Mornings

Every day kicks off with a Launch designed to motivate and inspire while providing tools and tips for creating and completing goals for their day, week, session, and year.

INTENTIONAL WORK TIME

We then move into our Intentional Work Time or the core skills and academics customized for each learner. Learners are encouraged to plan out, and then reverse engineer, their goals into as small of bites as necessary to take the first step in accomplishing them.

We focus on Math, Reading, Grammar, and Writing, intentionally building upon each learner's natural curiosity through self-directed learning, Socratic Discussions, Character Development, and Real-World Connections. These elements are the building blocks of everything we do at Chisholm Creek Academy. We give our learners the tools they need to set and conquer ambitious goals and push themselves to achieve excellence and mastery.

We combine modern tools and tradition to craft a unique plan for each of our learners, moving from the cutting edge of technology to the classics of literature. Each of our learners builds skills and tools that will allow them to tackle and conquer each challenge presented to them as they venture out in whatever capacity they choose, whenever they choose to do it.

Our Lunch Break

Lunch is a family-style affair with younger learners and older learners partnered together for behavioral and cleanliness accountability. Learners bring brown bag lunches and have access to microwaves to warm up soup or leftovers in a friendly and welcoming environment.

Afternoons

QUESTS

Quests are session-long deep dives into subjects from art to engineering, coding to gardening, and provide our learners with hands-on opportunities to explore real-world problems and answer them with practical solutions. We delve into subjects like the different governance styles of Rome or micro-biology to seek out the nitty-gritty ways in which our world works on physical, spiritual, and emotional levels.

We read. A lot! We write even more. We work and rework our projects to get them ready for public viewing at our end-of-session exhibitions.

STUDIO MAINTENANCE

Our learners are completely responsible for the cleanliness of their space. From the bathrooms in the front to the kitchen in the back our learners sweep, scrub, and organize their supplies and areas to show respect for themselves, each other, and their environment.

WRAP UP

Each day ends with lessons learned, discussions on what went well, what did not, and what will we do better tomorrow. We focus on ourselves and the studio as a whole picking out one thing to focus on and improve. We seek to make 1% of progress every day which leads to massive improvement over time.

We divide our learners into 4 Basic Studios all based on a one-room school house mentality. Each studio focuses on specific goals and tools to build and complement the overall method. Learners of multiple ages work together to develop rules and structures for their studio to run effectively. Learning to hold one another accountable, govern themselves, and explore leadership is a result of the studio model. Older learners are able to mentor and lead as younger learners have the opportunity to learn from and be coached by their older peers.

Primary Studios are our youngest studios. Beginning at 4 years old learners work on everything from fine motor skills, hand/eye coordination, and reading, to learning the systems, goal setting, and behaviors that will be the foundation for the rest of their lives. Learning here is fun. Much of the learning is done through Montessori type systems or learning through play. Learners keep their studio clean, learn kindness, and the discipline it takes to accomplish their goals.

We often ask: “What is the kindest thing we can do?”

Elementary Studio continues to build on Primary’s lessons, expanding and improving on the tools, systems, and structures to provide scaffolding for learners to take hold of their education. As learners show they can handle the responsibility, the scaffolding is removed and more freedoms are introduced. They begin to tackle more complex problems and issues and use their tools more effectively. They focus on both being the hero of their own epic journey and the supporting character for each other, or both (Frodo and Sam, respectively). Quests become more complex in their deliverables and presentations, critique, and Socratic discussions are introduced.

The question asked most often is: “Where are you on your journey and what is your next step?”

Middle School Studios are transitional studios in many ways. Emotionally, hormonally, intellectually, and more, they begin to explore more abstract concepts and theories in their Socratic discussions and their lives.

MS learners begin to observe humanity from more of a sociological perspective. They practice expanding their thinking, push themselves academically, and explore more of the philosophical side of life.

They begin asking questions like: What does [insert observation] tell you about yourself? What does that tell you about humanity as a whole? How does this challenge, change, or support you or your beliefs as a whole? Overall it is an exciting and foundational time for learners to begin seeking to answer the question, “Who do I want to become?”

Apprenticeships also begin to take a more prominent role in the learners' thinking as they start to think through the direction they would like their own epic story to take.

High School Studios begin with the end in mind and ask the question, Which path would you like to take? Either your plans will be taking you towards higher education or learners have another plan in mind that they will present and have approved.

We do not believe that college is for everyone and that there are many other paths a person can take. At this point in their journey at Chisholm Creek Academy, learners are proposing to us their plans and we seek to support them in their journey. Older learners are able to help younger learners and support them through example and deeds.

They seek opportunities and execute their plans implementing the tools, skills, and foundations they learned and built during their earlier time with us. For High Schoolers, the question becomes, “What do you want to do and how will you get there?”

Overall, studios are places where our learners learn to learn, do, and be, they seek to encourage and be encouraged, to push themselves and each other, as they work on their own epic story or personal legend, become the they can be and change the world.

