No. We do a theme each term and bring each subject into the term theme. Our lessons follow our students’ passions as much as possible. For example, when we were learning about Australia, our Alpha class wanted to learn all about the land animals then learned how to draw some. Our Beta class discovered the Great Barrier Reef then created a 3D model of it to put on display at our celebration night. Our Gamma class enjoyed focusing on the culture and the dangers a visitor could encounter.

We believe strongly that compassionate, collaborative, creative, critical thinkers and contributors to our communities are brought out best when students take the lead in their learning, collaborate with others, and are given many opportunities to try and fail in a supportive environment. Agency in learning keeps a student’s natural curiosity alive. They are able to pursue and refine their interests and connect with their passions to fuel their grit. Once they are free to be passionate, they will explore the world and learn to learn anything they want.

To learn more about the Link philosophy, click here.

We draw our educational philosophy from child development experts like Jean Piaget, John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Erik Erikson, Noam Chomsky, Jerome Singer, and Marie Montessori and education philosophers like Sugata Mitra, Peter Gray, Salman Khan, John Holt, Sir Ken Robinson, Tony Wagner, Yong Zhao, and William Kilpatrick.

A popular definition of curriculum is: “a standards-based sequence of planned experiences where students practice and achieve proficiency in content and applied learning skills.” For homeschoolers, curriculum often means a set of books or approach to teaching a subject, like Saxon Math or Math-U-See.

We, like the educational philosophers we love, have a much broader understanding of the word curriculum which comes from the Latin word currere which means “to run a course.” As such, curriculum is all the things, people, and experiences that are the catalyst for learning in an individual. And because we practice child-centered learning, we build our curriculum around the interests of the real students we have in class.

Each 6-8 week term begins with a context and/or theme which we use as the starting point for our curriculum. Teachers introduce students to the culture, geography, and literature to students and observes what students are interested in. They then build lessons and projects from student interests. The term ends with a celebration which students work towards throughout the term, giving their projects a real audience and deadline.

At home, parents are welcome to supplement more individually for their childrens’ needs. They can use what we do at the school as a foundation for home learning or completely do their own thing.

As we discover people throughout the world and history, religion is often an integral part of their lives. We discuss their belief systems with respect.

We believe in protecting the innocence of children for as long as possible. We do not discuss anything sexual or controversially political. We believe those topics are the parents’ responsibility. We believe that all humans are created equal and your life is only limited by your attitude.

Our projects are set up with specific skills and goals in mind while honoring each student’s capabilities. We center our projects around our term theme, while bringing in STEM aspects and allowing for individual interpretation. So while we are doing art, crafts and creative projects, each incorporates learning with a purpose.

We ask all students and parents to leave time in their home learning schedules for at least a few hours a week for students to learn more on their own about the term’s topic or theme. This could be reading or watching documentaries, writing or researching, or building, making, or creating something. The returns on this time investment are exponential in the classroom as each student is learning something different and shares it with their class, synergistically raising the energy, passion, and creativity of the whole group.

Additionally, students enrolled in the 1-day program are asked to read one term-related book and for the Beta (ages 9-12) and Gamma (ages 12-14) classes, complete one research project per term.

ALPHA

(age 5-8 – child to adult ratio is 12:1)

9:00 – Students arrive. They are greeted by teacher and classmates and explore teacher-prepared centers. This can include blocks, Legos, art items, games, pretend, stories, nature. Often centers relate to the topic or theme. Much of the morning is organic and dynamic as students and teachers follow group interests. Morning also includes an outdoor recess and a small activity, story, exploration.

11:30 – 12:00 – Lunch and clean up

12:00 – 1:00 – Afternoon recess (combined with the whole school)

1:00 – Project Time

2:30 – Reflection and Clean up

3:00 – Parents pick up

BETA

(age 9-12 – child to adult ratio is 18-20:1 depending on the average age of the class)

9:00 – Students arrive. They greet each other and their teacher and have a morning meeting to discuss class business.

9:15 – Homeroom. Homeroom teachers introduce their students to the geographic theme and after students have background knowledge, follow their interests in designing learning activities. Homeroom teachers also facilitate group projects that are showcased at celebrations.

11:30 – 12:00 – Lunch and clean up

12:00 – 1:00 – Afternoon recess (combined with the whole school)

1:00 – Specialized Project Time. Students have a different, specialized teacher in the afternoon to do projects with students.

2:30 – Reflection and Clean up

3:00 – Parents pick up

GAMMA

(age 12-14 – child to adult ration 20-25:1)
same schedule as Beta

While we are a fully insured drop-off program, we love our families to be involved in their child’s experiences! But we find when families bring our term theme into their home learning, the students benefit even more!

Parents are required to participate in one committee.

Come prepared to get messy! We often work with paint and permanent markers. Clothing needs to be comfortable and weather appropriate because we do go outside for an hour and a half every day.

Yes! Enrollment is currently open.

We do not currently offer scholarships or financial aid, but third-party funding is easily available to homeschool families to help cover tuition costs. Contact us for more information.

We want all kids to feel safe, welcome and empowered. We take time to create a sense of community among all students. We cultivate a culture of kindness and inclusion. We approach conflict with curiosity and see it as an opportunity for growth of self and relationships. When our students have a conflict, we dig to the root of the issue for all kids involved. We believe kids are inherently good and poor behavior is a signal of pain or miscommunication. Teachers ask questions, guide the discussion and the kids typically come up with the resolutions and fix their mistakes.

Bullying or the repeated and purposeful hurting of one person where the relationship involves an imbalance of power is not tolerated.

All students of all abilities are welcome! Our only requirement for any student is that they are responsible enough to take care of themselves, be respectful to others and our school. If one student struggles with reading or writing, they will be teamed up with a student that can. If a student is very creative or can think outside the box, they will be teamed with a student that hasn’t yet found their creative side.

We teach the children how to keep themselves safe. We show them the boundaries of where they are allowed. If balls roll out of the boundary, a teacher will go get the ball. If a child wants to climb a tree, we teach them to trust their instincts, what it means when the branch shakes, and how to look for their own solutions when getting back down.