The five principles of authentic, powerful, and individualized learning

1. Learning is fun!

Textbooks, worksheets, lectures, and sitting in a crowded classroom for multiple hours a day is a slow learning process that approaches futile and rarely elicits positive feelings toward learning. Exploring, playing, questioning, and experimenting is not only a more enjoyable way to learn, but it is a more powerful and effective way to learn.

2. Every child has genius.

We do not seek to standardize children, but to draw out each child’s individual strengths. These strengths can be found in a variety of disciplines, not just reading, writing, and math.

3. Children like to learn.

We believe in the capacity of children to learn without exterior motivation, grade levels, or grading. Children are naturally curious and love to explore, experience, experiment, create, and learn.

4. A child’s time is important.

Class time should move at the speed of learning. We don’t want to waste the time of the students. Class time should be reserved for learning experiences that are not as easily done individually or at home. Things like collaboration, experiments, group learning games, projects, team sports, and the performing arts. Beyond those activities, children should be set free to read, exercise, play, explore, study, and create on their own for as long as they like. Extensive time in a classroom can deprive students of this important process.

5. Children deserve to feel comfortable, included, and liberated.

We seek to have students that are comfortable with our teachers, with fellow students, and at our facilities. Kindness and mutual respect is required. Facilities are to be clean, open, and inviting.