Nomizo’s after-school program uses games, investigations, and social interactions to develop each student’s capabilities across the following Nomizo Activities/Skill Sets:
Summer Break Programs
The Nomizo Method
Our curriculum develops the critical skills needed for lifelong success.
The Program
Our program focuses on game based and investigative peer to peer learning where kids will love the learning process.
“Nomizo’s activities engage the three power realms. As a student’s mastery increases so does its evidence through their colorful tails, coats & plumage.”
A student’s abilities in these realms are ranked into 6 levels: Rabbit(L1), Fox(L2), Ram(L3), Bear(L4), Puma(L5), Eagle(L6)
Rabbit(L1),
Fox(L2),
Ram(L3),
Bear(L4),
Puma(L5),
Eagle(L6),
A student’s abilities in these realms are ranked into 6 levels. To climb to the next level the student must successfully engage with the Power Realms to Master all of the activities:
Power Mountain Animal Descriptions
Ranks & Levels
Level 1 :
Rabbit
Nomizo Rabbits are just starting off in developing their powers for lifelong success. The Valley contains simple problems that challenge Rabbits to develop and apply 1 or 2 tactics for success. They are entering their first competitions, often alongside friends with whom they must learn to collaborate. Nomizo Rabbits are laying the early foundations that future mathematics depend on. Should they master the Valley they will become a Fox.
CONQUERING THE VALLEY
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 8 activities, including at least 5 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 3 Problem Solving Challenges (No Mastery Day Challenge is required for Level 1).
b) Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 1A – 1C.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RABBIT
Name/Taxonomy: Rabbit/ Leporidae Family
Gen. Description: Rabbits are small, furry mammals with long ears, short fluffy tails, and strong, large hind legs. Rabbits are highly intelligent, social and affectionate creatures with excellent memories.
Adaptations: Rabbits have amazing hearing and are able to get a sense of their surroundings by detecting sound waves that bounce off of objects in their environment. With 100 million scent cells, rabbits have an excellent sense of smell. Like humans, rabbits have the ability to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes. Rabbits Can See in the Dark!
Range: 1-2 square miles
Symbology: Abundance, prosperity, good luck, intuition, spontaneity, wittiness, and longevity
Super powers: The size and proportion of their strong hind legs allows them to move as fast as 50mph in short bursts!
Level 2 :
Fox
Nomizo Foxes are ready to take on the increased complexity of the Foothills. Their challenges require deeper understanding, including the problem solving involved in basic coding. Foxes will master another layer of mathematics and will have their first foray into facilitating peer learning. Should they master the Foothills they will become a Ram.
CONQUERING THE FOOTHILLS
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 8 activities, including at least 6 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 2 Problem Solving Challenges. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for Dynamic Thinking Challenges only. Mastery of Problem Solving Challenges is determined by consistent work at the center.
b) Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 2A – 2C.
c) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 5 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FOX
Name/Taxonomy: Fox/ Canidae Family
Gen. Description: Fox features typically include a triangular face, pointed ears, an elongated rostrum, black whiskers and a bushy tail. Known as cunning, sly, independent, playful and mischievous. Foxes are smart at finding food, surviving in weather extremes, outwitting predators, and protecting their young.
Adaptations: Foxes are digitigrade- meaning they walk on their toes. They have partially retractable claws. They are quick, smooth, quiet, and patient. Foxes also have impeccable hearing and listening skills.
Range: 2-5 square miles
Symbology: To many cultures, the fox was a noble and wise animal symbolizing the gift of anticipation, observation and stealth.
Super powers: Foxes are Clever and Crafty! They use their reasoning abilities to find food and learn their way through changing environments. Foxes inhabit every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
Level 3 :
Ram
Nomizo Rams must thrive in the Ridge, an area that can baffle many adults. The Ridge requires real strategic thought, with tactical decisions dynamically changing from the actions of others. In addition to stronger mathematical fundamentals and peer facilitation, the Ridge requires a Ram to take on their first Rigorous Investigations into open-ended questions, though with the help of guided readings. Only through rigorous thought will Rams master the Ridge and become Bears.
