Nurturing and Empowering

We pride ourselves in creating a safe,  nurturing environment where kids feel comfortable taking the academic risks necessary for success. When children "own" their strengths and weaknesses, they feel empowered and confident and are more willing to tackle their academic challenges. 

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION FOR THE WHOLE CHILD

Working closely with parents and teachers,  we truly understand the unique needs of each child.   Individualized lesson plans are created daily, based on long and short-term goals, what we observe during previous lessons, comments shared by parents and on-going teacher feedback.  Today's lesson informs tomorrow's instruction.

Amanda, one of the first students who was home-schooled in the little cottage,  captured the magic of that school year in the essay below.  

The cedar cottage behind my teacher’s house is a warm, welcoming place.  The sights, sounds, and smells of the cottage make me feel wonderful.

The beautiful sea foam green walls jump out at you when you walk in. The knotty pine ceiling is made of tan wood. The warm, cozy cottage is a great place to be on a cold, winter day. The pale pink, floral print on the comfy couch makes you want to snuggle up with a blanket and read. When you see the multi-colored author’s chair in the cozy, little corner next to the heater, it makes you want to sit on it all day.  

The sounds of the cottage are happy sounds. I hear pages flipping as we read, our teacher helping us write a paragraph, dogs barking rapidly when someone walks by, chairs sliding back and forth on the cold, wood floor, shades closing when the sun is too bright and opening when it’s too dark, and computers buzzing while we’re typing and playing games.  The sounds of the cottage make me feel relaxed.

 The cottage has many different smells: baby wipes, lotion, hand sanitizer, tangerines, and bubble gum. There are smells of brand new books and old books. The scent of dry erase markers fills the air, as we learn to divide fractions on miniature white boards.  The cottage is a great place to learn. It is just right.                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                    Written by Amanda, Fifth Grade Homeschool Student