At The Pearl Remote Democratic High School, students learn online with expert teachers who know how to bring out each learner’s strengths. Our educators are skilled in guiding teens to explore their interests, build confidence, and shape their own educational paths through meaningful, project-based learning. Every class is co-designed with students ensuring they feel seen, supported, and challenged. State-funded tuition assistance is available in Arizona, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Utah.
Our Classes
Beginning Japanese – Online Language Class
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 10:30 am -11:25 am U.S Central Time
Beginning Japanese class is an introductory course designed for students with little to no prior knowledge of the Japanese language. The course focuses on the fundamental building blocks of Japanese, including pronunciation, the hiragana and katakana writing systems, simple greetings, essential vocabulary, and basic grammar. Students will learn to engage in simple conversations on everyday topics, enabling them to introduce themselves and navigate basic interactions in Japanese.
The Pearl High School’s Beginning Japanese Class will be taught by Nao Takeda.
Intermediate Japanese – Online Language Class
Monday & Wednesday from 11:30 am – 12:55 pm US Central Time
The Intermediate Japanese class is designed for students with a basic understanding of Japanese. In this class, you will focus on advanced grammar while practicing your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. You will engage in everyday conversations using natural Japanese pronunciation. The course aims to enhance your overall communication abilities, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. You will learn more complex grammar structures and expand your vocabulary. The goal is to help you speak fluently in everyday situations and comprehend moderate-level Japanese texts.
The Pearl High School’s Intermediate Japanese Class will be taught by Nao Takeda.
Voices of Resistance: Exploring Identity Through Diverse Writers – Online English Language Arts Class
Monday & Wednesday from 10:00 am – 11:25 am U.S. Central Time
This English Language Arts class explores identity through the works of non-mainstream, non-privileged authors whose powerful writings reflect life across diverse social backgrounds. Students will examine the lifestyles, struggles, and experiences these writers share, and discuss how our own experiences connect to theirs, as well as how much the world has changed since then.
Depending on learners’ interests, we’ll select essays, poetry, and nonfiction by authors who challenge the dominant discourse. These may include writers of color, feminists, LGBTQ+, Chicano, and Indigenous writers, and some of the most famous mavericks. Any reading that encourages reflection on identity, culture, and social issues—while strengthening critical thinking, broadening perspectives, and deepening empathy—is welcome.
The Pearl High School’s Voices of Resistance class will be taught by published author Paulino Ordóñez .
Advanced Spanish – Online Language Class
Monday and Wednesday from 10:30 am -11:25 pm U.S. Central Time
In our Advanced Spanish classes, students will engage in language production through activities such as crafting their own short stories, creating videos, and refining their conversational skills. By immersing themselves in Spanish literary works, students will strengthen their language knowledge and grammar while exploring the cultural contexts of these works and identifying the traits that make them unique and relevant. This course mirrors the rigor of a high school–level class offered in a Spanish-speaking country and is designed to support both native speakers and SSL learners moving from an intermediate to an advanced level of fluency. Join us as we embark on a language-learning journey that combines creativity, cultural exploration, and linguistic excellence.
The Pearl High School’s Practical Spanish Class will be taught by Lorena de la Vega Aguirre.
Practical Spanish – Online Language Class
Tuesday and Thursdays from 11:30 pm-12:55 pm U.S. Central Time
¿Quieres hablar español? Our Practical Spanish class is here to support your language learning journey, focusing on your level of proficiency and personal interests. Join our multilevel class and explore the rich and diverse cultures of Spanish-speaking countries while expanding your listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills through interactive games, listening to songs, watching videos, taking virtual trips, and tackling self-directed learning projects.
The Pearl High School’s Practical Spanish Class will be taught by Lorena de la Vega Aguirre.
Psychology – Online Elective
Monday and Wednesday from 11:30 am -12:55 pm U.S. Central Time
The way the mind works is fascinating! Are you curious about mental processes, behavior, and how humans relate to one another? If so, this class is for you! Topics may include emotions, perception, personality, identity, social roles, stereotypes, groups, and diversity, among others. Through real-world applications, learners will examine how people think, feel, and act in various situations and uncover the hidden influences shaping our everyday lives. Learners may also explore what psychologists do through the diverse career paths this science offers, including clinical, forensic, and sports psychology.
The Pearl High School’s Practical Psychology class will be taught by trained psychologist Paulino Ordóñez.
Five Great Lessons – Online Social Studies Class
Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 am -12:55 pm U.S. Central Time
Where did the world come from? How did humans get here? Why are humans here? Learners will explore these questions by working on inquiry-driven projects throughout the term. The Five Great Lessons are a series of five stories that give learners an overall impression of broad topics, including the universe, Earth, and life on Earth, as well as the inventions of written language and numbers. Through these stories, learners will capture the “big picture” of how the universe, our planet, and life itself came to be.
Bring your imagination and curiosity to class! As with any good story, The Five Great Lessons are exciting, dramatic, and somewhat mysterious. Through learning based on current scientific theories, factual information, and discussion, you will deepen your curiosity about the world we live in. As you study the past, this class will also invite you to contemplate the future and explore ideas of hope.
- First Great Lesson – The Beginning of the Universe and Earth
- Second Great Lesson – Life Comes to Earth
- Third Great Lesson – Humans Come to Earth
- Fourth Great Lesson – How Writing Began
- Fifth Great Lesson – How Numbers Began
This is a multidisciplinary class that integrates history, geography, math, science, language arts, and more! Learners are required to take two consecutive Five Great Lessons classes during the Winter 2026 and Spring 2026 terms.
