The Pathlight Preparatory middle school and high school (secondary school) curricula is a reflection of how students learn and can effectively apply what they have learned in their surrounding communities.

Engaging students in real-world experiences inside and outside of the classroom is an effective method of assisting students in the retention and application of knowledge.  Courses are activated collaboratively by our experienced academic instructors, and further processed, refined and approved by our Curriculum Committee. 

Our curriculumn efforts are informed by:
 

1. current research in cognitive and adolescent development,

2. deep understanding of the essential content and ways of thinking in each academic discipline, and

3. working knowledge of our students.

At Pathlight Preparatory we begin from the following assumptions:
 

Students learn effectively when they contribute and commit on their prior knowledge.
 

• Instructors and students use their existing knowledge as a foundation for new learning.

• Students reinforce new knowledge by making connections to previous coursework, their personal lives, and different academic disciplines.

• Class content and activities intentionally increase in complexity as students encounter new contexts and more sophisticated thinking at each grade level.
   

Students retain content and knowledge effectively when it is experienced in meaningful ways.
 

• Students pursue answers to questions worth asking and are provided opportunities to discover knowledge for themselves.

• Instructors leverage the personalized methods of critical and creative thinking specific to each academic discipline (English, Social Science, Math, Science, Technology, Physical Education, Spanish) to organize course material and student activities.

• Instructors continuously ask the question: What are students actively learning? as they design hands-on, experiential activities.
   

Students invest in their learning when they exercise choice and pursue personal interests in both assignments and course selection.
 

• Where it makes sense, students are encouraged to find the best mediums to evidence what they know.

• Students make course choices from a wide array of offerings including: seminars, independent study, fine and performing arts electives, and interdisciplinary options.
   

Students learn most deeply when they are self-aware, metacognitive and reflective.

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• Students learn to leverage their strengths to bolster their personal and academic growth.

• Instructors model how they think about their thinking in the classroom.

• Students engage multiple opportunities to explore their own thought processes and become more effective and strategic thinkers.

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Click Below to View Pathlight Preparatory Course Description Guide(s)

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