Our academic environment is designed to be learner focused. We don’t believe that all students need to look the same – each learner is unique. Our endeavor is to ensure that core knowledge exists and that we allow for individualization of learning. Part of the concept behind Propeller Academy is to foster wonder, discovery and passion about the world students’ encounter by creating irresistible learning environments. We believe that a core skill that must be integrated is human communication skills – which is a vital component in determining a persons effectiveness in the long term.
Propeller Academy believes that a student must have a central understanding of who God is and who he created each person to be. By connecting learning to scripture and adding the one-to-one global initiative, we believe that students will come to understand their influence to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
Respect – We desire to foster an environment of mutual respect towards parents, adults, students, and friends. Listening to “hear and understand” is a skill that is learned, and is a component of building trust and respect. Respect is earned, and is not dependent on a role or title.
Responsibility – We stress the importance of student ownership for their life and learning experience. There is a push and pull to our culture between teachers, advisors and students. However, our goal is to never be authoritarian, dictating or punishing, but rather, problem solving and mediatory.
Relationship – We seek to show Christ to the world in the ways that we interact with each person we come in contact with. Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community relationship skills will be developed together.
Relevance – We desire to educate our students through a Biblical worldview and engage relevantly to the culture around us. Project learning, exhibitions, and presentations are to reflect theor creative ability to relate to their world with relevant application, understanding and methods.
Rigor – Our spiritual, intellectual, social and physical environment are rigorous. We believe in personalizing education and doing what is right for each student. Our goal is not to frustrate students, but rather effectively challenge them to engage with excellence and persistence. Placements in math and language arts are done by skill mastery – not by age. Some skills in life are not learned at the same “age pace”. No worries. We believe it is more important for each unique learner to master a skill and understand it, than frustrate students later.
Results – Overall, Propeller Academy’s job is to know each student well and to provide the right measures of challenge and support for each student in order to promote growth. The result is a student-centered learning design, where teachers and students are actively engaged and invested into learning, and are given freedom to pursue things that interest them. As part of this process, teachers and advisors authentically measure the quality of each students work – just like the real world.
To ensure accountability for results, each student is assigned an advisor, and in collaboration with parents, develop an individual learning plan (ILP) that is age and skill appropriate. ILP’s are reviewed as needed with feedback to continually monitor and adjust learning, spiritual and social goals for each student. At Propeller, progress reports include intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences, as well as track learning progress in core academic subjects. Standardized testing and grades are also used, but are interpreted within a bigger picture learning experience and framework.
Resiliency – Every individual faces challenges, difficulties and adversity throughout life. People refer to these seasons as storms. Sometimes storms cause a feeling of being “stuck”. At Propeller Academy, we believe that Christ desires each of us to overcome, be resilient, and thrive. We believe that the Propeller model is foundational for equipping students to move forward. Students who gain understanding, application and competency in the Propeller model normally increase in character, resiliency, and other human intelligences essential for living – therefore students will be equipped to meet the demands of life’s challenges.
Revolutionary Influence – We believe that students can change the world and are influential. Christ calls each of us to love and serve. When knowledge is applied, wisdom is gained, and revolutions of influence and change begin.