Learning Trips
Each semester,Talisman Academy students go on two to three week-long expeditions. We find that these extended trips help our students by removing them from distractions and routine of daily life and putting them into beautiful and unique environments. Here, they are more able to understand bigger themes such as self-efficacy and gain self-confidence. The multi-sensory approach to teaching on these trips is dynamic and effective for most of our students. But most importantly, they are fun.
Students spend their weeks paddling tandem canoes down rivers of the Southeast, hiking through the Blue Ridge Mountains or the coastal sea islands, visiting Appalachian cultural landmarks, or navigating through the political character of Washington, DC.
While each trip is unique, here is the itinerary from a recent trip.
Day 1
Travel down to the FDR State park located near Warm Springs, GA but first stop by the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta to check out the moon jellyfish and whale sharks.
Day 2
Explore FDR's Little White House where our President built a home after his polio treatment in 1921. Hike the same paths on which Roosevelt found respite, healing, and inspiration.
Day 3
Lounge and reflect in the plush ecological wonders of Calloway Gardens. Learn history, politics, economics, and social theory while exploring the engineering feats of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Day 4
Experience Providence Canyon State Park, often referred to as the "Little Grand Canyon," and learn about the impact of natural forces as well as human impact, on the creation of our world's wonders.
Day 5
Walk alongside history at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park where Andrew Jackson battled the Red Stick Indians inside a bend of the Tallapoosa River.
Day 6
Return to Talisman to clean and regroup for the upcoming week.
Read about Talisman Academy's Integrated Learning Approach for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders