Educating The Head
Our Philosophy
We believe assessment is:
An ongoing process that helps identify, at various stages in the learning process, what a student knows, understands, and can do
An opportunity for students to obtain mastery by correcting errors and learning from mistakes
A measure of what we, as educators, need to do to better serve our students
Vital for a clear understanding of overall school performance
Must be a process that encourages, challenges and motivates students to higher levels of learning and self-awareness
Multiple types of evidence must be used to better understand each learner’s strengths and needs, and to plan for support and enrichment
Should allow students authentic opportunities to display their accomplishments and demonstrate their learning
Standardized Tests
As a public school, we administer all required state assessments: RISE and Acadience
rise (readiness, improvement, success empowerment)
RISE is a computerized system of assessments beginning in grade 3. It is designed to measure student success and growth. Results are used in state and federal accountability systems and determines our school grade.
Parents may opt their student out of RISE testing, however high opt-out numbers will negatively affect our school in two ways:
It will unjustly affect our school grade. We may be performing at an A, but labeled a C.
We will not be able to adequately prove to the state and community the beauty and efficacy of whole-child education.
Although we are sensitive to the controversy around standardized testing, we are not afraid of it.
We believe our approach prepares our students for whatever academic challenge that may be placed before them.
How we will use RISE data
Rise is just one snapshot of how Treeside is performing. We will use RISE data to identify areas of success and growth, as well as areas we may see fit to target for improvement.
The RISE test is administered In the spring of each year, but students will be exposed to the content and format of the RISE test several times prior to this test by taking the RISE benchmarks and practice tests.
acadience reading (a test for dynamic indicators of basic early literacy skills)
Acadience Reading assesses the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. We, however, will start the assessment in 1st grade. The assessments are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills: phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency with connected text, reading comprehension, and vocabulary.
Acadience Reading test is administered three times per year: beginning of the year (BOY), middle of the year (MOY), and end of the year (EOY).
How we will use Acadience Reading data
Our teachers will use data to monitor students mastery of literacy skills and to adjust their instruction to better meet the needs of their students.
We are required to report Acadience Reading scores to the state.
diagnostic testing
At the beginning of the school year, all students will be given diagnostic tests that identify their current learning levels. Then through out the year, student progress will be measured based on the initial base-line scores.
Based on identified areas of need, students will use educational software as a learning enhancement at school and at home. Some of the software being used are: Moby Max, Star, Accelerated Reader, IXL and others.
Authentic Assessments
Authentic assessment is when a student is asked to demonstrate meaningful application of knowledge and skills. This type of assessment is an integral part of whole-child education.
Examples:
Main Lesson Book
Writing and performing a skit
Illustrating/drawing a science concept
Coding an app
Creating/finishing a science project
Etc.
Authentic assessments are used to both formally and informally assess student mastery.
Educating The Heart
The Treeside Experience
Walking into Treeside is a multi-sensory experience for all who enter and a manifestation of fulfilling its mission to provide a rigorous whole-child education.
As you approach the building you notice something distinctly different. Treeside's “Outdoor Learning Laboratory.” Trees are labeled with their type and a brief description. Flowerbeds are filled with seasonal flowers planted, maintained, and studied by students. The geodesic dome greenhouse is filled with budding plants. The orchard provides shade and fruitful learning opportunities. Rabbits and chickens teach students valuable husbandry skills. Your imagination and wonder are sparked by the thought of children learning even before entering the building.
A welcoming family hearth warms your heart as you enter the front room. Bulletin boards displaying children’s artwork as well as academic work cover the walls alerting you that this school is child-centered and proud of the creativity and thought it espouses. You walk by a table displaying student handworks such as sculptures, knitting, or paper-mâché urns.
Next, you hear the voices of children reciting a word family poem, reading a story they authored, singing multiplication tables, or a lively group discussion on Greek mythology. As you peek into a classroom, your senses will once again be enlivened by the sights, sounds, and smells of a fifth-grade science project focusing on ecology and clean energy. You are impressed by the way students and teachers interact. Lesson objectives are posted on the whiteboard so that students know “what “ and “why” they are learning as they are experiencing the “how” of learning.
