Curricula

The School of Choice prepares students for admission to great American universities. We provide a challenging curriculum in a diverse, intellectual stimulating, nurturing environment that fosters ability, perseverance, and creativity. Parents can compare our curriculum and goals charted on the back cover, with public school curriculum outlined in the appendix. We believe that opportunity, diversity and a developmental approach along with high standards yield exceptional results. Students of all abilities and stages of development can achieve these goals, while maintaining a reasonable balance with recreation, family and social life.

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E.D. Hirsch, author of What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know, locates the foundation for academic success in "a body of widely-used knowledge taken for granted by competent writers and speakers." The School of Choice gives students a "classical" or "liberal" education -- education rigorous in its linguistic demands and comprehensive in its approach to human endeavor. We will teach from original texts when others use dry textbooks; we discipline our children to language with Latin; we use Socratic discussion techniques to elicit opinions that may help students to hone their value systems. Our classical approach to education gives children both knowledge of useful facts for future careers and creativity gleaned from the greatest books and ideas: the sources of human truth, wisdom and beauty.

We teach a classical curriculum using project-oriented methods similar to those described by Maria Montessori. Our grammar stage students (roughly grades four to eight) master the linguistic and quantitative rules that integrate knowledge in each field. We give them as much choice and responsibility as they can handle to do projects that teach them these rules. High school students in the "rhetoric stage" of the trivium polish their skills and expand their knowledge until, in the "quadrivium" stage they are capable of specialization at high levels. Even our AP classes allow as much project-based work as is compatible with passing standardized tests. We think these skills, exercised with this freedom, will help students love learning for life.

Parents undoubtedly will want students like these to attend outstanding universities. Beyond meeting minimal state curricular standards, the School of Choice must pursue curricula adequate to maintain its WASC accreditation; and we must prepare students to pass the gates of SAT and SAT II. Our enhanced and accelerated curriculum enables students to take college level (AP) classes by the ninth and tenth grades. When playing games and socializing become more important than pursuing intellectual excellence, students will fail to prepare themselves for adult problems. Working in small classes in the friendly atmosphere of a small school, expert teachers can teach core curricula to the highest standards. Regular testing challenges students while our friendly staff offers after-school assistance regularly. The School of Choice curriculum includes stimulating educational field trips to see theatre, music, art and science events and also encouragement and support for community service projects which develop students' awareness of world affairs and their leadership abilities.

Many of our students wish to attend one of the University of California's excellent campuses. This means that we meet the so-called A to G requirements, which both the University of California and the School of Choice view as the minimal standards necessary for college entrance. The University of California believes that college freshmen who have met these standards can participate in their classes, majors and programs, and that they have gained critical thinking skills, study habits and knowledge adequate to: "provide breadth and perspective to new, more advanced studies" The University of California then summarizes its requirements as follows:

  1. History/Social Science: Two years required, including one year of world history, cultures, and geography and one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government.
  2. English: Four years of college preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern literature.
  3. Mathematics: Three years of college preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry.
  4. Laboratory Science: Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of these three disciplines: biology, chemistry, and physics.
  5. Language Other Than English: Two years of the same language other than English.
  6. Visual & Performing Arts: One year, including dance, drama/theater, music, or visual art.
  7. College Preparatory Elective: In addition to those courses required in "a-f" above, one year (two semesters) of college preparatory electives are required, chosen from advanced visual and performing arts, history, social science, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, and language other than English.

The School of Choice expects its graduating students to exceed these standards in the following areas:

  • Students must take three years of history instead of two.
  • Students must take three years of science instead of two.

We do not copy standards directly from any institution because we believe that private schools must set standards superior to those of their neighbors if they are to make any difference. We expect all students gifted in an area to take AP classes in that area with hopes that our high school will gain a reputation as an AP-based school differentiated to accommodate students with varying abilities but geared to teaching on the college level.

The School of Choice provides students with a multi-tiered curriculum that rewards them for their efforts. Students who follow this curriculum successfully will save time for themselves and money for their parents. They can become AP scholars, who may enter their college of choice as sophomores -- a year ahead of their peers! After-school and early-morning homework monitoring and assistance are available as needed to give students extra help. The School of Choice exists to touch and improve the lives of our students.


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