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About Renaissance Education Praxis

Renaissance Education Praxis helps teachers design transformative, place‑based learning around the city of Florence. We combine rigorous historical insight with practical pedagogy so that schools can build rich, student‑centered courses anchored in real sites and sources.

Founded by educator Antti Sirkiä, MA, REP focuses on small cohorts, deep professional practice, and classroom‑ready outcomes.

This Isn't a Tour. This is Praxis

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At Renaissance Education Praxis, we believe the most effective teachers are those who create, not just consume, knowledge. We've transformed Florence into a dynamic curriculum lab where educators move beyond textbooks to become the architects of their own signature course.

 

Our unique Praxis Method is a clear, three-step process that fuses deep knowledge with practical application:
 

  • Deconstruct On-Site: Learn to read the city as a primary source, analyzing the art, architecture, and power structures of the Renaissance with expert pedagogical frameworks.

  • Translate in the Workshop: immediately turn your on-site discoveries into concrete, engaging, and ready-to-use lesson plans with hands-on coaching.

  • Synthesize with Peers: Collaborate with a passionate cohort to forge your learning into a robust, unique curriculum that will inspire your students for years to come.

Meet the Founder

Educational Specialist
Antti Sirkiä

  • Role: Founder, Pedagogical Coach, Historian, Teacher

  • Academic: Master of Arts, Educational Specialist

  • Core Expertise:

    • Renaissance Florence Historian

    • 25+ years in Finland's Upper Secondary Education System (History Teacher & Leadership)

    • 20+ years in IB Diploma Program History Specialist (History Teacher and Extended Essay supervisor and coordinator)

    • NPDL Pedagogy Specialist

    • Studies in Symbolic Anthropology

  • Proprietary Method: The "Praxis Method"

  • Key Program Tool: "Core Pedagogical Itineraries with QR Code Flow work"

  • Unique Philosophy: The "Shared Perspective" approaching Florence as a fellow educator, not a resident, to ensure fresh eyes and deep empathy for the learner's journey.

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