Competent Private Instruction (CPI) School
Prairie Green School will provide competent private instruction by state-certified Iowa teachers. The school will follow the requirements of home schooling through the Iowa Department of Education guidelines.
CPI Handbook
CPI Handbook
Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies
Prairie Green teachers understand and acknowledge that every child is unique. Each student has his or her own likes and dislikes. They come from varying backgrounds, have different life experiences and most importantly, they each learn differently. Therefore, the teacher's goal when working with students is to continuously assess each student's readiness and learning style. Students at Prairie Green School will learn without fear. The small class size at Prairie Green School will set it apart. This school is not a large institution in which students need to progress at a certain pace to get through the desired curriculum. Students will learn at their own pace and will be presented the material in a variety of ways which are both rigorous and relevant. The focus on small group learning and one-on-one instruction will allow the teachers to intimately know each student's academic abilities. This student-centered environment will foster each child's innate love for learning and build confidence as opposed to create apprehension. This positive attitude toward learning will equip students with the skills needed to succeed at the next level.
To maximize student achievement, Prairie Green School will purchase curriculum from a variety of sources. This will allow the teachers to use the most effective methods for each student. Below are some examples of curriculum resources often used by the homeschooling community. There will also be a focus on learning to use free credible resources from websites, local agencies, and written books.
To maximize student achievement, Prairie Green School will purchase curriculum from a variety of sources. This will allow the teachers to use the most effective methods for each student. Below are some examples of curriculum resources often used by the homeschooling community. There will also be a focus on learning to use free credible resources from websites, local agencies, and written books.
Forest Fridays
Each Friday PGS spends the entire day outside learning from our environment. We fill our day with unstructured play, teachable moments arising from the natural world and a designed curriculum. Students guide the morning with their interests. One Friday morning they were gathering nesting materials for their bird family units. Other days they are making natural potions to heal the wounded. Once their interest fades a hike starts as we keep our our eyes and ears open for anything exciting. Journaling is a strong focus with each Forest Friday. The students are becoming naturalist through their observations, patience and sense of wonder. Their science journals are filled with their experiences and learnings throughout the year. Curriculum topics have been watersheds, birds and migration, wetland service project and surprise lessons with Lon Drake. |
How does a one-room classroom work?
Each student has their own "to-do" list each day of the week. Some weeks everyone is working on the same curriculum while other weeks the "to-do" list vary with each student. Students choose which order to get things done and mark them off as they complete their work. This requires each student to be self motivated. In addition, students develop independence.