Everything at Treeside is focused on learning from incorporating drama and movement into a math lesson to the way a student is disciplined using the Love and Logic approach.
Dr. Johnson and his highly skilled faculty are dedicated to realizing the scenario above. We believe that high student achievement is the product of purposeful multi-sensory holistic pedagogy. In Waldorf terms, we do not have to sacrifice the “heart and hands” in order to develop the “head.” In fact, we believe the opposite. In order to be truly intelligent human beings, we must develop our understanding of the world and our place in it. We must also have the practical skills necessary to take action to, not only find purpose and meaning in our lives but to contribute to the lives of others.
Treeside will educate children to this purpose.
We ask you to join us on this journey.
Treeside Charter School's program of instruction is influenced by aspects of Waldorf Education in alignment with our community's needs.and does not claim to be an "official Waldorf public school."
Educating The Hands
Our Mission
Our mission is to deliver a developmentally driven whole-child, education to students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Students experience rich academic content delivered through the arts, music, movement, nature-based, and service learning. Through the use of our “head, heart, and hands” methodology, students emerge intellectually capable, self-confident, creative, free individuals who are able, of themselves, to impart purpose and direction to their lives.
An Artistic Developmental Approach To Learning
Fundamental to our approach is the insight that children learn differently at different stages of development. This means that how we present content is carefully chosen to work in harmony with the phases of the child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development thus giving children meaningful experiences at every age.
Main Lesson
The cornerstone of the day is the Main Lesson, an active and kinesthetic two-hour instructional period focusing on the core curriculum: math, language arts, science and humanities. Lessons are theme based and always include multiple objectives. Main lessons are cross-curricular: math is taught during a language arts lesson or science is integrated into history. This integration decreases the compartmentalization of information and increases understanding of how concepts connect.
We Use The Arts To Deliver Core Concepts
The arts, including storytelling, movement, music, poetry, drama, drawing, painting, modeling, reading, and writing are incorporated in every Main Lesson.
Students record and illustrate what they have learned in Main Lesson books. What begins as a blank journal becomes an individual record of experiences, observations and gained knowledge, along with hand-drawn illustrations, and written reflection of learned content. As a portfolio of work, a student’s Main Lesson books reflect key objectives and skills a student has learned, while also displaying the student’s inspiration.
Yoga - NAMASTE!
Students in grades 1-6 participate in a Yoga class once a week for 45 minutes. Yoga is about exploring and learning in a fun, safe and playful way. Yoga and kids are a perfect match. Here is what children (and adults!) can learn from yoga:
Yoga teaches us about our bodies.
When we practice the physical postures or exercises, we learn how to move more freely and with greater ease and awareness. These postures help our bodies become strong and flexible.Yoga teaches us how to breathe better.
When we breathe deeply and fully and become more aware, we can bring peacefulness or energy to our bodies.Yoga teaches us how to use our energy more effectively.
When we practice yoga, we learn how to use the energy in our bodies to feel more relaxed, focused, or motivated.Yoga teaches us how to quiet the mind.
When we practice yoga, we learn how to be still. This helps us to listen with attention and make good decisions.Yoga teaches us about balance.
When we practice yoga, we learn to be more aware about the need for balance in our lives. This could mean equal stretching on the left and right sides of our bodies or making sure we balance our very busy time with equal quiet time and relaxation.Yoga teaches us to be the “boss” of our bodies.
Yoga teaches us to listen to our bodies by modifying or changing poses that are too hard or cause pain.Yoga teaches us about taking care of ourselves.
Yoga is a great way to move our bodies and feel healthy. And teaching children how to take care of themselves is one way to show love. As with all forms of exercise, a good yoga practice can mean a good night’s sleep!
The beauty of yoga is that children can practice alone, with a friend or with a group. Many schools are now teaching yoga to young children, and there are many choices of after-school or weekend classes for kids and their families. Everyone can enjoy yoga – from tots to great-grandparents!
Professional organizations that focus on children also support the idea behind yoga. For example, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and The National Association of the Education for Young Children (NAEYC) recommend that children should participate in activities that support the development of the whole child. This is exactly what yoga is about!