Designed to support the whole family
At Modulo, learning experts design a custom learning plan to meet the needs of each family. Consistent peer interaction and 1-1 sessions with teachers ensure students are meeting key academic and developmental milestones. And we’re here via phone and email to support families every step of the way, with any and all aspects of remote learning - from navigating working from home with kids to inspiring a lifelong love of learning.
Personalized Curriculum
We recommend curriculum according to your child’s interests, learning style and special needs drawing on the best resources available for personalized learning. Lessons generally take 1-2 hours/day for kids, with as little as 30 minutes/day of parent or caregiver involvement, and leave lots of time for play and self-directed learning.
Social-Emotional learning
Kids club is a facilitated hangout where kids get an opportunity to meet regularly with a group of peers and make meaningful social connections online. We’ll be talking about our passions, projects, current events and build relationships with friends who share our interests. In addition to regularly scheduled meetup twice a week, kids (and their families) will be invited to a slack group which we’ll use to build community and facilitate lots of additional small group hangouts and one-on-ones.
1-1 teacher sessions
Once a week, students check in with their teacher to see how they’re doing and offer feedback on how they can progress. Families receive weekly feedback on how children are doing and suggestions on how to support their learning.
Educational playlist
In addition to your core curriculum, we can recommend a wide range of vetted resources to support your child’s learning in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and electives for all learning subjects. We’ve reviewed thousands of apps, books, websites and hands-on materials to create personalized recommendations for every family.
Expert support
Our learning specialists are available to families and students via phone, email and chat to support you every step of the way, whether it’s dealing with the emotional challenges of working from home with kids, figuring out how to use a new app, special needs or questions about developing a child’s innate gift for math or science.
Parenting workshops
Each week, we have optional topical workshops for parents and kids on issues ranging from communicating with children to staying connected online. Topics may include advice on how to support learning, creating a daily schedule, self-care or relevant social issues such as the upcoming elections. This week we’re offering a workshop on “Talking to Kids about Racism.” Please join us.
Simple pricing plans*
*Full and partial scholarships available. Please inquire.
$150/month
Personalized curriculum
Onboarding with learning specialist
Curriculum Recommendations
Weekly parenting workshops
Online community
Expert support
$250/month
Co-learning with peers
Onboarding with learning specialist
Curriculum Recommendations
Weekly parenting workshops
Online community
Expert support
+ Co-learning: Bi-weekly meetups with teacher and peers
$550/month
1-1 teacher support and family feedback
Onboarding with learning specialist
Curriculum Recommendations
Weekly parenting workshops
Online community
Expert support
+ Co-learning: Bi-weekly meetups with teacher and peers
+ 1-1 sessions: students meet weekly with a teacher to check in on progress.
+Progress reports: teachers send weekly reports to parents on how students are doing with recommendations to support learning
Watch our open house on July 11, 2020.
Start anytime (now or in the fall). Just as learning happens all the time, Modulo happens year round. Families can start this summer or wait until the fall and pause their membership at any time. We believe learning works best when it’s continuous. Children will love Modulo as much as their favorite summer camp, while being challenged and inspired in the subjects they learn at school throughout the year.
A comprehensive replacement or supplement to school. Modulo is designed to ensure children excel in all core academic areas. We regularly adjust curricula based on children’s strengths to ensure they are meeting or exceeding state standards for learning.
As little as 20 minutes a day of parent or caregiver involvement. Families can spend as little as 20 minutes a day guiding their children’s instruction or more if they are interested in getting more involved. Our program is designed to support every lifestyle. You don’t need to be a teacher and the program is easy for a caregiver, parent or teacher to follow.
Mastery Learning and STEAM. Each child's designated study will involve a combination of 1:1 (or small group) instruction and independent study. Research shows that children learn faster more effectively when they are able to learn at their own rate. All our learning materials and lessons cater to this approach. Our comprehensive curriculum includes science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), though families are always free to specialize in a particular area of interest.
Project-based and hands on components. Project-based learning helps children foster critical thinking skills by letting them choose goals and determine a process to reach them. Projects exercise all five senses and help children explore multi-modalities for learning. Learning through projects also teaches grit and perseverance. Our curriculum includes lots of online and hands-on project opportunities to help children develop autonomy and purpose.
Ample time to play, enjoy nature and explore. We believe children need plenty of time to play and explore interests at their own pace. Self-directed education is a powerful tool and spending time in nature and with friends is so important to a child's social and intellectual development. It's incredible what children can learn and what projects they can do when left to their own devices. That's why our curriculum includes only 1-3 hours a day of designated study and leaves the rest of the time for choice time where children may play, meet up with peers, explore great outdoors, dive into apps on their learning dashboard, read, write or explore their city.
Focused on whole child development. Social and emotional learning are just as important as academic success and deeply intertwined. Our education system is designed to support families as they help their kids develop healthy social relationships, a strong sense of independence and a positive attitude about learning, healthy bodies and strong, creative minds. The world is changing so quickly and no one know for sure what the future may bring. Our aim is to help children develop big hearts and brilliant minds, with the autonomy and flexibility to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Diversity and Inclusion are critical priorities for us at Modulo. We believe education should be an opportunity to encounter and connect with diverse cultures, races, socio-economic background and perspectives. In this vein, we select curriculum that highlights female and minority voices and re-writes history to represent as many perspective as possible. We encourage children to build a compassionate framework for choosing their values and use critical thinking and scientific reasoning to analyze the word around them and develop their own point of view . We fully support Black Lives Matter and the #metoo movement.