We take contracts extremely seriously at Chisholm Creek Academy, we craft and seek to hold one another accountable for their contents. Learners can build a contract for their studio together, vote to add to, subtract from, or adjust it as necessary after thoughtful critique and debate. In other words, the contract, written by the learners, for the learners, and to the learners, gives them the autonomy to govern themselves and the power to change it as they see fit.

Similarly, we ask parents to sign a contract that is not only for tuition but for their continuing to pour into themselves, hold a weekly family meeting, and set an example by feeding their love of learning and continued curiosity.

See Sample Contracts Here

We often say here that any rule is open for debate at any time. If a learner can convince Mr. Dave (Head of School) that math is no longer necessary, then math will be removed from the curriculum. Now that would need to be one heck of an argument, but the point stands. Learners have the power to control their environment as much as is necessary. This power comes with incredible amounts of responsibility. They become responsible for themselves and each other. They are responsible for their space and their tools, their supplies, and their equipment. They keep it clean, organized, and tended. They must plan out and ration their supplies.

We teach Socratically. There is often some confusion as to what that is or how it practically looks so I will spend some time unpacking it here. As you probably know, Socrates was a Greek Philosopher in the late 400s BC. As the legend goes, a friend of Socrates was told by the Oracle at Delphi that there was no one wiser than Socrates. Hearing this, Socrates went in search of those wiser than himself. He concluded that while many were wise in particular areas, his admitted ignorance made him wiser than the rest. (He was not known for his humility.)

His method of questioning made him unpopular and his willingness to question even the most sacred of cows eventually led to his execution. We believe that within his method lies the key to finding true wisdom. Like Socrates, we don't focus on the answer someone gives, what we are very interested in is the reasoning behind it. Socrates realized that even if someone gave a “wrong” answer or something that he considered to be false, by backing them up or asking why it is that they believe what they believe, one could expose the logical fallacies, false facts, or wrongly held beliefs that led them to that particular conclusion. Therefore, in exposing those he could help them find the truth. One need only imagine such a conversation for a moment to realize why he was executed. Additionally, this method of discussion allows for the exploration of personally held beliefs. By pushing back and finding the reasoning that lies beneath a person’s genuinely held beliefs, you open yourself up to the chance that they do have compelling reasoning, more compelling than that which underlies your own beliefs.

We seek to do the same for our learners.

Guides. Never. Answer. Questions.

Instead, we begin to walk with the learner, leaning into their question with questions of our own.

Learner: Mr. Dave when is Christmas?

Mr. Dave: Have you tried to figure this out for yourself?

What tools do you have to find this answer for yourself?

Where have you gone to find similar answers?

What might you do logically to deduce the answer from the information you have?

Our goal is to break the learner of their habit of seeking out adults for answers and training them to see a problem, challenge, or obstacle and think, “I can solve that!” They will begin to naturally seek out answers to their questions, solutions for their problems, and workarounds for the obstacles they face. This is the heart of what we mean when we say we are training entrepreneurial-minded learners. Those who see broken things in the world and set out to change it.

We also have specific and direct Socratic Discussions in which we will pose questions and give the learners the opportunity to research a particular topic. We will then circle up and discuss the provided topic, beginning with a direct question that forces an A or B answer and ask our learners to defend either A or B. We know that the world is not black and white, rarely is the answer A or B but rather somewhere in the gray area in between. But, in defending A or B, learners learn that the only way to explore that gray area is to listen to the other side. In defending A or B they are forced to take a stand for something and defend it with logic, reason, and evidence. In taking that stand for A or B the discussion has a greater chance for success than a waffling “it’s kind of both” answer.

We will begin and end with the same question taking note of those who switch sides and then exploring what or why changed their opinion. In doing so, learners see how and what provides stronger evidence, examples, and tools in communication and presentation. They learn to project and convince, to lead and persuade.

Joseph Campbell provides the framework for the character portion of our method. The Hero’s Journey or Our Epic Story gives our learners the language and fortitude to answer the call and to choose adventure. Every Hero’s Journey begins with a call to adventure. This is the moment when you the hero of the story (the learner) – whether a brave knight or a curious explorer – is beckoned to leave the familiar and embark on a thrilling quest.

Along the way, heroes often encounter a wise mentor, a guiding figure who helps them navigate challenges and discover their inner strengths. In the same way, your learner has guides at school, family at home, and friends who play the role of mentors, supporting and guiding them through life's adventures.

No hero's journey is complete without facing challenges. These obstacles, whether a fierce dragon or a difficult puzzle, help your learner grow and experience important lessons. Just like the hero overcomes obstacles, your learner can face challenges with resilience and courage.

As the hero triumphs over these challenges, they return to the familiar both transformed and wiser. This echoes the growth and learning your learner will experience through their own adventures, whether big adventures such as an apprenticeship or school year, or those small ones such as overcoming a particular challenge, struggle, or pursuit.