CONQUERING THE RIDGE
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 7 activities, including at least 5 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 2 Problem Solving Challenges. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for Dynamic Thinking Challenges only. Mastery of Problem Solving Challenges is determined by consistent work at the center.
b) Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 3A – 3C.
c) Rigorous Investigation: Mastery consists of going through one or more group investigative processes with faculty facilitation and then completing a Mastery Day Challenge.
d) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 5 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RAM
Name/Taxonomy: Ram/ Bovidae Family
Gen. Description: The bighorn Ram has a compact, muscular body with chocolate brown fur trimmed in white on the muzzle, rump, and belly. They have large, true horns that they retain for their entire life. Bighorn Rams live in high alpine meadows and mountain slopes. Bighorns live in social groups and are primarily diurnal but may be active at any time of the day or night. They are usually docile and gentle working together in their herds.
Adaptations: Due to their unique padded hooves, bighorn are able to climb the steep, rocky desert mountains with speed and agility. Bighorn rely on their keen eyesight to detect potential predators and use their climbing ability to escape.
Range: 20 square miles
Symbology: The ram symbol is about boldness, new beginnings, new paths, and power. This symbolic presence reminds us of an ancient warrior attitude.
Super powers: The big hits Rams produce with their heads and horns can potentially reach up to 970 pounds of force, spread over their entire bodies and mitigated by padding and falling over. Bighorn sheep do this hundreds of times in an afternoon with the force concentrated directly onto their heads with almost no give to mitigate the impact.
Level 4
Bear
Nomizo Bears live in the Cliff, where most folks never dare to set foot. The Cliff contains rich complexity and the need for ever changing strategies, as the competition will evade any static defenses. In the Cliff, games take on an increasingly social and psychological nature, with acting, bluffing, and the need to uncover outright deception. Bears must take on Rigorous Investigations without the benefit of guided readings, though with a bit of help from the topic introductions. Few will climb the Cliff to become powerful Pumas.
CONQUERING THE CLIFF
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 6 activities, including at least 5 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 1 Problem Solving Challenge. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for Dynamic Thinking Challenges only. Mastery of the Problem Solving Challenge is determined by consistent work at the center.
b) Math Fundamentals: Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 4A – 6C.
c) Rigorous Investigation: Mastery consists of going through one or more group investigative processes with faculty facilitation and then completing a Mastery Day Challenge.
d) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 5 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BEAR
Name/Taxonomy: Black Bear/Ursidae Family
Gen. Description: Common characteristics of modern black bears include large bodies with stocky legs, long snouts, small rounded ears, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five non retractable claws, and short tails. Considered by many wildlife biologists to be one of the most intelligent land animals of North America, bears possess the largest and most convoluted brains relative to their size of any land mammal.
Adaptations: Bears see in color and have sharp vision close-up. Their hearing is the black bear’s first line of defense against danger because they can hear in all directions and they can hear farther than they can see in brushy forest.
Range: 30-50 square miles
Symbology: The bear spirit animal is a powerful force in the lives of those who are chosen by this special being. On a spiritual level, the bear represents the courage to evolve and the ability to be open-minded. In addition, the bear reminds us to trust our instincts and to be protective of our faith.
Super powers: A bear’s strongest power is its sense of smell. They can pick up a scent from over a mile away! That is more than seven times better than a bloodhound. Bears, as a Family, are considered to have the best sense of smell of any land mammal.
Level 5
Puma
Nomizo Pumas are an elite crew taking on the highest level of challenges. Those who thought the Cliff to be the pinnacle of complexity will quickly realize that the Peak is worthy of its name. The Peak is full of asymmetric reenactment challenges from situations that bewildered the world’s experts. Take on the perspective of the Native Americans in the American Revolution, Ghandi’s non-violent resistance, or the Americans in Vietnam. Pumas will also take on Rigorous Investigations armed only with their own research and the ability to learn from peers. Conquer the Peak and find yourself an Eagle ready to soar.
CONQUERING THE PEAK
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 4 Dynamic Thinking Challenges. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for the Dynamic Thinking Challenges.
b) Rigorous Investigation: Mastery consists of going through one or more group investigative processes with faculty facilitation and then completing a Mastery Day Challenge.
c) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 3 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PUMA
Name/Taxonomy: Mountain Lion or Puma/ Felidae Family
Gen. Description: Mountain lions are large, slender cats with short, muscular limbs and long, cylindrical tails that reach nearly one third of the animal’s full length.