Meet the team
Manisha Snoyer
Founder
Manisha Snoyer is the CEO and co-founder of Modulo. She has 15 years of experience teaching or mentoring 3000 children in a variety of education settings including tutoring, private, public and homeschool. Manisha has taught 18 subjects in NYC, San Francisco, France and the Middle East. She also worked as a bilingual sub for the NYC Department of Education. Manisha was an early leader in the microschooling movement and has worked with hundreds of homeschooling families to develop meaningful group and individual learning experiences for their kids. In addition to founding Modulo, she co-founded schoolclosures.org, which has supported over 100,000 families impacted by School Closures. In her free time, Manisha loves hiking, translating contemporary French plays and chasing gophers in the park with her 3 year old stepson, Luke.
Alexis Buckley
Lead teacher
Alexis is our lead teacher/facilitator and director of social-emotional learning at Modulo. She is a trailblazer in developing meaningful social experiences online for children and their families. As early as the age of 15, Alexis began working with children and families. Her experience spans nanny, after school program support, lead teacher, and parent educator. Alexis graduated in 2009 with her masters degree in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood from San Francisco State University. Since 2010, Alexis has taught at The Little School.. As a driven teacher wholly dedicated to her field, she enthusiastically offers support to teachers just beginning their career, and leads parent education events. Through this love for her own children, the early childhood education field, and all the children and families she has had the pleasure of working with, Alexis is able to continually deepen her understanding of child development and different strategies.
Deb Vilas
Child life Specialist
Deb Vilas runs our parent education program at Modulo. Deborah B. Vilas, MS, CCLS, LMSW is an educator, child life specialist, social worker, writer, public speaker, and consultant whose passion is anything that supports children’s development and healing in the face of everyday life or trauma. She specializes in helping children and parents through hospitalization, loss and developmental challenges. Deb sees play as a child’s primary language and modality for self expression and healing. She teaches and coaches adults how to provide meaningful and therapeutic play experiences for children. She promotes open ended, child centered play and connecting with nature, discovery and co-creating meaning. She is the founder of PediaPlay, helping families connect, cope and heal through play.
Our mission
For families who want to encourage a lifelong love of learning.
Children thrive when they have plenty of time for play and self-directed learning. We built Modulo for families who are passionate about fostering a lifelong love of learning in their children. Our aim with Modulo is to help families strike the right balance between structured learning and free time, while giving children access to all the tools they need to support the pursuit of their interests. Having the support of a learning specialists helps families feel confident that their children are reaching key developmental milestones, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well.
“All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind” –Martin Fisher
FAQs
How many hours a day do I need to teach my child?
As little as 20 minutes a day or up to 2 hours. Since children learning at home are learning one-on-one rather than a group setting in the classroom, learning happens much more quickly and efficiently. We generally recommend students spend no more than 1-3 hours studying per day (a combination or parent/caregiver involvement and independent study) The program is designed to leave lots of time for playing outside, self-directed learning and social interaction
Do I have to register as a homeschooler?
Families can register as homeschoolers or participate in a school in tandem with this program. By law, children need to be enrolled in school or register as a homeschooler. Modulo is not a school, so if you do not register in school, you do have to register as a homeschooler. We can help with this process.
What qualifications do your teachers have?
All of our teachers have a master’s degree in education and/or 5-10 years of experience in a classroom setting. We select teachers based on their interested in whole child development, project-based learning and an inquiry-based approached to education, nurturing child’s interests and following their curiosity. Each teacher has extensive experience with special needs and work with multiple learning styles.
Is Modulo a year-round program?
That’s up to you. We believe earning happens best when it's continuous. That's why our learning program is designed to be followed 12 months a year. That said, since it's a monthly subscription, families can pause, start or stop the program at any time with 30 days notice. The periods of designated study are light enough that it leaves plenty of time for kids to attend summer camp, relax or pursue hobbies that interest them outside of the designated study periods.
Do you adhere to state standards for learning?
Our program is designed to help children meet or exceed state standards for learning. However, some families may choose to specialize in certain areas or allow their children more unstructured time for self-directed learning. Most of our curriculum recommendations are aligned with state standards. In our initial intake with your family, we’ll ask you how important state standards are to you and recommend curriculum based on your preferences.
Do you offer scholarships?
We are committed to making Modulo accessible to every family, especially as many are struggling with financial hardship during this time. If you are unable to afford our regular pricing plans, please contact us and we will work out an arrangement that fits your family’s needs.
About us
Modulo is an effort run by 300 volunteers and 80 partner organizations devoted to supporting families with all aspects of children’s learning ranging from meals and childcare to learning and work/life balance.
The co-founder, Manisha Snoyer has nearly 20 years of experience as a PreK-12th grade teacher and edtech entrepreneur, teaching or mentoring 3000 children in a variety of education settings including tutoring, private, public and homeschool In 2005, she founded CottageClass, which was designed to empower teachers to start their own microschools. Manisha helped start over 15 homeschool co-ops in Brooklyn and has worked extensively for the last five years with families and edtech professionals.
Most recently, we founded schoolclosures.org, a national partnership of educational organizations and volunteers to help support parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The site has had over 100k visitors and supported families with a range of needs including learning from home, computer donations, psychological support finding curriculum, getting meals, navigating new technology and volunteer tutoring. These efforts led us to believe that a new solution for parents was needed that could provide comprehensive support to learning at home starting this summer and into the school year. We’re excited to start building this new learning community to ensure every child and family has the chance to thrive social, emotionally, academically through individualized instruction.
