THE AMERICAN EMERGENT CURRICULUM
The School House and the new American Emergent Curriculum (AEC) has a simple mission — to connect what we know works in learning with what we love about traditional American schools. Instead of relying on just one pedagogy or one set of standards, The School House thoughtfully combines the most effective ways of learning: a Structured Materials Foundation, Project-Based Learning, Critical Thinking & Group Dialogue (Socratic) and Art, Nature + Design Studio (Reggio Emilia), with the things we all grew up with and loved in public school: access to great sports programs, performing arts, civics and economic diversity.
The result is a highly integrated curriculum serving a community of Learners who thrive not just academically but emotionally, socially and physically in the most crucial time of their young lives, 3-12 years old.
WHAT WE KNOW WORKS IN LEARNING
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WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT TRADITIONAL AMERICAN SCHOOLS
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STRUCTURED MATERIALS FOUNDATION
Our Structured Foundation is based on Dr. Montessori’s materials and philosophy allows children to master academic skills through tactile engagement and rigor before moving on to the next challenge. For example, math proficiency is attained by using concrete representations in addition to paper and pencil. Done in three-year cycles, this ensures a deep understanding without the dreaded gaps in learning. World renowned physician and scientist Dr. Maria Montessori was the primary leader of the child development revolution and changed the way we see children in their learning environment. The AEC is the only interconnected curriculum in the U.S. that incorporates a child's crucial developmental stage.
PROJECT & PROBLEM BASED LEARNING
If you were learning to fix a car, you would read a book about automotive repair, but you would also get your hands in the engine. This is true for any academic subject as well. At TSH learners participate in rigorous academic exploration in literacy, numeracy, geography, history and science and then apply this knowledge base through project and problem based learning. Similar to STEAM and STEM, but with a functional purpose, children invent, construct, grow, design and create individual and school-wide projects. Projects provide context and application to all academic subjects resulting in deep knowledge and functional abilities.
ART, NATURE & DESIGN STUDIO
Picasso wasn’t Picasso until he was Picasso. Because art is our individual relationship to and interpretation of our world, Learners are exposed to all mediums in the Atelier. Based on the Reggio-Emilia approach, art history is learned in the context of what Learners are creating and natural materials as well as time in our outdoor classroom inspire a connection with nature. Design adds a practical component to art as Learners create with clay, wire, wood, paints, papers, fine drawing, fibers, grasses and over 100 different materials.
CRITICAL THINKING & GROUP DIALOGUE
Bullying and disagreements between children happen at very early ages and children in the 0-12 period yearn to discover new and effective ways in processing everything including their emotions. By using the Socratic Method daily, TSH encourages group solutions to both social and academic challenges. The way we speak to one another is fundamental to how we relate and questioning our assumptions gives us a broader sense of the world and our place in it. We couldn't need this more in today's world!
SPORTS & MOVEMENT
Play, sports, games and other team-building and individual experiences get blood moving, push oxygen to the brain and open up pathways for academic and emotional success. Our Sports & Movement program covers three areas: Individual Health - i.e. Yoga, meditation and La Sierra; Team Sports - Organized sports create a knowledge base of a variety of sports including baseball, basketball, rugby, soccer etc.; Sportsmanship - The idea that in your life you will lose, win and sometimes call a draw is a life-long skill tied to our overall emotional intelligence.
PERFORMING ARTS
The Performing Arts has long been studied and known as the ideal companion to math, expression, self-esteem and good health. The collaborative nature of performing arts strengthens friendships, provides an outlet for creativity and energy and taps into skills yet unrealized. At TSH, our performing arts program combines professional grade music and singing instruction. Performances are held in a proper theatrical environment.
CIVICS
Traditional American Schools have long been beacons of teaching our democratic process and history but now only 24% of High School graduates are proficient in it. The thorough explanation of government at the local, state and federal level as well as offering children at TSH leadership roles in their classrooms and in the school at-large builds a base upon which to foster life-long skills in civil discourse, the Constitution and Fundamental Needs.
ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
School is defined at TSH as a Community of Learners. The richness of that community is based on economic diversity. It’s vital that children from all socio-economic backgrounds be able to attend TSH. The Founders of TSH came from meager means and although The School House is an independent, non-profit school, the tradition of free public American schools is firmly planted in our ideology. Nationwide donations and our Scholars Fund helps us to keep our student body full of different view points.