Spring Term 2026
This term features 11 unique classes designed to inspire and engage our learners, helping them reach their goals.
We will be offering classes in Social Studies, English Literature, Language, Visual Arts, Civics, Maths, Psychology, and Foundations.
This Term’s Courses
Beginning Japanese – World Language Class
¡Hola! – Spanish for Beginners – World Language Class
Intermediate Japanese – World Language Class
Voices of Resistance: Exploring Identity Through Diverse Writers – English Language Art Class
Five Great Lessons – Social Studies Class
Deep Psychology – Elective Class
Applied Mathematics for Career Pathways – Math & CTE Class
Geographic Adventures: The Soundtrack of Place – Social Studies Class
Democracy in Practice: Voice, Values, and Civic Action – Civics Class
Contemporary Visual Arts – Art Class
Foundations of Democratic Learning – Skills Class
Course Descriptions
Beginning Japanese – Online World Language Class
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 10:30 am -11:25 am US Central
The 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 World Language Class
Monday & Wednesday from 11:30 – 12:25 US Central
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.
¡Hola! – Spanish for Beginners – Online World Language Class
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 10:30 am -11:25 am US Central
Are you curious about Spanish? Do you want to know what those lyrics from that song you like really mean? Do you want to pronounce them or sing them yourself? Then, this is the class for you. This is a course for those teens who’ll be having their first approach to the Spanish language. Throughout this course, learners will understand, speak, read, and write simple Spanish in meaningful, real-life situations. The aim is for them to be able to express ideas, ask questions, and interact with others in basic Spanish. The process will be fun, as we will be using comic strips, songs and movie clips. Are you in? ¡Bienvenidos!
The Pearl High School’s Beginning Spanish class will be taught by published author Paulino Ordóñez.
Voices of Resistance: Exploring Identity Through Diverse Writers – Online English Language Art Class
Monday & Wednesday from 11:30 – 12:25 US Central
This is a class about identity through the views of non-mainstream non-privileged authors with interesting writings in which they talk about life in different social backgrounds. Students will understand the lifestyle, struggles, and experiences these writers have shared, and we’ll discuss how our own experiences can relate to those that we read about and how much the world has changed since. Depending on learners’ interests, we will choose essays, poetry, and non-fiction from authors who challenge the dominant discourse through their voices. These could be non-white, feminist, LGBTQ+, Chicano, or indigenous authors, or some of the most famous mavericks: any reading material that will make us reflect on identity, culture, and social issues while strengthening learners’ critical thinking, expanding our perspectives, and reinforcing empathy is welcome.
The Pearl High School’s Voices of Resistance class will be taught by published author Paulino Ordóñez.
Five Great Lessons – Online Social Studies Class
Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 am -12:55 pm US Central
Where did the world come from? How did humans get here? Why are humans here?
You will explore these questions through 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, life on Earth, and 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. By learning through 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 should 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
Deep Psychology – Online Elective Class
Monday and Wednesday from 1:30 pm-2:55 pm US Central
This psychology course focuses on the elements of psychodynamic theory, how its techniques are applied in therapy, and how we use its concepts in our daily lives. We’ll review a general theory of the mind that considers different levels of consciousness and specifically explores the unconscious mind and its manifestations (dreams, slips of the tongue, etc). Through the mind’s instances of the ego, superego, and the id, students will learn how our own psyche manages reality and helps us find balance. This will also open the conversation to other topics that teenagers engage with, such as dream interpretation and defense mechanisms that have an impact on our relationships, as well as on art and culture.
The Pearl High School’s Deep Psychology class will be taught by trained psychologist Paulino Ordóñez.
Applied Mathematics for Career Pathways – Online Math & CTE Class
Monday and Wednesday from 1:30 pm-2:55 pm US Central
Bring math to life through real-world career applications! Applied Mathematics for Career Pathways combines core high school math with hands-on Career and Technical Education (CTE) experiences. Students learn algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and financial mathematics while applying these concepts to fields such as engineering, health sciences, business, information technology, construction, and data science. Through project-based learning, technology integration, and industry-inspired challenges, students solve authentic workplace problems, designing budgets, analyzing data, modeling systems, and making evidence-based decisions. This course strengthens critical thinking, collaboration, digital literacy, and career-readiness skills while ensuring mastery of the state mathematics standards. Students gain practical skills valued by colleges and employers, explore career pathways, and build confidence in applying mathematics beyond the classroom. Ideal for students who want to see the purpose behind math and connect academic learning to future careers.
The Pearl High School’s Applied Mathematics for Career Pathways 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 US Central
During the Spring term, Geographic Adventures invites students to explore the landscapes of Asia and Oceania 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
Democracy in Practice: Voice, Values, and Civic Action – Online Civics Class
Required for all students seeking an accredited diploma
Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00 pm-4:25 pm US Central
This course (required for all diploma-seeking learners) explores democracy as a global human endeavor: from the Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, to constitutional systems around the world, to the evolving challenges facing democracies today. Learners will examine both Indigenous and Western frameworks of governance, comparing their understandings of authority, consensus, rights, and responsibility.
Learners will understand foundational democratic principles, including consent, rights, accountability, and the rule of law. They will also engage the ethical traditions that shape civic decision-making. Drawing from major philosophical approaches to ethics, learners will consider how values, beliefs, and moral reasoning influence public life and personal responsibility. Through socratic seminars, collaborative projects, and reflective practice, learners will practice articulating their viewpoints while engaging respectfully and thoughtfully with peers who hold differing perspectives.
Rooted in The Pearl’s commitment to human dignity, intellectual rigor, and community responsibility, this course asks essential questions: What sustains a healthy democracy? How should citizens respond when democracy is threatened? What does responsible participation require of us? This course is designed as an invitation to practice democratic thinking, ethical decision-making, and principled action.
The Pearl High School’s Civics class will be taught by our director, Robin Harwick, Ph.D
Contemporary Visual Arts – Online Art Class
Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 pm – 5:55 pm Central
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 learners in 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 Visual Arts class is facilitated by Brittaney Drake, MA
Foundations of Democratic Learning – Online Skills Class
Mandatory for New Students
Time: TBD
Step into the heart of The Pearl with this essential orientation course designed to launch your 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.