Adaptations: Acute sense of smell, night vision, powerful limbs, sharp claws, razor teeth, a rough tongue and loose belly skin. They are most active at dusk and dawn, known as crepuscular. These adaptation features help lions survive in their habitats. The species requires large swaths of wilderness habitat to thrive and live in nearly every ecosystem in America.
Range: 50-150 square miles
Symbology: The Puma represents protection, agility, and adaptability.
Super powers: Mountain lions have such large paws with powerful retractable claws that they are able to climb trees while dragging heavy prey to a safer spot. They also have a long tail, which enhances balance when jumping and navigating rough rocky terrain.
Level 6
Eagle
Nomizo’s Eagle has conquered all of Nomizo challenges. The Eagle has proven itself capable of understanding the deeply complex, developing and executing intricate strategies, and working with peers to reach a higher elevation.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EAGLE
Name/Taxonomy: Eagle/ Accipitridae Family
Gen. Description: Eagles are distinguished by their fully feathered head, broad beak, massive wings, strong feet, and curved talons. Eagles are cunning, intelligent, and bold using stealth-like tactics as tenacious high-flyers to hunt and survive.
Adaptations: Eagles are known to use the sun as camouflage from predators and prey. Eagles even fly into storms using the extreme weather to climb higher into the sky using the winds to conserve energy and travel farther. Clearly Eagles are excellent at using adverse conditions to their advantage..
Range: approx. 125 Miles without landing.
Symbology: For centuries, people have seen eagles as a symbol of beauty, bravery, courage, honour, pride, determination, and grace.
Super powers: They have an unbelievable 1200 pounds of crushing power per square inch in each foot! An eagle has around 10 times more gripping power in its large talons than a human hand.
A student’s abilities in these realms are ranked into 5 levels. To climb to the next level the student must successfully engage with the Power Realms to Master all of the activities:
Power Mountain Animal Descriptions
Ranks & Levels
Level 1 :
Rabbit
Nomizo Rabbits are just starting off in developing their powers for lifelong success. The Valley contains simple problems that challenge Rabbits to develop and apply 1 or 2 tactics for success. They are entering their first competitions, often alongside friends with whom they must learn to collaborate. Nomizo Rabbits are laying the early foundations that future mathematics depend on. Should they master the Valley they will become a Fox.
CONQUERING THE VALLEY
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 8 activities, including at least 5 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 3 Problem Solving Challenges (No Mastery Day Challenge is required for Level 1).
b) Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 1A – 1C.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RABBIT
Name/Taxonomy: Rabbit/ Leporidae Family
Gen. Description: Rabbits are small, furry mammals with long ears, short fluffy tails, and strong, large hind legs. Rabbits are highly intelligent, social and affectionate creatures with excellent memories.
Adaptations: Rabbits have amazing hearing and are able to get a sense of their surroundings by detecting sound waves that bounce off of objects in their environment. With 100 million scent cells, rabbits have an excellent sense of smell. Like humans, rabbits have the ability to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes. Rabbits Can See in the Dark!
Range: 1-2 square miles
Symbology: Abundance, prosperity, good luck, intuition, spontaneity, wittiness, and longevity
Super powers: The size and proportion of their strong hind legs allows them to move as fast as 50mph in short bursts!
Level 2 :
Fox
Nomizo Foxes are ready to take on the increased complexity of the Foothills. Their challenges require deeper understanding, including the problem solving involved in basic coding. Foxes will master another layer of mathematics and will have their first foray into facilitating peer learning. Should they master the Foothills they will become a Ram.
CONQUERING THE FOOTHILLS
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 8 activities, including at least 6 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 2 Problem Solving Challenges. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for Dynamic Thinking Challenges only. Mastery of Problem Solving Challenges is determined by consistent work at the center.
b) Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 2A – 2C. c) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 5 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FOX
Name/Taxonomy: Fox/ Canidae Family
Gen. Description: Fox features typically include a triangular face, pointed ears, an elongated rostrum, black whiskers and a bushy tail. Known as cunning, sly, independent, playful and mischievous. Foxes are smart at finding food, surviving in weather extremes, outwitting predators, and protecting their young.
Adaptations: Foxes are digitigrade- meaning they walk on their toes. They have partially retractable claws. They are quick, smooth, quiet, and patient. Foxes also have impeccable hearing and listening skills.
