One Teacher for Every Four Students
Student-Directed Learning Journey
Unique Support and Resources
Big Minds is a radically different accessible education program for Twice-Exceptional students, grades K-8. Our student-to-teacher ratio is 4:1, and all of our learning is done in project-based and strengths-led 1:1 or small group settings. We utilize what your student is passionate about as a vehicle for filling in the building blocks they might struggle with as part of their disability. Our focus is on socio-emotional development that supports both cognitive and creative growth. Students and teachers are continually engaged in a passionate, reciprocal learning process.
Our mission and curriculum are rooted in disability justice; we impress upon our students that being 2e means they are part of a greater community and that it is fundamentally a problem that the education system was not built for them. We want our students to leave Big Minds with the skills to navigate the world as it is and as socially literate humans who feel comfortable advocating for themselves.
Twice-Exceptional (or "2e") is an emerging term for people who are gifted and also have one or more disabilities. While every one of our students is unique in their combination of giftedness and challenges, some common threads include struggles with socializing, perfectionism, lack of executive functioning skills, and general asynchronous social and academic development.
This learner profile is often overlooked, ignored, and outright failed by traditional educational settings. Our pedagogical methodology is designed explicitly for 2e learners, both catering to their strengths and accommodating their struggles.
Are you a Big Minds parent?
The typical parent of a Big Minds student understands the need for a radical change in how 2e children are educated. They are collaborative and supportive of Big Minds and know that it takes a team to help a 2e child succeed. Big Minds offers an exceptional amount of social and emotional support, coupled with advanced academics. Our parents appreciate that Big Minds cannot solve every challenge and recognize that collaborative outside services are often needed to support our students.
Big Minds parents trust our process and know that our faculty and staff will help their children through the disintegration and reintegration that are necessary steps to growth and learning. We offer a monthly Parent Support Group for all families as raising 2e children comes with its own unique path. We also provide a monthly Parent Informational night where parents are able to learn more about current research, methodologies, and support for 2e children.
Is your child a possible Big Minds Student?
Our students have evidence of giftedness in at least one domain. While we encourage parents to provide any assessments they have as part of their student's application, assessment is not required. Our thoughtful admissions process allows us to see the big picture for the student and to learn about who they are “off paper”. Parents are encouraged to share portfolios of work, creations, compositions, musical pieces, builds, etc. as part of the application process. While our definition of giftedness is broad, there must be evidence of it during our admissions process in order to be offered enrollment.
Our students can communicate and respond to conversations in an engaging fashion. Still, we also can serve students who are selectively mute or whose anxiety impedes their ability to fully engage. We do so by providing a safe de-schooling environment while students learn to trust adults and peers again after experiencing school-based trauma. Our students are independent for toileting and eating, and have the ability to safely navigate about our campus without an adult. Our model is not built to support students who engage in physical aggression, extreme verbal aggression that doesn’t respond to prompting or redirection, or students who elope.
Big Minds Unschool
PO Box 22869
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 630-2541
A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Big Minds Unschool
PO Box 22869
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 630-2541
