MUSE School

WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN PASSION TURNS INTO MISSION? Take the story of Suzy Amis Cameron. She began as a mother seeking a place for her children to be celebrated as the unique individuals they were and became a leader of an entire learner-centered environment. Partnering with her sister, Rebecca Amis, they launched MUSE School. Initially focused on young learners between five and seven years old, their mission was to “inspire and prepare young people to live consciously with themselves, one another, and the planet.” After serving just 11 learners in their first year, MUSE School now serves learners as young as three years old and as old as 18 in the Las Flores and Malibu Canyons of California.

At MUSE, “learning is alive, interconnections are critical, sustainability is key,” and the environment is “ever-evolving.” The MUSE School design prides itself on keeping learners engaged every single day through personalized, relevant, and contextualized learning, which they call Passion-Based Learning. From the moment a learner is enrolled, they “are encouraged through their interests and passions to learn at a deep and meaningful level.”

Imagine a 10-year-old who is mystified by the mountains along Las Virgenes Canyon road. He wonders how they got there, so he presents his curiosity to his STEAM Orbit team—a diverse group of learners ranging in ages from 3 to 18. In this socially embedded design, they create a plan to incorporate core academics and milestones into this inquiry.

Then, each learner finds an avenue of learning that connects with their interests. Each accountable to the group, learner agency is engrained in their everyday work. The original questioner begins by researching tectonic plates, soil erosion, and landslides. His peer dives into the dangers landslides pose to the community. Discovering many local governments ignore the possibility of this cataclysmic event, she embraces open-walled learning and heads over to the mayor’s office to explore what the city is doing to ensure her community’s safety.

Another learner connects his interests to the Pacific Ocean and wonders if the salty air has any effect on the topography and vegetation of the mountains. As the eight-week cycle comes to a close, the learners combine all of their efforts into a rich story they can share with their peers.

The freedom to explore individual interests and passions creates a learning community engaged in constant discovery that focuses on Academics, Communication, Passion-Based Learning, Sustainability, and Self-Efficacy. What started as a simple hope has become a dynamic and thriving community of learners. MUSE School continues pushing the barriers of what’s possible with education.