The Discovery Academy of Innovation (DAI) is a progressive school with a focus on play-based learning, creativity, tech, innovation, and equally strong focus on science, math, engineering, and the humanities. Learn more about our philosophy

DAI is located at 2F KDC Plaza Building, 2212 Chino Roces Ave., Bgy. Pio del Pilar, Makati City 1230.

The Discovery Academy of Innovation combines academic rigor with a learning-by-doing approach, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and dispositions for success in the 21st century. Our focus on human centered design and STEAM education empowers young people as innovators, change-makers and creative problem solvers. Students are given opportunities to test their solutions in real world contexts — from developing low cost playgrounds for low income communities to apps that help track dengue outbreaks. A diverse team of mentors, including teachers, content experts, designers and technologists work hand in hand to create unique and compelling experiences that give rise to play and learning.

Our school calendar runs from August to June. However, given the changes implemented by the Department of Education due to COVID-19, our school will adjust school opening as mandated by national government.

The Discovery Academy of Innovation will take its cue from the Department of Education and its directives regarding school openings. We will be ready for face-to-face classes in small groups (pods) and medium sized groups (bubbles), online classes, and hybrid classes, which combine face to face and distance learning.

Please refer to our tuition table . Please let us know if you would like to join a parent meeting or sign up for a free trial. We will also host school visits and tours starting January 2021. Please email rosanna.lopez@sparklelab.ph.

In the case of hybrid or face-to-face classes, three factors play a part in our COVID-19 readiness.

The Discovery Academy of Innovation has an interdisciplinary approach that allows students to better connect theory and learned concepts with real world applications. Requiring students to understand and apply concepts across subject areas results in higher-cognitive skills (i.e. critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity) and aids retention and understanding. Find out more about our integrated learning domains for kindergarten here . Find out more about our integrated learning domains for Grades 1 to 5 here.

At the Discovery of Academy of Innovation, we believe that learning begins in wonder. The capacity for lifelong learning involves the ability to be at awe of the world, thrilled by the unknown and exhilarated by possibility. Our multidisciplinary teams of educators, designers and technologists take this to heart as they architect experiences that give rise to play and learning. Play, whether structured or unstructured, collaborative or competitive, online or offline, lies at the heart of our learning experience. Play fosters engagement, a prerequisite for learning. A lot of work is involved in play! And studies show that play makes kids smarter, kinder, more resilient and creative.

Not at all. While computers may at times play a role in instruction, it is one tool out of many. Students spend much more time with books, maps, sand, slime, play dough, puppets, art and crafting materials, blocks and other manipulatives. Learning also involves a lot of physical play and caring for plants and animals. Moreover, when technology is used in the classroom setting, it covers a broad scope of materials and activities that go beyond the screen. Students tinker with circuits to make toys that light, move and speak. They may create clothing that keeps bikers safe at night or shoes that count the number of steps you take each day. Students may design smart home systems powered by alternative energy. Often, our use of technology likes at the intersection of physical and digital worlds. Young people come to understand the affordances of technology and develop purposeful applications in real-world contexts. 

We can tailor religious instruction for preschool and kindergarten students outside of our curriculum. Please inquire with our team.

There will be homework on occasion. Rather than worksheets that involve rote learning and skill and drill, homework consists of tasks that help students understand concepts in more meaningful ways. For instance, in order to better understand the concept of community, students may be asked to take on the role of sociologists and capture acts of kindness in their neighborhood with a click of a camera. In order to better understand the concept of history, students may be tasked with interviewing their grandparents about their childhood. Students may also be tasked with gathering data, such as the number of minutes they spend on social media, and analyzing and visualizing this data.

Our curriculum is aligned with both international and local standards, competencies and learning outcomes. Our teaching and learning team takes great care in designing assessments that measure understanding, nuance and content mastery beyond rote memorization. A cornerstone of our methodology is project-based assessment, which veers away from traditional testing and moves toward assessing for authentic understanding and meaning making. Students are provided with opportunities to integrate ideas, concepts and contexts and apply these in novel situations. We believe that assessments are more than an opportunity for students to showcase their knowledge. Assessments are, in fact, a road map to increased learning and understanding. Our assessment process provides students with feedback in a constructive, timely, and meaningful manner. This allows students and teachers to work together to map out learning objectives moving forward. Moreover, while teacher-led feedback is vital for aligning student learning with grade level standards, peer-led feedback fosters collaboration and social connectedness – key skills necessary for continuing success in this new world. It is our hope that students and families come to view assessments as an integral part of the learning process and develops perseverance, grit, and a love for learning beyond mere grades.

We recognize that our students will need more than grades to succeed in an ever-changing world. We also believe that students learn best when they are engaged, when they understand the relevance of what they learn in the classroom, and when they are provided with opportunities to apply what they learn in real world settings. Our curriculum is designed to address these issues. We constantly challenge ourselves to ensure that our innovative and play-based learning environments are consistent with the expectations of international and local standards so our students remain competitive with their peers in more traditional settings. Our teams of teachers, content experts, instructional designers and technologists continuously engage in cycles of research, development, testing and iteration when designing the school curriculum. Feedback from students and families form a part of this iterative process. Moreover, our teachers and design and technology team engage in rigorous professional development throughout the school year. Our commitment to an academically rigorous, adaptive and innovative learning environment is how we ensure that our students remain competitive in whatever endeavor they choose to pursue.

For preschool, our student to teacher ratio is 4:1. For kindergarten, our student-teacher ratio is 6:1. For grades 1 and up, our student to teacher ration is 24:1.

To learn more about after school programs and extended care for preschool and kindergarten students, please inquire with our team.

Given the changes implemented by the Department of Education due to COVID-19, our school will adjust school activities as mandated by national government. We will offer field trips when these are allowed once again by the Department of Education.