Range: 2-5 square miles
Symbology: To many cultures, the fox was a noble and wise animal symbolizing the gift of anticipation, observation and stealth.
Super powers: Foxes are Clever and Crafty! They use their reasoning abilities to find food and learn their way through changing environments. Foxes inhabit every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
Level 3 :
Ram
Nomizo Rams must thrive in the Ridge, an area that can baffle many adults. The Ridge requires real strategic thought, with tactical decisions dynamically changing from the actions of others. In addition to stronger mathematical fundamentals and peer facilitation, the Ridge requires a Ram to take on their first Rigorous Investigations into open-ended questions, though with the help of guided readings. Only through rigorous thought will Rams master the Ridge and become Bears.
CONQUERING THE RIDGE
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 7 activities, including at least 5 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 2 Problem Solving Challenges. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for Dynamic Thinking Challenges only. Mastery of Problem Solving Challenges is determined by consistent work at the center.
b) Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 3A – 3C.
c) Rigorous Investigation: Mastery consists of going through one or more group investigative processes with faculty facilitation and then completing a Mastery Day Challenge.
d) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 5 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RAM
Name/Taxonomy: Ram/ Bovidae Family
Gen. Description: The bighorn Ram has a compact, muscular body with chocolate brown fur trimmed in white on the muzzle, rump, and belly. They have large, true horns that they retain for their entire life. Bighorn Rams live in high alpine meadows and mountain slopes. Bighorns live in social groups and are primarily diurnal but may be active at any time of the day or night. They are usually docile and gentle working together in their herds.
Adaptations: Due to their unique padded hooves, bighorn are able to climb the steep, rocky desert mountains with speed and agility. Bighorn rely on their keen eyesight to detect potential predators and use their climbing ability to escape.
Range: 20 square miles
Symbology: The ram symbol is about boldness, new beginnings, new paths, and power. This symbolic presence reminds us of an ancient warrior attitude.
Super powers: The big hits Rams produce with their heads and horns can potentially reach up to 970 pounds of force, spread over their entire bodies and mitigated by padding and falling over. Bighorn sheep do this hundreds of times in an afternoon with the force concentrated directly onto their heads with almost no give to mitigate the impact.
Level 4
Bear
Nomizo Bears live in the Cliff, where most folks never dare to set foot. The Cliff contains rich complexity and the need for ever changing strategies, as the competition will evade any static defenses. In the Cliff, games take on an increasingly social and psychological nature, with acting, bluffing, and the need to uncover outright deception. Bears must take on Rigorous Investigations without the benefit of guided readings, though with a bit of help from the topic introductions. Few will climb the Cliff to become powerful Pumas.
CONQUERING THE CLIFF
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 6 activities, including at least 5 Dynamic Thinking Challenges and 1 Problem Solving Challenge. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for Dynamic Thinking Challenges only. Mastery of the Problem Solving Challenge is determined by consistent work at the center.
b) Math Fundamentals: Math Fundamentals: Mastery of all key skills from 4A – 6C.
c) Rigorous Investigation: Mastery consists of going through one or more group investigative processes with faculty facilitation and then completing a Mastery Day Challenge.
d) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 5 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BEAR
Name/Taxonomy: Black Bear/Ursidae Family
Gen. Description: Common characteristics of modern black bears include large bodies with stocky legs, long snouts, small rounded ears, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five non retractable claws, and short tails. Considered by many wildlife biologists to be one of the most intelligent land animals of North America, bears possess the largest and most convoluted brains relative to their size of any land mammal.
Adaptations: Bears see in color and have sharp vision close-up. Their hearing is the black bear’s first line of defense against danger because they can hear in all directions and they can hear farther than they can see in brushy forest.
Range: 30-50 square miles
Symbology: The bear spirit animal is a powerful force in the lives of those who are chosen by this special being. On a spiritual level, the bear represents the courage to evolve and the ability to be open-minded. In addition, the bear reminds us to trust our instincts and to be protective of our faith.
Super powers: A bear’s strongest power is its sense of smell. They can pick up a scent from over a mile away! That is more than seven times better than a bloodhound. Bears, as a Family, are considered to have the best sense of smell of any land mammal.
