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| Approach to Education |
After 14 years of operating Five Acre School, I am very proud of the educational
program and the cohesive learning community that our students, parents, and staff
have created over that time. We have now had a substantial number of students
attend the school from preschool through 5th or 6th grade, then move on to local
middle and high schools, and their performance in their new settings gives strong
testimony to the efficacy of the preparation they have received. Parents and
alumni report that both academically and socially they are functioning at high levels.
Our unique child-centered approach to education was, to begin with, an
experiment for us, a measured risk that previous experience and study convinced
us would work. From the start it proved rewarding and academically effective for
both students and teachers. As we learned more, we have fine tuned the program
constantly over the years. Today I am entirely confident that any student whose
personal characteristics and family priorities are compatible with our approach will
graduate from Five Acre with broad knowledge of school subjects, deep
understanding of important concepts, strong fundamental academic skills, belief in
their capacity to be creative, and a sense of citizenship mature for their years.
Here are some of the key characteristics that I believe make our program successful.
Joy in Learning
This characteristic comes first because our cultivation of it is the root from which
all the others have grown. Children don’t attend school of their own choice; they
are obliged to by adults. When they see their school experiences as uncongenial or
negative, they necessarily adopt a survivor outlook of getting by at something they’
d rather not be doing. We believe that “getting by” cramps psychological,
intellectual, and social development. Education, if approached in a manner
compatible with the nature of children, presents a golden opportunity to engage
their internal motivation to become competent thinkers, doers, problem solvers.
Fun is an essential part of childhood. When children have fun learning, they
incorporate what they learn into their daily lives, while joyless learning is sterile
and unlasting. Both students and parents tell me they are excited about coming to
school every day. This is where everything else starts.
Security
This term includes physical, emotional, and intellectual safety. We provide a clean,
safe, healthy, well maintained building and playground and constant skilled adult
oversight. We pay very close attention to social interactions between the children
and intervene to help them initiate problem solving when we see them in situations
they aren’t managing to handle on their own. If a particular social situation merits
it, we stop everything and hold a group meeting to discuss and resolve the issue.
Academically we identify any problem areas early and give the student appropriate
assistance to overcome it. We provide many different areas for success beyond
traditional academic subjects, so a slower reader might be the one who shines in
music or art. For students whose high ability requires greater challenges to feel
their needs are being met, we adjust grouping and/or assignments as required.
Authentic Assessment With Formative Objectives
This means that the purpose of assessment at Five Acre School is to determine
what a student does or does not know, in order to form and carry out appropriate
instructional activities. Through daily work and informal assessment, teachers have
a very clear idea of their students’ knowledge and skills, and they adjust instruction
accordingly. We report progress at lengthy parent conferences throughout the year,
when we can actually examine together the child’s work and discuss how to
proceed further. We do not assess for the purpose of assigning grades. We believe
grades are useful for some students as feedback and motivation, but for many they
impede learning by imposing an element of outside judgment. For a less able
student, grades can very early impart a self-image of failure that stunts their
academic growth. Even for high achievers, they change the focus from what is
actually being learned to the report card. We have found that children’s learning at
the elementary level advances better without grades. When students move to a
school where they are graded, parents report that they adopt readily. A very high
percentage of Five Acre grads make the honor roll regularly in the local middle and
high schools. Similarly, they have done well on the WASL and other standardized
tests. I theorize that because our students have not had report cards or
standardized tests for their first years of school, these tools carry more motivating
power when they encounter them later.
To specifically address the WASL, we do not give it because to do so risks making it
the focus of the program and we do not want to take that chance. We are
confident that if we specifically prepared our students for it they would do very
well, and the experience of students taking it after leaving Five Acre bears this out.
We feel we already get all the essential information the WASL could give us with our
current assessment policies and would not substantially benefit from using it.
Individualization
Children learn in different ways and at different rates. Children who fail in school
often do so because they learn more slowly than average and come to see
themselves as poor learners. At Five Acre we strive to help slower learners preserve
an image of themselves as being smart and confident. We also assess to find
problem learning areas and bolster those areas with individualized instruction. We
have had a number of students who, because of their personal learning
characteristics, did not become fluent readers or mathematicians until 4th or 5th
grade, yet still enjoyed school, remained confident about their abilities, and went
on to achieve very strongly in higher grades. For children with high ability in one or
more areas, we find ways for them to work at an advanced level that keeps them
challenged.
