Self Development Schools, a beacon of education in Mesa for almost four decades, have woven themselves into the very fabric of the community. Our journey, which commenced in 1988 with establishing a preschool and later expanded to include an elementary school in 2000, is a testament to our commitment to education. We are not just a school but an integral part of the community. We asked our students and teachers what a good education means to them and how Self Development Academy provides it. Their heartfelt responses will surely brighten your day.
PERSONALIZED EDUCATION
Our survey results were clear: good education recognizes and caters to the unique learning styles of each student. At Self Development Academy (SDA), we foster a nurturing learning environment through our dedicated educators who strive to build strong relationships with each of their students. This approach makes certain that every student feels safe, supported, and valued in their educational journey.
“One of the aspects of the teachers I appreciate is their dedication to ensuring that each student grasps the topic,” shared a middle school student, reflecting the nurturing learning environment at SDA. This student’s experience is just one of the many inspiring stories that fill our halls, and we are excited to share more with you.
GREAT EDUCATION
Our students shared that a good education is about feeling comfortable to make mistakes and learn from them. At Self Development Academy, we embrace the idea that, “the most instructive answer is a ‘wrong one.’” A right answer only teaches what something is. But a wrong answer tells you why something is. We believe in the power of learning from mistakes, turning them into valuable lessons for personal growth.
We do not measure academic success based on answers. “Learning is asking questions,” a student of Mrs.
Smith writes. We encourage asking questions and wanting to know why. One third-grade student remarked, “SDA teachers are great” because “when a student asks a question, a teacher always answers.”
SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
“The teachers have one-on-one conversations with us whenever we need help,” says Alexis, an 8th-grade student at SDA.
“I like it when they try to make us laugh while still teaching us,” adds a 7th-grade student.
Teachers should not be a stuffy panel of professors but real people with real solutions to problems. A good education has “teachers that you can talk to.” Relatable teachers are good teachers. “You can understand the topics more” when teachers try to relate to their students.
TEACHERS ARE APPROACHABLE
So, how does SDA create supportive learning environments? Our teachers “are more approachable, so I can ask them things,” shares one 6th-grade student. It’s humor mixed with insight, discipline mixed with compassion, and time mixed with empathy.
“I continue to work for SDA because of the positive work culture it provides,” Mr. Hansen writes. He describes SDA as a strong ethic of inclusion and collaboration, concluding that, “everyone works closely with one another, especially when bringing in students from the previous grade.”
At SDA, we create a school and more than a community. It’s a temporary village with diverse talents assembled together to carry out shared goals. When we hire teachers, “it is often the last job they have to apply for,” says Vernetta Madsen, who started working at Self Development Preschool in 1988 and is now the Director of the Preschool and Human Resources of the Self Development Companies.
A GOOD EDUCATION INSTILLS THE PASSION TO LEARN
The best description of our philosophy comes from a student’s answer. Describing what it is like to learn at SDA, this student shared that it is like, “Learning the universe.” In so many ways, her description is apt, read literally and figuratively. Literally, we should learn about the universe, the cosmological entity, and the fabric of time and space. Figuratively, we should learn the universe, the summation of things in total.
True, we may be reading unintended profundity into this child’s words. Yet, a common theme is running through our students’ answers: education must instill a passion for learning. Teachers engage with students in a way that when they leave the class, students want to learn more. What our students love about SDA is that it is not just the facts or the concepts nestled within the subjects that help them learn. It’s the connections between math and history, science and art, and more.
To learn more about Self Development Preschool, please call (480) 396-3522. For the accelerated K-8 program, Self Development Academy, call (480) 641-2640.