ABOUT US
The S.M.I.L.E. Project (Strategic Minds Innovating Lutheran Education) was created by educators who joined together to explore how blended learning models positively impact Lutheran education. Honoring the God-given unique gifts, talents, and abilities of each learner, we leverage the best of online and face to face personalized learning in order to help learners make their unique contributions to the world.
Four pilot schools across the country have implemented blended leaning models that compliment their philosophy and goals and throughout the coming year, several more schools will join our project. Through the S.M.I.L.E. Project, the schools and teachers share ideas, resources and successful outcomes while transforming faith-based education by banding together to make schools places of active learning, service and empowerment for our students.
Several years ago a number of foundation leaders gathered together to look at the question of why Lutheran schools in urban areas continued to fail despite significant influxes of cash to support scholarships and other expenses. The Center for Urban Education Ministries (CUEM) was asked to explore this question in more depth. After two years of research through our Charlie Project we concluded that indeed, there are models across the country where faith-based education works and is thriving. One of those models involves some form of blended learning.
Four pilot schools across the country have implemented blended leaning models that compliment their philosophy and goals and throughout the coming year, several more schools will join our project. Through the S.M.I.L.E. Project, the schools and teachers share ideas, resources and successful outcomes while transforming faith-based education by banding together to make schools places of active learning, service and empowerment for our students.
Several years ago a number of foundation leaders gathered together to look at the question of why Lutheran schools in urban areas continued to fail despite significant influxes of cash to support scholarships and other expenses. The Center for Urban Education Ministries (CUEM) was asked to explore this question in more depth. After two years of research through our Charlie Project we concluded that indeed, there are models across the country where faith-based education works and is thriving. One of those models involves some form of blended learning.