Level 5
Puma
Nomizo Pumas are an elite crew taking on the highest level of challenges. Those who thought the Cliff to be the pinnacle of complexity will quickly realize that the Peak is worthy of its name. The Peak is full of asymmetric reenactment challenges from situations that bewildered the world’s experts. Take on the perspective of the Native Americans in the American Revolution, Ghandi’s non-violent resistance, or the Americans in Vietnam. Pumas will also take on Rigorous Investigations armed only with their own research and the ability to learn from peers. Conquer the Peak and find yourself an Eagle ready to soar.
CONQUERING THE PEAK
a) Critical Thinking Challenges: Mastery of 4 Dynamic Thinking Challenges. A Mastery Day Challenge is required for the Dynamic Thinking Challenges.
b) Rigorous Investigation: Mastery consists of going through one or more group investigative processes with faculty facilitation and then completing a Mastery Day Challenge.
c) Peer Facilitation: Mastery requires successfully teaching at least 3 games to other students.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PUMA
Name/Taxonomy: Mountain Lion or Puma/ Felidae Family
Gen. Description: Mountain lions are large, slender cats with short, muscular limbs and long, cylindrical tails that reach nearly one third of the animal’s full length.
Adaptations: Acute sense of smell, night vision, powerful limbs, sharp claws, razor teeth, a rough tongue and loose belly skin. They are most active at dusk and dawn, known as crepuscular. These adaptation features help lions survive in their habitats. The species requires large swaths of wilderness habitat to thrive and live in nearly every ecosystem in America.
Range: 50-150 square miles
Symbology: The Puma represents protection, agility, and adaptability.
Super powers: Mountain lions have such large paws with powerful retractable claws that they are able to climb trees while dragging heavy prey to a safer spot. They also have a long tail, which enhances balance when jumping and navigating rough rocky terrain.
Level 6
Eagle
Nomizo’s Eagle has conquered all of Nomizo challenges. The Eagle has proven itself capable of understanding the deeply complex, developing and executing intricate strategies, and working with peers to reach a higher elevation.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EAGLE
Name/Taxonomy: Eagle/ Accipitridae Family
Gen. Description: Eagles are distinguished by their fully feathered head, broad beak, massive wings, strong feet, and curved talons. Eagles are cunning, intelligent, and bold using stealth-like tactics as tenacious high-flyers to hunt and survive.
Adaptations: Eagles are known to use the sun as camouflage from predators and prey. Eagles even fly into storms using the extreme weather to climb higher into the sky using the winds to conserve energy and travel farther. Clearly Eagles are excellent at using adverse conditions to their advantage..
Range: approx. 125 Miles without landing.
Symbology: For centuries, people have seen eagles as a symbol of beauty, bravery, courage, honour, pride, determination, and grace.
Super powers: They have an unbelievable 1200 pounds of crushing power per square inch in each foot! An eagle has around 10 times more gripping power in its large talons than a human hand.
To climb to the next level the student must successfully engage with the Power Realms in the four activities that will highlight these skill-sets:
Mastery of a Process: Climbing the Power Realms
Each of the four activities has its own requirements to achieve mastery. A student who has mastered one or more of the activities, but not all of them, can continue to the next ranks in the mastered areas. However, to gain the full mastery rank a student must master all four of the activities for the given rank. This requirement is in place because each of the activities engages with the Power Realms in its own unique manner. Therefore, a student who has not mastered all four activities has not proven full mastery of that rank’s Power Realms.
For Critical Thinking Challenges and Rigorous Investigations, students must successfully complete a level mastery challenge on an invitation-only “Mastery Day.” This is scheduled after a student has completed the rest of their requirements and is viewed as very likely to pass their Mastery Day Challenge. Students who do not successfully complete their mastery challenge can try again when ready.
Mastery Process for Critical Thinking Challenges
Overview
Critical Thinking Challenge activities are divided into 5 different difficulty ranks based on the challenges they provide in each of the 3 Power Realms:
- Engaging with Complexity: Difficulty of understanding gameplay and the quantity and complexity of available options.
- Strategic, Tactical, and Analytical Nuance: Depth of opportunities to gain large or subtle advantages through calculated play.
- Interpersonal Analysis, Communication, and Persuasion: Level of connection between each of the players and the need for analysis and communication.
For higher levels, the ability to influence outcomes through dealings with other players in negotiation, alliances, auctions, and persuasion.
