LEADERSHIP COMMONWEALTH SCHOOL
(Formerly Salem Commonwealth)
Junior Program (ages 0-11)
All parents are expected to be present and actively engaged with the children each week. If you have children ages 0-11, you will be asked to teach a portion of their day each week, or every other week, depending on enrollment. All of our Junior classes will be designed so as not to place a heavy burden on any one mom in its preparation. Part of Leadership Education is learning how to create quality experiences without excessive and unnecessary planning. Each class must end with a period of “debriefing” for the moms involved. During this debrief, moms discuss what worked and what didn't, what to drop and what to continue, and make simple plans for the following week. Precious time at home must be spent educating and inspiring ourselves and children, not over planning elaborate projects for the Commonwealth School. We are on a journey together, learning as we go. We invite parents to use their own genius and model their own passion for learning as they present inspiring classes. We want to tailor our Junior Program to both fit the needs of our families and follow the principles of Leadership Education. Please share your ideas!
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Core Phase (ages 0-7)
Nursery
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This is our provision for the care of little ones. This group has a simple consistent time together each week, with some brief structured time for reading stories, singing, and snack, and plenty of free play where adults engage with and rejoice with them over the discoveries of life. There will be a Lead for this class for at least one entire semester so that the children will have consistency. If our numbers are few, these children may tag along with the other Core Phase Kids.
Core Phase Class
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This class consists of structured time for certain activities, which may include “stations” to experience new things or play with constructive toys, story time and brief discussion, a group activity, art time, singing/music time, and plenty of free play time and anything else the parents are inspired to share with this group according to their individual needs. This group occasionally does some themed activities based on a story book, similar to the Five in a Row type approach. Overall themes will include teaching Joy (as suggested by Richard & Linda Eyre in their book, Teaching Your Children Joy) and the 4 Basic Skills of Self-Government, which are Following Instructions, Accepting No Answers, Accepting Consequences and Disagreeing Appropriately (based on teachingselfgovernment.com). We rely on intuitive mentoring skills to guide the class each week. Excessive at home preparation for this class is discouraged. Parents of Core Phase Children work together (partly over the summer and partly each week after class) to come up with plans that will best meet the needs of their children while preserving the spirit of freedom, curiosity, and joy in the classroom. Overarching goals include teaching Self-Government, Healthy Relationships, right and wrong, true and false, and the joy of stories and learning something new. The Leadership Keys of "Structure Time, not Content, Simplicity, not Complexity, and Inspire, not Require" are vital here.
Love of Learning (ages 8-11)
I Wonders Class​
This is a class where there is an opening that includes an invitation for children to call out all of the things that they “wonder” about. A list is made and emailed out for each family. Students are given incentive, but not required, to find the answer to an “I Wonder” Question and give a presentation the following week on it. After our new list for the week is made, students may give any presentations they have prepared. After that, the teacher presents a variety of topics from week to week. As topics are chosen for teaching, previous “I wonders” can be taken into account, as well as the mom's own “I wonder.” She uses her own genius to find answers and share them or to share something she is already passionate about. Teaching methods will rely on partner or small group work, stations, board process, hands-on projects, or skits. Topics can range across the board to just about anything, but will always include concrete experiences, and very little lecture. This class may also include occasional guest speakers. The idea here is to respond to or spark student interest.
Themed Classes or Projects
These vary from year to year and may include Charlotte Mason Style Nature Study, Picture Study, and Music Appreciation. Arts, handicrafts, gardening, clue-finders, unit studies, and just about anything that is hands-on, engaging, and inspiring for our young learners! Parents plan and tailor the semester's program to inspire their families and meet individual needs as much as possible.
Love of Learning Book Club / Transition to Scholar Class
As children approach Scholar Phase, they benefit from a class tailored to Inspiring them to begin striving toward Scholar Skills and Abilities, such as presenting, learning from classic books more deeply and discussing them, initiating projects to explore deeper study, and much more. This class uses the classes to facilitate this transition.
