Some of What Makes Us Unique

Vine Academy is a special place for students and teachers for many reasons. Here are just a few of the things that cause our school to stand out from the crowd:

Teacher-led Customization

Every student works at his or her own pace, and our teachers are able to customize each class to fit each student. When a student masters a skill, it’s time to move on to the next level of challenge; when a student struggles with a skill, they are given the time and instruction needed to master it before moving on.

Learning is Fun

We believe that if learning is structured correctly it can be genuinely fun on its own! Students are much more likely to enjoy learning when the curriculum is tailored to suit their individual interests and skill levels. When a student is asked to focus on something that’s challenging enough to be interesting, but never so challenging that it becomes overwhelming, he finds himself in the zone of proximal development: a place that facilitates enjoyable, exciting learning.

Hierarchical Curriculum  

We carefully structure each class so that new knowledge builds upon previous knowledge while new skills develop organically from prior skills. By paying attention to the order in which information is presented and new skills are introduced, we enable students to integrate new knowledge with what they’ve already learned, thereby gaining a deeper understanding rooted in solid foundations. Our hierarchical approach ensures that we address each student at his or her own level, presenting new concepts, information, and skills only when the student is ready to understand them.

Passion & Curiosity

We believe that students should be allowed and encouraged to pursue their own interests during school. To foster passion and curiosity in our students, we devote two periods each day for project-based learning. During this time, students take on intensive, graded projects in areas of their interest. Students learn key executive functioning skills such as managing time and working toward larger goals, while enjoying freedom within an overarching structure to create projects that they love.

Ownership

We believe that students should have ownership over their learning. Teachers are in charge of structuring learning and challenging students, but students must also take ownership of their learning and school.  From setting goals to decorating classrooms to planning field trips, any opportunity that arises in which students can take ownership is embraced. We want our students to be invested in their own success, both at our school and beyond.