Level Mastery
Mastery of a level is achieved when both of the following are completed:
- Students have mastered the required number of activities and skills at their target level. (Note: Students can work on activities at a level above, with mastery of one of those counting as 2 points rather than 1 point.)
- Students successfully complete the level mastery challenge on an invitation-only “Mastery Day.” For Critical Thinking Challenges, students will be told the Mastery Day activity 2 weeks in advance and allowed to come to the center anytime during that 2 weeks for solo or group practice. On Mastery Day they will participate in that activity one or more times, during which they have the opportunity to prove their mastery of the complexity, strategy, tactics, and interpersonal dynamics. At the end of the activity each player will provide an analysis of what happened and any lessons to take from it. Winning the game will not be essential to gaining mastery, nor is the winner guaranteed to receive the mastery distinction.
Game Mastery
Mastering a game requires:
- The ability to explain most of the key strategic and tactical aspects of the game.
- Effectively using most of the strategic and tactical aspects in game play.
- Accurate analysis of why particular strategies and tactics succeeded and failed in a particular game.
Faculty have access to the documents that discuss key mastery strategies and tactics. While these are never shared with students, students and parents may suggest updates to these over time, continuously improving the documents.
Mastery Process for Fundamental Math
Gaining rank mastery requires mastering math fundamentals that provide foundations for success in:
- Everyday life
- Most professional work
- Learning higher levels of math
In essence, Nomizo focuses on true mastery over math that is essential rather than stretching your knowledge while neglecting your base.
Mastery of each rank is achieved by proving your consistent ability to genuinely understand and utilize math fundamentals day after day. Faculty members will watch your mastery of various skills, tracking them as you grow. Math Mastery uses those skills deemed “core” to each grade, with “core” being math that is necessary for building other skills. Each rank expects the following minimum skill mastery attainment (the numbers correlate roughly with grade level; the specific math skills can be found in a separate document):
Minimum Skill Mastery Requirements by Rank
|
Rank |
Minimum Math Mastery using Core Math |
|
1 |
1C |
|
2 |
2C |
|
3 |
3C |
|
4 |
6C |
Mastery Process for Peer Facilitation
Gaining rank mastery requires displaying the interpersonal skills necessary to work with peers and improve their learning. Teaching others develops a valuable life skill while simultaneously reinforcing one’s own understanding.
To achieve Mastery a student must:
- Work with a set of students to learn a new game at the rank which a student is looking to achieve. For example, a student working on their 3rd rank would work with students on a 3rd rank game.
- Students must successfully peer-facilitate a minimum of 5 (3 in Puma) different games to achieve each rank. Facilitating the same game to 2 different groups still only counts as 1 facilitation.
- Students perform the facilitations during their normal sessions. They can be doing these while simultaneously learning to master the game themselves, although the student must have already played the game several times before facilitating.
Mastery Process for Rigorous Investigations
Students looking to achieve rank mastery of levels 3-5 must also master Rigorous Investigations for each level. Investigations look at an open-ended issue, without clear inputs or right answers.
Students orally present and defend their analysis, including:
- Identifying relevant resources on the subjects from various perspectives
- Analyzing the prevailing views and their underlying assumptions.
- Considering the legitimacy of sources in determining facts and presenting a complete picture
- Adding original views that should also be considered.
- Weighing the arguments for strengths, weaknesses, and degree of importance
- Forming a conclusion, blending strong arguments from various sides.
- Assigning a strength of conviction to that conclusion given the other arguments and unknowns
Monthly Program Options
1x Per Week
$110
2x Per Week
$200
3x Per Week
$270
To climb to the next level the student must successfully engage with the Power Realms in the four activities that will highlight these skill-sets:
Mastery of a Process: Climbing the Power Realms
Each of the four activities has its own requirements to achieve mastery. A student who has mastered one or more of the activities, but not all of them, can continue to the next ranks in the mastered areas. However, to gain the full mastery rank a student must master all four of the activities for the given rank. This requirement is in place because each of the activities engages with the Power Realms in its own unique manner. Therefore, a student who has not mastered all four activities has not proven full mastery of that rank’s Power Realms.