Scholar Projects (ages 12+)
Offerings vary from year to
year and may include:
Sword of Freedom Project
This class is a unit study of the Civil War period and covers history and writing. It is designed to draw the hearts of the students toward the Christlike attributes of the principled people who fought in the Civil War and to appreciate those who sacrificed to secure freedom. Students will study amazing heroes in history and come to realize that they can make a difference. Book discussions will include Uncle Tom's Cabin (Stowe) – summer reading to be completed by the second week of class, Across Five Aprils (Hunt), Abraham Lincoln (Gordy), and To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee). Class time will include learning by presentations, writing papers, and simulations including a Simulated Congressional Debate, complete with Parliamentary Procedure, as each student plays the role of a state representative from the North or South. A Civil War Battle simulation will also be part of the activities and to top it all off, students who complete all assignments will earn their very own Sword for display. Most importantly, truth, the Sword of Freedom with which they can fight today's battles, will be instilled in their hearts.
Key of Liberty
(to be offered in mornings 2018/19)
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This amazing project, as offered by LEMI, includes the study of the American Revolutionary War period, the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and other founding documents. Directed to 12- to 15-year-old Practice Scholars, this class offers an inspiring environment in which students are challenged to learn about many principles of government and read biographies of the founders. Books read during the year include
The Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang,
The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty or The Light and the Glory for Children by Peter Marshal,
John Adams: The Reluctant Patriot by Leonard Falkner
The Making of George Washington by William H. Wilbur,
The Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund
The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz
Fifty-Five Fathers by Selma R. Williams
We the People: The Making of the Constitution by Doris & Harold Faber
Georgics
This class will teach students about agriculture and how to garden and live off the land. It will include emergency preparedness.
Students will also
learn about
Principles of Providence,
Self Validation,
Mission,
Real-Estate Ownership, Community Stewardship & Interdependence,
Entrepreneurship
and more!
Summer Reading: Little Men
First Semester Books include
Little Men, The Long Winter, and Up From Slavery
Pyramid Project
This is a class that focuses on integrating all subjects of learning together, including science, math, philosophy, history and more. This is a whole new approach to math and science focused on a holistic method.
It includes the study of the subject of
Truth
Its structure - Logic
Its method - Habits of a Scientist
Its language - Math
Learn how to use Logic, Science and Math in order to get to the truth!
2nd semester is Pyramid Project Philosophy.
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Leadership Education & Me*
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This class will focus on building leadership skills for scholars, helping them evaluate their own personal lives, set goals, and get in tune with their personal genius. It will inspire them to begin thinking about what impact they may have in the world one day and what steps they will need to take to get there.
Course description:
Our perception of ourselves and our world limits or expands our ability to impact, to change, to enjoy, and to live. Attitude is a small thing that influences everything. In Leadership, students are taught how important attitude and perspective are. They learn what habits of thought and action influence attitude, and what perspectives impede or accelerate change and growth. Students also learn how humility and awareness shape our attitudes, and help us lead happier, more meaningful lives. We study important leaders who selected their attitudes and perspectives carefully and shaped the course of history and their own lives through purposeful, intentional choices. We also review important time management concepts that help us use our time effectively and enjoyably.
*This class was previously offered in 2015/16. Many of these principles will continue to be discussed throughout the year in 2016/17 during our weekly devotionals.
Hero
offering in Fall 2018
Hero is a study of WWII and the great heroes of that generation. Students are encouraged to connect with veterans and members of the generation who endured WWII. Reading, writing, and the lessons of history are the focus.
Shakespeare Conquest
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This is a Scholar Project as offered by Leadership Education Mentoring Institute. It is all about tackling what some consider to be one of the more challenging texts in classic literature. Students are inspired (not required) to be crowned King or Queen of the class by racing to see who will be the first to read, watch, or listen to 17 Shakespeare plays. By immersing themselves in it, they become comfortable with the language. An intense study of one play the first semester during class poses questions to the students to evaluate how they can apply the lessons of Shakespeare's characters to their own lives. There are several optional assignments, including presentations, writing, research, etc, that students need to pass off to earn a fun end of year trip. The second semester, students will put on one of Shakespeare's plays, and gain experience in the world of theater while continuing to study one play intensively, as was done in the first semester as well. You can read more about LEMI Scholar Projects at www.lemimentortraining.com.
Quest
Quest is a class designed for youth ages 14+ who are ready to submit to a mentor and really work toward getting a great education during their Scholar Phase. Youth are invited to take this class and must meet with a mentor first before enrolling to discuss the class and gain a full understanding of the greatness and work it will entail. Students are expected to hire their own writing coach, who will need to help them weekly with the papers they will be turning in to their mentor. Class study includes the study of the lives of great leaders in history and today. Discussion , writing, and leadership are the focus.