Flexible, Multiage Organization
One reason we are able to individualize so effectively is our multiage class
structure. It allows us to group children by what they know how to do. In most
cases, the grouping corresponds to age, but when a student is at a level
significantly above or below her peers in a subject, we can adjust her group
assignment accordingly. Another big advantage of multiage classes is that the
teachers and students work together for several years. They get to know each
other well and develop positive working relationships that benefit everyone.
Students work with more than one teacher in each class, so they get several
perspectives and teaching styles. They also stay in close contact with their teacher
from the previous year, even if they do not still get most of their instruction from
her. This continuity helps children safely negotiate the sea of change they
experience in growing up. Multiage organization also gives teachers the chance to
work with colleagues instead of in an isolated classroom.
The Arts, Hands-On learning, And Integrated Learning
I group these three because their powerful impact is best explained by discussing
them together. The Arts are not something extra in education. For the well-being
and healthy development of children, they are just as essential as the basic
academic skills. For many students, they are the key element leading to the joy of
learning I pointed out earlier as being so important. They exemplify the value of
hands-on learning, where children learn by doing tasks that are meaningful to them
in their current lives, not just because we promise what they are learning will be
important to know when they are adults. Children want to be active and to be
proud of what they accomplish; music, art, and drama bring these benefits. They
are also ideal tools for integrating learning across several subject areas. In the 2008
performance of Ants on the Elephant’s Ear, for example, the audience saw the kids
demonstrate powerful learning in music, drama, art, literature, writing, history,
geography, government, civics, sociology, and teamwork all at the same time, and
with tremendous enthusiasm.
Child-Initiated Activities
In all our classes we schedule frequent opportunities for the students to pursue
activities they have chosen themselves. This shows them that their own ideas and
interests have real value, and allows them to experience pure, spontaneous passion
in their work. What they choose often requires close involvement with others using
the same materials, which develops teamwork, conflict resolution, and other
important social skills. It is always fascinating to visit a classroom during choice time
and see the worthwhile efforts the children are pursuing completely on their own
initiative. Outside time is another part of the day when the kids create their own
learning.
Physical Activity as Part of the Learning Process
Modern neuroscience has firmly established the vital connection between learning
and physical activity. A recently published book titled Spark, by John Ratey,
explains very clearly how this vital connection functions. Physical activity both
prepares the brain for learning and increases the effectiveness of knowledge and
skill acquisition. For this reason, we weave it into the entire school day at Five
Acres. Our teachers are trained in advanced techniques such as Brain Gym and
Balametrics. The children are not confined to chairs for long stretches of time and
can move as needed in the classroom. The extensive outdoor play facilities
encourage healthy movement during recess times. The curriculum includes teaching
units on fitness and health.
Great Teachers
The teaching staff is the key to the success of any school. At Five Acre we are
blessed with teachers happy in and dedicated to their jobs. They love kids and
relish the art of teaching. Their job satisfaction is evidenced by the low turnover
rate; our staff return year after year. It is important for children to spend their days
with adults who like being with them and are passionate about their work.
Cohesive Staff Development
As a staff we are continually participating in coordinated efforts to expand our
expertise. In 2006-2007, for example, all teachers and administrators participated in
Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, a systematic and
comprehensive training program aimed at ensuring that our language arts curriculum
is built on the latest research about how reading and writing are learned and should
be taught. These classes are held at and paid for by the school. We also pay for
teachers to take classes in their own particular interest areas at other venues.
Strong Parent Support For the Children And The School
Parents who carefully choose a school for their children and make the sacrifices it
takes to send them there prove to be deeply involved in their children’s lives. They
give their kids the love and support needed for healthy development, and their
involvement shows in the kids’ behavior and performance. When parents find that
Five Acre School provides the educational approach they are looking for and are
satisfied with the progress their children make at the school, they become
committed members of the Five Acre community. Some devote a lot of time to
volunteering, others express their support mainly by simply continuing to send their
children to the school. In any case we are all bonded by our love for and dedication
to our children. This unity strengthens us all in doing the best we can for the kids.
I hope this document helps to fill out your understanding of Five Acre School’s
approach to education. I’d be delighted to discuss the points above or any other
subject with you if you have further questions. Just contact the office to make an
appointment.
Sincerely,
Bill Jevne, Director
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-March 24-26 2010
ALL SCHOOL PLAY
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May 17-21
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-March 24-26 2010
ALL SCHOOL PLAY
-Turn on the Brain Week
May 17-21
-All School Sleepover 5/21