Daily Classroom
All classrooms have 1 technology device per scholar. These resources will allow for a personalized and responsive learning experience for scholars. Teachers are empowered to implement the school's values, grade-appropriate tasks and state standards into every lesson they create. All staff members share the belief that all scholars can learn at high levels, and Emerald Academy staff will do everything in their power to make this happen.
Calendar
Emerald Academy believes that time is a valuable resource. The more time scholars spend on learning tasks the better prepared they are for college. Maximizing teaching time at a young age allows for academic growth. It is for this reason Emerald Academy has a 186 day academic calendar, and each instructional day is 8 hours. This extra time allows Emerald Academy scholars who attend from K-8 to gain 1.5 years of additional instruction time.
Standards/Curriculum
Because Emerald Academy is a college-preparatory school, scholars take challenging courses, complete high-quality work promptly both at school and home, study for and perform well on exams, and receive excellent support from the school’s staff. The greatest effort from scholars, teachers and parents/guardians is necessary to reach this goal.
Emerald Academy’s curriculum is aligned to the Tennessee State Standards. Education “standards” define expectations for student learning by stating what scholars should know at the conclusion of a course of study. Standards define learning expectations. Standards do not dictate curriculum (i.e. textbooks and reading lists) or prescribe a method of instruction. The Tennessee State Standards are meant to “provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.” The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.
Instructional Practice
Instructional practice at Emerald Academy includes, but is not limited to:
Ongoing, informal assessment
Emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving
Individualized educational plans
Guided practice and spiraled review
Integrated language arts, science and social studies
Academic skills taught within context
Professional life skills and training
Active versus passive learning
Hands-on activities
Emphasis on independent functioning
Regular, formal assessment