Our
Approach
Opportunity That Grows Through a Classical Education
At Leman Academy of Excellence, we believe that a quality, classical education expands the opportunities for each young person and is vital to the success of the entire community. A classical education turns to history to help a child gain a greater understanding of the world around them.
We believe that there is no greater way for your child to achieve success than to gain knowledge, build character and develop strong values. These core beliefs guide our course of study in our grade K-8 programs as well as in our preschool classrooms.
Merging Dr. Leman’s Philosophies with the Classical Education Model
Our classic curriculum is based on the life work of our founder, Dr. Kevin Leman, and includes strong influences from English educator, Charlotte Mason (1842-1923). Dr. Leman believes that a parent-teacher partnership is essential to academic learning and to bring out the inherent uniqueness and gifts of your child. While he advocates a rigorous academic curriculum, Dr. Leman believes that lessons must be taught with encouragement and an approach that makes learning fun.
So many of these values are taught through classical education which is based on a three-pronged approach called the Trivium. The Trivium focuses on the three foundational academic categories: grammar, rhetoric, and logic. These correspond to the three stages of a developing child. We believe that these methods are beneficial to your scholar’s understanding of the world today, and that a look back at history will prepare your child for future opportunities and challenges.
Our Teaching Methods
We work with your children at a comfortable pace to bring what we’re teaching to life and allow your scholars to welcome the learning in a natural way.
We implement the following proven teaching methods:
Being a Role Model
The Direct Instruction Teaching Model encourages teachers to model the concept they want to teach by living the learning process. They guide scholars as they begin to apply what they’ve learned and repeat the practice until scholars embrace the concept as their own.
The Joy of Discovery
Structured-Discovery Learning subtly makes discovery a structured activity that challenges scholars to unearth something new, transferring the learning initiative to them. The method increases retention and promotes higher-level- and- critical-thinking.
Asking Questions
By continually asking questions, our teachers are modeling the need to dig deep to find answers and also nurturing your scholar’s delight in a subject. This is the Socratic Teaching Method at work in our classrooms today.
Living the Learning: Charlotte Mason Methods
We integrate the simplicity of Charlotte Mason’s methods, using everyday circumstances to teach lessons that cover every aspect of your scholar’s life. This method teaches academics and goes beyond to imbue values and influence character.
The following four methods advocated by Miss Mason are essential to our educational program:
Copybook
Scholars write about what they’ve learned in class to help retention and connect what they’ve learned in one subject to another. We use this in conjunction with the historical period we are studying at a given time.
Living Books
Scholars read literature appropriate for their age level. Typically, a book is written by one author who is impassioned by their subject.
Narration
We ask scholars to repeat in their own words what they just saw, heard, or read.