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About Us
Our Vision
The vision of the Light Academy is to help students become self-sufficient, compassionate, critical thinkers prepared to engage in and better the world around them.
Our Mission
The Light Academy aims to provide students with necessary skills for successful life management, college readiness and workforce preparedness through a progressive education model by way of interdisciplinary curriculum, interaction and engagement with local and global communities, and intentional, holistic self-reflection and practice.
THE LIGHT ACADEMY
What is Multiple Intelligences?
Multiple intelligences is rooted in the belief that there is more than one type of intelligence or “smart” that each person can possess at different levels. The types of smarts include Word smart, Number/reasoning smart, Picture smart, Body smart, Music smart, People smart , Self smart, World Smart, and Earth smart . These smarts or intelligences can be used to personalize instruction and shape how teachers teach and students learn.
Linguistic
These students excel with words, enjoying reading, writing, storytelling, and verbal activities
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Existential
These learners ponder deep questions about life and existence, finding meaning in philosophical discussions, ethics, and larger questions beyond the classroom
Musical
Students with this intelligence are sensitive to sound, rhythm, and melody, learning well through songs, rhythms, or musical patterns
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Active learners who process knowledge best through physical activities, they thrive in hands-on projects, sports, and movement-based learning
Intrapersonal
Reflective and introspective, these students prefer independent work and benefit from activities that allow them to explore their thoughts and feelings
Visual-Spatial
Visual learners who think in images and space, they benefit from charts, maps, drawings, and hands-on activities
Logical Mathematical
These learners are analytical and enjoy problem-solving, math, and experiments
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Interpersonal
These social learners work well in groups, communicate effectively, and thrive in collaborative environments where they can engage with peers
Naturalistic
Students who connect deeply with nature and the environment, they learn best through outdoor experiences, nature-based projects, and studies involving plants and animals
"The paradox of education is precisely this - that as one begins to become conscious, one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated."
James Baldwin, 1963, Talk to Teachers
THE LIGHT ACADEMY
The Founder
Dr. Cassandre “San” Davis is the founder and principal of The Light Academy of Florida (TLA). Fueled by her desire to contribute to the landscape of education, Dr. Davis created TLA to support the minds, qualities, and unique gifts of all students positively and continuously.
Dr. Cassandre Davis earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Florida A&M University in the field of Industrial Engineering. She continued her educational pursuits at Nova Southeastern University, earning a doctorate degree in Education. Her extensive research focused on the use of multiple intelligences to inform teacher practices. In her findings, Dr. Davis discovered teachers’ awareness of students’ multiple intelligences positively contributed to teachers’ instructional practices. As such, Dr. Davis requires the use of multiple intelligences and other student characteristics to drive the curriculum and instructional practices at TLA. ​
Dr. Davis has extensive experience in K-12 education. In her roles as a national Equity consultant, teacher, mentor, author, adjunct professor, and colleague, Dr. Cassandre Davis has used her passion for learning to impact the lives of children and families throughout the United States. Her firm belief in the power of children and subsequent impact on the larger society has led her to continue her day-to-day work in educating the upcoming generations of scholars. The Light Academy is the next and pinnacle venture in her desire to actualize her motto of “daily work for generational impact.”
THE LIGHT ACADEMY
Dr. Davis’s research on Multiple Intelligences
Dr. Davis's foundation for establishing a multiple intelligences-based school is grounded in the work of Howard Gardner. Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences served as the framework for Dr. Davis's doctoral dissertation, titled “All Students Are Not Equal: A Case Study of Geometry Teachers’ Instructional Strategies When Trained in Multiple Intelligence-Based Practices in Secondary Classrooms”. Learn more below.