Instructional Methodology
We understand that children all learn differently. There is no right or wrong way to learn...
At American Legacy Academy we want to tailor our lessons to the child's method of learning instead of teaching one way and expecting a child to adapt to our method - which is hard for some children to do and doesn't create a meaningful experience necessary for the love of learning to develop and provide children maximum retention.
Contextual Learning
Contextual learning is creating a learning environment that involves including as many different forms of experience as possible to help the student to identify a familiar frame of reference so that the desired learning outcomes can be achieved.
This methodology is especially important for learners who are sometimes referred to as “visual-spatial” learners. These are students who tend to have to start with the end in mind; to have a broad based picture of where a concept may fit in later.
In contextual learning theory, learning occurs only when learners process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense to them within their own frames of reference (their own inner worlds of memory, experience, and response). This approach to learning and teaching assumes that the mind naturally seeks meaning in context, that it does so by searching for relationships that make sense and appear useful.
In such an environment, students discover meaningful relationships between abstract ideas and practical applications in the context of the real world; concepts are internalized through the process of discovering, reinforcing, and relating.
Contextual learning: Emphasizes hands-on problem solving; Organizes around real world experiences; Allows for various learning modalities; Encourages learning outside of classroom; Respects student experiences in the learning process; Encourages collaborative learning; Encourages problem-solving; Differentiated learning based on ability, learning style and student interest.
Flexible Grouping
Flexible Grouping allows a teacher to group students formally and informally according to ability levels, interest and learning styles.
Flexible grouping is not a new concept in American education. It has its roots in the original one-room rural schoolhouse where students of varying ages, backgrounds, and abilities were grouped and regrouped to meet instructional needs.
As part of a national push for citizens who can think, solve problems, work with others, and learn on the job, educators are taking a close look at the implications of using whole-group and ability-group instruction exclusively. Teachers are discovering that informally grouping and regrouping students in a variety of ways throughout the school day can make a teacher's job easier and students more productive. This teaching strategy is called flexible grouping.
Flexible grouping strategies often employ several organizational patterns for instruction. Students are grouped and regrouped according to specific goals, activities, and individual needs. When making grouping decisions, the dynamics and advantages inherent in each type of group must be considered. Both teacher-led and student-led groups can contribute to learning.
Teacher-led groups: Teacher-led groups include whole-class, small group, and individual instruction. In general, communication paths in teacher-led groups are almost exclusively between teacher and student. Teacher-led groups are an effective and efficient way of introducing material, summing-up the conclusions made by individual groups, meeting the common needs of a large or small group, and providing individual attention or instruction.
Whole-class instruction: Whole-class instruction is often used to introduce new materials and strategies to the entire class. Working with the whole class to introduce new concepts can build common experiences and provide a shared basis for further exploration, problem solving, and skill development. Whole-class instruction also can help identify students' prior knowledge and experiences that will affect new knowledge acquisition.
Small-group instruction: Small-group instruction is an often-used strategy. Small groups can provide opportunities for working with students who have common needs, such as reinforcement or enrichment.
Students working alone in teacher-directed activities: Although learning to work cooperatively constitutes an important educational goal, students must also learn to work independently. Individual responses may prove especially helpful for students in refining their own thoughts. For example, after sharing strategies in small, student-led groups, each student might reflect on the group's problem-solving methods and formulate a personal problem-solving strategy.
Student-led groups: One of the benefits of student-led groups is that they model "real-life" adult situations in which people work together, not in isolation, to solve problems. Students working in groups learn to work with people from varying backgrounds and with different experiences, sharpening social skills and developing a sense of confidence in their own abilities.
Socratic Method
The Socratic Method is one of the most powerful teaching tactics in fostering critical thinking.
Using questions and answers,.it is more recently known as an Inquiry-based learning method.
At ALA this approach to learning is driven by a learner's questions as well as by the teacher's questions that guide the students to reflective reasoning from internal character and principles of truth. In this approach the student's love of learning is ignited and they learn "how to learn" as they learn how to discern truth from error.
We model for our students what it is to have an incessantly curious mind. The result is students who learn how to think intelligently: who are guided into wisdom instead of being spoon-fed rote knowledge.
The Socratic method is a method of far reaching importance in a culture that sets expectations for instant gratification without cognitive reason. Instead, the ability to discern - to build a sequential and thoughtful basis for opinion and wisdom - which is sorely absent in our culture, is learned through this method.
Our goal at American Legacy Academy is to foster some of the greatest thinkers of future generations. The Socratic method of instruction engages students completely and as a result, the children are enthused, and practically jumping out of their seats with excitement about sharing their views. Happy, engaged, purposeful students is what great learners look like!