For Critical Thinking Challenges and Rigorous Investigations, students must successfully complete a level mastery challenge on an invitation-only “Mastery Day.” This is scheduled after a student has completed the rest of their requirements and is viewed as very likely to pass their Mastery Day Challenge. Students who do not successfully complete their mastery challenge can try again when ready.
Mastery Process for Critical Thinking Challenges
Overview
Critical Thinking Challenge activities are divided into 5 different difficulty ranks based on the challenges they provide in each of the 3 Power Realms:
- Engaging with Complexity: Difficulty of understanding gameplay and the quantity and complexity of available options.
- Strategic, Tactical, and Analytical Nuance: Depth of opportunities to gain large or subtle advantages through calculated play.
- Interpersonal Analysis, Communication, and Persuasion: Level of connection between each of the players and the need for analysis and communication.
For higher levels, the ability to influence outcomes through dealings with other players in negotiation, alliances, auctions, and persuasion.
Level Mastery
Mastery of a level is achieved when both of the following are completed:
- Students have mastered the required number of activities and skills at their target level. (Note: Students can work on activities at a level above, with mastery of one of those counting as 2 points rather than 1 point.)
- Students successfully complete the level mastery challenge on an invitation-only “Mastery Day.” For Critical Thinking Challenges, students will be told the Mastery Day activity 2 weeks in advance and allowed to come to the center anytime during that 2 weeks for solo or group practice. On Mastery Day they will participate in that activity one or more times, during which they have the opportunity to prove their mastery of the complexity, strategy, tactics, and interpersonal dynamics. At the end of the activity each player will provide an analysis of what happened and any lessons to take from it. Winning the game will not be essential to gaining mastery, nor is the winner guaranteed to receive the mastery distinction.
Game Mastery
Mastering a game requires:
- The ability to explain most of the key strategic and tactical aspects of the game.
- Effectively using most of the strategic and tactical aspects in game play.
- Accurate analysis of why particular strategies and tactics succeeded and failed in a particular game.
Faculty have access to the documents that discuss key mastery strategies and tactics. While these are never shared with students, students and parents may suggest updates to these over time, continuously improving the documents.
Mastery Procqess for Fundamental Math
Gaining rank mastery requires mastering math fundamentals that provide foundations for success in:
- Everyday life
- Most professional work
- Learning higher levels of math
In essence, Nomizo focuses on true mastery over math that is essential rather than stretching your knowledge while neglecting your base.
Mastery of each rank is achieved by proving your consistent ability to genuinely understand and utilize math fundamentals day after day. Faculty members will watch your mastery of various skills, tracking them as you grow. Math Mastery uses those skills deemed “core” to each grade, with “core” being math that is necessary for building other skills. Each rank expects the following minimum skill mastery attainment (the numbers correlate roughly with grade level; the specific math skills can be found in a separate document):
Minimum Skill Mastery Requirements by Rank
|
Rank |
Minimum Math Mastery using Core Math |
|
1 |
1C |
|
2 |
2C |
|
3 |
3C |
|
4 |
6C |
Mastery Process for Rigorous Investigations
Students looking to achieve rank mastery of levels 3-5 must also master Rigorous Investigations for each level. Investigations look at an open-ended issue, without clear inputs or right answers.
Students orally present and defend their analysis, including:
- Identifying relevant resources on the subjects from various perspectives
- Analyzing the prevailing views and their underlying assumptions.
- Considering the legitimacy of sources in determining facts and presenting a complete picture
- Adding original views that should also be considered.
- Weighing the arguments for strengths, weaknesses, and degree of importance
- Forming a conclusion, blending strong arguments from various sides.
- Assigning a strength of conviction to that conclusion given the other arguments and unknowns
Mastery Process for Peer Facilitation
Gaining rank mastery requires displaying the interpersonal skills necessary to work with peers and improve their learning. Teaching others develops a valuable life skill while simultaneously reinforcing one’s own understanding.
To achieve Mastery a student must:
- Work with a set of students to learn a new game at the rank which a student is looking to achieve. For example, a student working on their 3rd rank would work with students on a 3rd rank game.
- Students must successfully peer-facilitate a minimum of 5 (3 in Puma) different games to achieve each rank. Facilitating the same game to 2 different groups still only counts as 1 facilitation.
- Students perform the facilitations during their normal sessions. They can be doing these while simultaneously learning to master the game themselves, although the student must have already played the game several times before facilitating.