Quests are deep dives in the exploration of a subject over the course of a session. We will tackle subjects like micro-biology, or ancient Rome. Art, science, writing, and history are all designed to be covered over the course of a year.

Quest deliverables, (specialized projects) are given in a wide variety of abilities for the learners to choose from. They may cover cooking, engineering, electronics, or coding but there are projects for each skill level. These projects are designed to have the learners research and plan each element of the work. Learners may receive links to Roman aqueducts or baking bread, from there they will plan out what they will do to complete their project to excellence.

At the end of each quest an exhibition of the learner’s work will be available to the public for viewing and critique.

Exhibitions are where learners invite family, friends, and anyone else to view their work. It is a chance to show off all that they have accomplished to the public eye. There is quite a different feeling knowing that your work will be on display for public critique and consumption instead of just your studio mates. It raises the bar and our learners respond to that challenge.

Portfolio Reviews are a chance for the learner to display their work on a more intimate scale for their parents or guardians to view. It is a chance for them to explain their goals for the past session and how they did accomplishing them, what went well, what went poorly, and what they plan on doing about it. They will talk about their goals for the next session and how they fit into their overarching goals and what needs to be accomplished to reach them.

By building out a learner’s goals from the short term to the long term they will start to see the value in the longer-term projects and therefore explore plans that will benefit them in the future not just the satisfaction of the here and now.

We do not have grades. Instead, we have levels. Levels are completed when you show mastery in the work required. We do not put an arbitrary time limit on each level, if a learner wants to be ambitious they could work hard and focus to move a level or more each year. If they need more time they can take it. Perhaps for an individual learner Math really clicks, it makes sense, and they are able to fly ahead in their badge plan. Great! We are excited for them and will adjust their individual plan to meet their needs. Conversely, if something isn’t making sense and a learner needs more time to master a subject they can take that time as well.

We believe that when we allow the learners to dictate the speed they need to master the necessary knowledge then they won't feel the pressure to be at a specific point at a specific time. We have found that by removing this arbitrary time pressure, learners often rocket ahead after taking the time they need to master the topic at hand. This empowers them with confidence and the ability to take hold of their own education and run with it.

Our badge plans meet and exceed all state requirements and make for impressive transcripts when necessary.

We don't do grades, instead, we work on a mastery approach that requires learners to show that they have learned the material to a standard that far exceeds state-level expectations. There is no opportunity for a learner to skate by in this system with a C. You have either mastered the expected material and can demonstrate that, or you are still working on it.

With that in mind, transcripts, when necessary, are given out to the inquiring party. As we work on mastery, learners are given a 1, 2, or 3. The scale is as follows: 1 = did not start, 2 = in process, and 3 = mastered. There has never been an issue when presenting such a transcript.

High Schoolers looking to attend a university or other secondary educational option will be given much more extensive transcripts to highlight the unique work and opportunities that Chisholm Creek Academy has provided, but the real highlight of those transcripts will be the learners themselves. Their poise, confidence, and communication skills will far outweigh any documentation we can provide.

Transitions for all kids are difficult. Actually, transitions for most humans are difficult. We often seek out comfort and safety which is why Campbell’s Hero’s Journey takes such a stand in our philosophy. Learners must choose this new adventure. No amount of cajoling from any adult in their life will convince them that this school is a good fit. It is difficult, challenging, and unique. They must choose victory over victimhood. The longer a learner has been in a traditional school the harder their transition will be. We often find that there is roughly one month of transition per year that a learner has been in traditional school. We call this transition, “Traditional School Detox.” Quite simply, they have not been asked to do what we will ask them to do before. Mainly, take responsibility for themselves, their peers, and their education. All of that in a traditional school is dictated to them by the authorities in their lives.

This model inverts a traditional school model and it is often a new, scary, and difficult transition for learners. Many adults still shy away from responsibility even after years of holding it. A new learner's fear is understandable. We often ask three main questions of a learner who is struggling. A.) Does the learner want to be here? B.) Are they supported by parents or guardians who believe in the system? And finally C.) Are they capable of keeping up academically? This model will simply not work if the answer to the first two questions is no. Academically, we are willing to work with any learner who is willing to put in the effort required but without the desire to do what it takes, without their answering the call to adventure that is required of them and the support of their family at home, frankly, academics won’t matter.

It takes a unique family to answer this call to adventure. If you have read this far you no doubt have already realized that. This will require transitions and hardships, struggles and adjustments, sacrifice, and a crazy amount of courage. But know this, we at Chisholm Creek Academy are here for you and your learner through this process. We want to partner and work with you. We know its struggles and hardships because we are in it both personally and as parents.

Our application process is as follows. We meet with parents or guardians first, then the learners themselves. If necessary, we will invite them for a shadow day or days to observe them in the studio environment, before finally offering a family the chance to apply or declining to offer that opportunity. We encourage you to attend one of our informational session to tour the school and ask any questions you may have before beginning the application process.

Register here for an Info Session