ABOUT WILDFLOWER OPEN CLASSROOM

HOW IS WILDFLOWER OPEN CLASSROOM UNIQUE?

Parents (and children) can rightfully ask what makes Wildflower a good choice for them. The best way for them to answer that question is to take a tour to observe Wildflower education in action. From the time you walk into our open classrooms, which don’t have desks in rows, you’ll see that this school is different from most. Here’s why:

● Warm and welcoming open classrooms contain a large area for gathering and small workstations, allowing students to work alternately in large groups, small groups and individually.

● Classrooms include lots of places to sit comfortably: pillows, couches, easy chairs. Books for individual reading line the shelves. Art materials are available in abundance. Math and other games are easily accessed for learning and just plain fun.

● Classes are multi-grade, broadening social peer groups and encouraging individualized instruction where teachers focus on needs rather than grade level expectations.

● Our teachers are dedicated, well educated, and richly experienced people who work as a collaborative team to ensure that the Wildflower experience is integrated and coherent,from kindergarten through middle school. [Link to Staff]They don’t use “canned” curricula, workbooks, or commercial texts that presume to prescribe what children should learn.

● Teachers use an Integrated Thematic Curriculum approach [link to FAQ[, organizing learning around themes that incorporate all academic areas, so reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and art mesh in a learn-by-doing environment.

● The open classroom, thematic approach is enhanced with laptops, iPads, and high-speed internet, increasing academic resources and access to educational information. (All technology is filtered and monitored for student safety and security)

● Parents and community members are able to assist in the classroom so that students receive more individualized attention. You can be deeply engaged in your child’s education as your time and inclination permit. [Link to volunteer page]

● Our open classroom, individualized approach allows us to educate the “whole child,” [link to FAQ] addressing the academic, social, emotional, creative, aesthetic and physical growth and developmental needs of each student, one-by-one, day-to-day

● Wildflower staff also includes a reading specialist and a counselor to provide special attention available to all students.

● All actions and decisions made by the Wildflower community are guided by eight core principles: collaboration, community, stewardship, joy and adventure in learning, integrity, personal responsibility, being respectful, and positive and honest communication. Please take time to explore our carefully conceived philosophy [Link to philosophy docs.]

Taken both separately and collectively, these features define a school that is unique, and as a public charter school, we have the flexibility to retain and enhance these features day-by-day, year by year, treating every student as a unique human being while drawing on a ten-year track record of highly successful education.