Updated 2019-09-06

Learn Beyond The Book

Resource center providing a-la-carte classes and events that students choose in locations in LA County, from preschool age through high school. Also provides a community for homeschoolers and coaching and training to help families understand SDE.
Elmarie Hyman owner
click to see email
(+1) 661-755-2331
21704 Golden Triangle Road #500
Santa Clarita, CA  91350
United States
Los Angeles, CA

Description

Every student with their family gets to go over our large selection of classes that involve anything from the typical “core” subjects to what is typically called “enrichment”. We offer unusual courses such as 3D Modeling & Printing, History through Minecraft, Research-based Happiness Skills, Cooking, etc. and for high schoolers we help them with community college credits, if that is what they would like to pursue. Students and families have complete control over their schedule and what they decide to join in with at our campus. If they need to miss some classes, that is no problem either. High schoolers get to enroll in classes such as Psychology, Philosophy, Comparative World Religions, Theater, Sewing & Fashion Design, Leadership Skills etc. We are often compared to a college for kids, where you pick and choose what you would like to participate in. It is exciting to see so many self-directed learners being so excited about their custom-made schedules!

SDE Optimizing Conditions

ASDE surveys all SDE communities/programs about how they provide, enhance, or align with each of the Six Optimizing Conditions for young people to succeed in SDE.  Survey answers:
  1. Responsibility – In all our classes and events, we always stress to everyone that they're not doing any class activities for us, so they get to choose what they participate in and when to do something else. We also help parents understand this fact.
  2. Youth Autonomy – Families pick classes and events from a long list of things offered and base it around what their child's interests are. They are also all homeschooled so they have tons of free time at home. We encourage a lot of free play and incorporate into clas
  3. Access to Tools and Technology – Depending on the classes families picked, the tools or technology is provided at our center and there is freedom to explore how to use it, even if there is a lesson on ways they could be used.
  4. Adult Allies – Our adults are carefully chosen to treat all children like real individuals with thoughts, feelings,and ideas and they would help at any time,but judging is not part of our culture.High school students who want credit let us know and we can grade.
  5. Free Age Mixing – Our classes have suggested age ranges, but it is always negotiable and it is a rather large range of ages, just so parents are aware what level the class is and can pick the level their child would like to study at.
  6. Community – Every time we start planning our schedule, we ask for suggestions, ideal schedules and more and families give input and we accommodate every possible request and if it's not possible, we try to suggest alternatives that might work as well.

If any information about this resource is out of date, please let us know.