During a lesson, the teacher helps to keep the discussion focused, remains intellectually and morally responsible, encourages the discussion with thoughtful questions, helps the students to summarize what has been said, helps them to reach conclusions, and to identify unresolved issues. Most importantly, the teacher entices all students into the discourse.
The Notebook Method
Reading maketh a man full.
Speaking -- a ready man.
Writing maketh him exact.
-- Sir Francis Bacon
The Notebook Method is the tool of American Christian Education used at American Legacy Academy that embraces the four steps of learning -- research, reason, relate, record --commonly termed "The 4 R's." Centuries old, it is the excellent method found in the educational background of the greatest thinkers and leaders in history. {The student's Notebooks are the result of their thinking and reasoning during Socratic Discussions in every subject. As the students reason they relate the learning to themselves personally helping to develop a desire to do their best in all they do. With illustrations, diagrams, charts, maps and graphs they are as individual as the students.}
The Notebook Approach is more than an efficient way of filing the student's work in a three-ring binder, which is how it may appear to the new parent and student at American Legacy Academy. If that were all it embraced, teachers would not spend the immense labor and time that the Notebook Approach requires in teaching and learning, particularly at the primary level of learning. However, the Notebook Approach is a valuable tool of reasoning and academic discipline that produces Christian scholarship and a {scriptural} worldview in both the teacher and student.
As each teacher applies the Notebook Approach to his personal research and study, the real value of the notebook becomes apparent. As he takes possession of the subject, it liberates him to become the "living textbook" in the classroom -- the talking, acting, touching, responding textbook, able to call forth true learning from individual students. As a "master" of his subject, he is able to be more flexible, spontaneous, and inspirational in the classroom. Not tied to a "dead" textbook or teacher's manual, his lessons and instructions touch the heart of every child in the classroom.
Combined with the structure of discipline and habits of work skills that the Notebook Approach requires, the student also, becomes involved with the subject as he "4 R's," thinking and reasoning, writing his thoughts, making a record of his study. He grows in his responsibility for his own learning, building strong qualities of character. Therefore, the grade that he receives for his notebook work reflects his character as well as his mastery of the subject. ( Accommodations and expectations are made according to the abilities of students.)
The Value of the Notebook Approach:
1. It aids in the Biblical purposes of education by "enlightening the understanding, correcting the temper, and forming the habits of youth that fit him for usefulness in his future station." [Webster's 1828 Dictionary]
2. It is the product of the student's own hand. It reveals his penmanship, his reasoning and
thinking, and his creativity and illustrations.
3. It is a permanent record of his productivity.
4. It aids his parents and teacher in his progress, showing exactly what is being taught. It shows graphically his character development -- his industry, diligence, and responsibility.
By the time students are in high school, they have mastered the Notebook Approach and developed the habits of discipline and research that produce Christian scholarship and Biblical reasoning, those qualities needed for effectual communication of the Gospel and Christian leadership.
Differentiated Learning
The intent of differentiating instruction is to maximize each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is, and assisting in the learning process.
The world is comprised of highly unique people. Classrooms too are filled with students of different abilities, learning styles and interests. The model of differentiated instruction allows teachers to be flexible in their approach to teaching and adjusting the curriculum and presentation of information to learners rather than expecting students to modify themselves for the curriculum. Classroom teaching is a blend of whole-class, small group and individual instruction. Differentiated instruction is based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms
Learning goals are aligned to tasks and objectives. Goals are frequently assessed through various methods of testing as well as annual standardized testing. Because instruction is concept-focused and principle-driven the content of instruction and concepts are the same for all students but may be adjusted by degree of complexity for the diversity of learners in the classroom.
Tutorial Method:
A: “As teacher, the Principle Approach methods, curriculum, and philosophy of education allow us the liberty and creative expression to satisfy the real needs of our students in a whole way. We see each child as an individual of infinite value, made in the image of God and worthy of our respect. We see the tutorial needs of students; that each one as an individual is entitled to his own learning style and instruction, that every child can be elevated to a worthy standard. We see that our students need to produce, not consume only—expressing themselves in the arts, music, drama, and athletics, developing every talent, exercising their whole potential.”
The above quote from page 12 of Dr. Carole Adams’s article, “The Christian Idea of the Child” mentions the basis for the “tutorial method” that is a distinctive concept of the Principle Approach methodology and philosophy. The tutorial method takes into account the individuality of each child, acknowledging that each student, as unique, has a correspondingly unique set of strengths and weaknesses, skills and challenges—a learning style. It is the responsibility of the teacher to “study” each student in order to determine his innate gifts and abilities, perceptual strengths and weaknesses, and then to wisely teach each individual. The goal is to inspire each student with the desire to do their best always as they continue on the path of preparation for their individual mission here on earth and for the realization of their divine potential.