What a Day at Our School Looks Like

Rogelio Valdés

Jun 24, 2021

One question families ask us all the time is: what does the Robin methodology actually look like in daily life? What does a regular school day look like?

We work with a flexible schedule that adapts to each group’s needs. Students work between 4 and 5 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and each group can decide what time to begin. Most choose a morning schedule, but if the whole group agrees, it can also happen in the afternoon. Because our groups only have 5 to 10 students, coordinating that is much easier.

Here is an example of a schedule for a group that starts at 8:30 in the morning. Below I explain what each block includes.

8:30 - 8:50 (15 - 20 min) Group Meeting - Goals for the Day

8:50 - 10:45 (90 - 120 min) Academic Work

10:45 - 11:00 (15 min) Break

11:00 - 12:00 (60 min) Group Activity

12:00 - 12:20 (20 min) Reading and Snack

12:20 - 1:20 (60 min) Project Work

1:20 - 1:30 (15 min) Group Meeting - Day Wrap-Up

Group Meeting - Goals for the Day

I have mentioned before that we create a personalized curriculum for every student. This plan is designed together with the family, and we want the student to take ownership of their learning as well. That is why each day starts with a short group meeting where every student shares the goals they want to accomplish that day.

This creates accountability with the group and helps everyone understand what their classmates are working on. Why do we do this? Because people are often more motivated to achieve a goal when they share it publicly with others. It pushes them toward that target. It is similar to a nutrition group or workout group: each person has their own plan, but sharing it helps them actually follow through.

Academic Work

After that, students move into their academic work block. This is where they work on the goals they set for the day in math, Spanish, English, science, and other subjects. A mentor is present the entire time to guide them and provide one-on-one support.

Some days students focus on only one subject, while other days they divide the time across two or more. This block usually lasts between an hour and a half and two hours, depending on the day and the goals they set.

Each student learns differently. Some are more analog, so they may work with books and workbooks. Others are more tech-oriented, so we design a curriculum for them using digital tools. We even made a video showing some of the tools we use to build these personalized paths.

Break

After the first work block, students take a break. This space lasts around 15 minutes so they can reset. They can talk or play with classmates. We encourage it to be social so they are recharged for the next block.

Group Activity

Next comes the group activity block. The goal of these activities is to help students listen to one another, respond respectfully to other people’s ideas, and understand perspectives that may be different from their own. We want them to learn how to socialize and collaborate to solve challenges.

Here we might work on games that simulate real-life situations, debates around relevant topics, discussions about business cases that require a decision, and more. Students can also choose to work on a social project to create change in their community. This block lasts about an hour, and each day the group chooses a different dynamic.

Reading and Snack

After that, we have a reading block that lasts around 20 minutes. We want it to feel calmer and more relaxed. Students can read individually or in groups, and this is also when they can have a snack or lunch.

Project Work

Then we move into the third major block of the day: projects. Students work on projects in science, art, engineering, music, literature, and more, always guided by their interests. This time lasts around one hour, and they have access to all our courses and project library to explore and discover what they are passionate about, from building websites and programming video games to producing their own songs.

They can develop one project or many. The goal is to help them discover what excites them, identify what they like and do not like, and build skills that will serve them for life. We place a strong emphasis on learning by building.

Cleaning Up

At the end of this block, students have 10 to 15 minutes to clean and organize their workspace.

Group Meeting - Day Wrap-Up

Finally, we close the day with a short group meeting to share what each student learned and reflect on whether they achieved the goals they set at the beginning of the day.

Is the Schedule Fixed?

The schedules we design for each group are fully flexible. It is also important to know that last-minute changes are okay. If everyone is happy and making strong progress in academic work, it is fine to stay there longer. What matters is that students continue moving toward the goals they set for themselves at the start of the week.