Educational Philosophies
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Place Based Learning
Place-based, Project-based learning utilizes an interdisciplinary approach from a lens of a local to global approach where curriculum is based on what is happening here and now that then builds outward. This approach brings the community into the classroom and the classroom into the community as students focus on local topics. All core subjects are interwoven in projects, an emphasis on an inquiry-based approach allows students to drive the project with their curiosities and an emphasis on design thinking provides structure to problem solving.
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Personalized Learning
Personalized Learning puts the student at the center of their learning both in their academics and interests. A competency-based approach allows students to advance upon mastery at their own learning pace and for teachers to meet students at their level. Students' interest and learning needs are incorporated in their daily work with specific time set aside each week for student-led projects called Personal Projects.
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Character & Leadership
Character & Leadership includes social-emotional, leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, elements that are weighted in student development since the whole child matters. Encouraging students to be adaptable and competent for any challenges and any future is an important aspect of MCS curriculum. These skills are built into our Profile of a Graduate, which are reported on, along with academic grades, on report cards.
Curriculum is based in our place
Place-based education is relevant, engaging, and made to stick. The purpose is to bring the local community into the classroom and the classroom out into the community. This encourages student engagement, increases retention of material, broadens student perspectives and experiences, and builds student confidence that they can make a difference.
By starting with the individual student and their interests and backgrounds, we then build on what is happening around us in an ever growing circle outwards. This focus of starting where we are at here and now engages the student in what they know and can touch.
Project-based learning starts with a question or issue. Students express their interests, concerns, or curiosities to help drive the essential question of a project. Local fires lead to project on fire ecology. Snow on the ground leads to a project on motion and forces. A love for animals leads to a dive into habitats and local flora and fauna. By starting with student’s interest and moving towards an end in mind, students become the stewards and problem solvers, inspiring them to develop critical thinking skills and understand the impact they can have in their community.
A project-based, place-based approach to learning unifies all core subjects into a meaningful way for students to develop important skills while gaining academic skills, setting them up to tackle any future challenges or career paths.
Meet Students Where They Are to Optimize Learning
Two cornerstones of the Mountain Community School model are concerned with the student as an individual: personalized learning, and mastery-based assessments.
You are all individuals….
Personalized learning starts and ends with the student in mind - their strengths, areas of growth, interests, and their background. We embed student interest in both the Personal Projects and Community Projects. They have voice and choice in many aspects of their learning from what they are interested in studying for their Personal Projects to how they want to demonstrate mastery of a concept in their Community Project.
We celebrate each student for who they are, where they are, and encourage them to keep growing and learning from whatever starting place they are at. This is also to say that we believe in a mastery based approach to learning. If a student demonstrates mastery of skills or concepts then they can move on to the next level, even if it’s beyond their grade level. Similarly, if they aren’t ready yet, we will meet them at their level to help them keep growing.
Profile of a Graduate
In our ever changing world, ensuring students have mastered core concepts in curriculum is no longer enough to help them on their future career paths. At MCS we strongly believe in developing character and leadership skills that will help students tackle any challenge for any future ahead. Through team-building challenges, daily classroom activities, and through project work, students begin to develop a sense of self-awareness and growth mind-set. By focusing on their perseverance, communication and collaboration skills, and ability to problem solve and think critically, students can adjust to our dynamic world, ready to thrive in any environment. These skills will be reported on with equal importance and regularity as academic skills on report cards and parent contact. We aim to help every student develop skills and confidence in the following traits before they graduate from MCS.