The Pearl High School’s Five Great Lessons Class is taught by Nao Takeda and Hande Togrul, Ph.D.
Ornithology: Citizen Science for Birds
Monday and Wednesday from 1:30 pm -2:55 pm U.S. Central Time
Ornithology is the study of birds. Join us as we learn about birds and contribute to science! Birds are known as the gateway to nature. During this class you will get to learn about bird related topics that interest you, how to observe the species in your own environment, create scientific illustrations, collect data, and hear from a guest ornithologist.
Each week, you will be asked to take bird observations and notes on the birds you see and submit a checklist to a database of your choice. During this course, you will collect data through real databases such as ebird Or iNatrualist. This data gets used to create resources for learning about and conserving bird species.
The Pearl High School’s Science Class is taught by Brittaney Drake, M.A.
Maths Explorers: Understand Math Concepts with Ease! – Online Math Class
Monday and Wednesday from 1:30 pm-2:55 pm U.S. Central Time
Are you ready to dive into an exciting, hands-on adventure in mathematics? Math Explorers is designed to spark your curiosity, strengthen your problem-solving skills, and unleash the power of critical thinking—helping you succeed in school and beyond!
What you’ll gain:
- Mathematical Confidence – Understand key concepts and build comfort with numbers.
- Problem-Solving Skills – Learn strategies to tackle even the trickiest challenges.
Logical Reasoning & Critical Thinking – Train your mind to think clearly and make informed decisions.
Real-World Connections – Discover how math shows up in everyday life, from managing money to designing new technologies.
Preparation for the Future – Build a strong foundation for advanced math and future career opportunities.
Technology Integration – Use digital tools to explore and deepen your mathematical understanding.
Stay engaged with dynamic topics like algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, and statistics—all designed to help you think creatively, reason logically, and apply math to the world around you.
The Pearl High School’s Math Explorers class will be taught by Issac Azure, Ph.D.
Geographic Adventures: The Soundtrack of Place- Online Social Studies Class
Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30 pm-2:55 pm U.S. Central Time
Geographic Adventures invites students to explore the landscapes of Europe and Africa through the lens of music, using it as a powerful tool to examine the dynamic intersections of people, place, and culture. Moving beyond maps and borders, we’ll trace the rhythms, melodies, and lyrics that shape and reflect communities, revealing how music tells the stories of migration, resistance, and social change.
Students will analyze how songs emerge from specific environments (e.g., urban centers, rural landscapes, and natural settings) and how they influence identity, belonging, and community life. We’ll examine how music is both a response to and a driver of culture.
With a focus on critical thinking and real-world application, students will engage in collaborative projects, virtual tours, and interactive listening sessions that connect geography to lived experiences. Together, we’ll build the skills to think critically about how music shapes and is shaped by place, empowering students to become active, engaged citizens who understand the power of sound in shaping our world.
The Pearl High School’s Geographic Adventures class will be taught by our director, Robin Harwick, Ph.D.
Contemporary Visual Arts – Online Class
Monday & Wednesday from 4:30 pm-5:25 pm U.S. Central Time
Join us as we explore visual arts for the 21st century! From digital illustration to graphic design to painting and sketching we help students learn the art skills that they want to know. Whether students have dreams of animation or are just looking to explore their creative side we help students pursue art without judgment and respect the new styles of art brought to us by youth culture and the internet. Students will have the opportunity to work on their own art projects in addition to art exercises, assignments, and research activities! The students of this course will meet together and collaborate on an arts curriculum based on the topics they want to focus on!
The Pearl High School’s Science Class is taught by Brittaney Drake, M.A.
Foundations of Democratic Learning – Online Class
Thursday from 4:30 pm-5:25 pm U.S. Central Time
Step into the heart of The Pearl with this essential orientation course designed to launch the student’s journey as a democratic learner. In this one-hour class, you’ll meet with the director to review the student co-created handbook and community guidelines. You’ll have the opportunity to share your perspective on whether they feel just and fair. This is your chance to see democracy in action—your voice matters from day one. During this course, you’ll gain hands-on support in using our technology tools, learning how The Pearl works, and discover the mentorship and resources available to help you thrive. Together, we’ll also map out your very first Pearl creative project (and you’ll learn what that is and why we do them), setting the stage for a successful and fun first term.
Our director, Dr. Robin Harwick, teaches the Pearl’s Foundations course.
About The Pearl Remote Democratic High School
All of our teachers are experts in their fields and welcome students with all learning styles and abilities! Teens can take all of our classes, a few, or just one. Because The Pearl is a Democratic High School, our classes follow a self-directed work style where students get control of their education. Additionally, we cap our classes at 10 students, so everyone gets the support they need.
Our curriculum is made up of hybrid-homeschooling classes for teens. This means that families who are already homeschoolers can supplement the education they provide with classes from experts to ensure that their child gets the best education they can receive.
We teach our classes online, using Zoom, and they are open worldwide! Students that work directly with The Pearl are eligible to work towards a WASC-Accredited US high school diploma through our partnership program with Angeles Workshop. This makes the Pearl an excellent option for students who are marginalized within the mainstream educational system. Additionally, students who attend The Pearl from outside the US are still eligible to receive a US diploma.aPC