12 Commitments to Teaching and Learning

  1. Virtues, as well as principles in self-government and civility, are identified and clearly taught in a seamless manner through course content.
  2. Emphasis is placed on minds-on learning and on fostering a spirit of inquiry in students; standardized tests, while important, do not drive curriculum and instruction.
  3. The curriculum is knowledge-rich and built around the principle of increasing cultural literacy, or a common body of essential knowledge that promotes academic success, citizenship, and the centrality of the Western Tradition.
  1. Literacy is taught through explicit phonics and grammar, and rational thought and expression are acquired through logic and rhetoric.
  2. Greek and Latin constitute the foundational foreign language instruction for training in grammar, vocabulary, and critical thinking and as a bridge to the study of seminal texts of the Western Tradition and to other languages.
  3. Classic works of history and literature, i.e. Great Books, constitute the texts students read, examine and discuss with depth and seriousness.
  1. Mathematical and scientific knowledge are pursued for their own sakes, not merely for their practical applications; both aim at human excellence.
  2. Instruction in the fine and performing arts are essential to the curriculum and include instruction in theory, history, and performance.
  3. Students are trained in study skills, planning and organization, close reading of text, and note-taking.
  1. Importance is placed on bodily fitness and physical education in concert with fit minds.
  2. Co-curricular and extra-curricular academic and athletics activities are offered and encouraged to promote a well-ordered and well-rounded experience for students.
  3. The education of children is viewed as a collaborative and essential partnership between parents and professional educators.