4 Learning was founded to serve as a model provider of learning solutions to support schools that re-engage young people who have been pushed and kicked out of traditional schools. We are available to work with extra-curricular programs, middle schools, and schools whose student population may be considered a more traditional student population than those with whom we work historically.

We do this through a whole-school remix that centers our unique approach to staffing, the personalized management of phenomenon-based learning, and workforce / vocational / technical training in the creative industries.

Our mission is to support educators through flexible mindsets, perspectives, and practices over the course of a 4 Learning partnership so that scholars’ motivation remains at the forefront of the learning experience and every young person is viewed as a phenomenon for the remainder of their time at a given educational institution.

4 Learning trains these facilitators of learning as advisors responsible for the orientation of new students, the development of personal learning plans, the management of phenomena-based learning opportunities, the stewardship of school culture, and the instruction of social-emotional learning all through the lens of the recording arts and social justice.

It begins with a partnership agreement where schools agree to a “do no harm” approach, and show progress along at least three of 4 Learning’s core drivers throughout our partnership.

The aim.

To support educators in developing flexible mindsets, perspectives, and practices over the course of a 4 Learning partnership so that scholars’ motivation remains at the forefront of the learning experience.

The how.

Leadership Experience; Educator Experience; Advisory Training; Participation In High School, Career and Post-Secondary

Primary drivers.

Recording Arts Studio/Equipment; Curriculum For The Arts; Alternative Assessments; Flexible & Culturally Sustaining Education Programming

Secondary drivers.

Advisory Model; Competency-Based Curriculum; Personal Learning Plan; Certification In The Creative Arts; 4 Learning Values; Business of Music & Media Program

Partnerships between 4 Learning and Service Schools include a clear set of criteria for participation as outlined by the expectation of progress along at least three of 4 Learning’s core drivers.

As part of these criteria, we also require schools engage in implementing asset-based instructional practices, commit to contributing to the 4 Learning collaborative of Service Schools, offering priority to alternative schools.

To support schools in achieving these criteria, 4 Learning provides each school with a design coach committed to working with schools for three or four days of on-site support over the course of a given school year. The degree of support will depend on the degree of need identified throughout each Service School’s needs assessment process.

“Four to eight virtual coaching sessions and access to resources and guides.”

4 Learning also agrees to provide four to eight virtual coaching sessions over the course of an academic year, full access to 4 Learning resources and instructional guides, which include open access to all peer-reviewed journals covering the 4 Learning model, a free copy of Hip Hop Genius (2011), the 4 Learning Validations, and free access to the 4 Learning virtual platform.

4 Learning will also host an annual convening designed to support the collaborative of service schools by establishing a professional learning community.

During this convening, 4 Learning hopes to cover the cost of an administrator and an educator from each service school to join us on campus at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, MN. This convening will feature a one-of-a-kind series of seminars designed to advance the implementation of the 4 Learning model at educators’ home sites and grow the 4 Learning network.

This convening will provide a mutually beneficial learning opportunity to 4 Learning, offering the 4 Learning network an opportunity to sharpen its best practices in response to our service schools’ experiences throughout the implementation process.