be based on the family's financial situation. If there is no space available, then the family can sign up for a waiting list. Once we receive the full grant funding the tuition becomes automatically free of charge.