Leonardo Da Vinci has been widely regarded as the greatest genius of all time. His fearless approach to learning has contributed to many of the greatest discoveries of mankind. Using these Da Vinci pillars will enable students to not only identify problems but to solve them as well.
VISION
The Da Vinci Academy incorporates the following principles which Da Vinci used throughout his life to discover and innovate:
- Curiosita (insatiable curiosity)
- Dimostrazione (ability to persevere in the face of failure)
- Senzasione (continual refinement of the senses)
- Sfumato (willingness to accept ambiguity)
- Arte/Scienza (ability to integrate art and science)
- Corporalita (continual refinement of physical grace and fitness)
- Connessione (recognition and appreciation of the interconnectedness of all things)
We do this by integrating the arts throughout the curriculum, providing a rigorous, individualized curriculum and challenging the students with individual and group work.
PERSONALIZED LEARNING
How Do We Personalize Learning?
Students are given the opportunity to engage in their interests and create projects to demonstrate their understanding. Students learn a variety of techniques in order to understand, analyze and synthesize new knowledge. The Power Tools were designed using time-tested techniques and process which help students choose the tool that will best help them learn new material.
Why Personalize Learning?
Students who are engaged in their learning will love learning for life!
Goal Setting
Students track their progress using Springs Charter’s key skills.
A Day At Da Vinci Bear River
The learners at Bear River Student Center are taught with lessons of high rigor, incorporating relevance and personalization. Our teachers have specific learning targets for each lesson, where they unpack the standard with students, utilizing both whole group and small group strategies, collaboration, and personalization, allowing students to learn according to their modalities, while also enhancing those modalities that might be somewhat weaker. Knowing their learning strengths and weaknesses is a key part of personalization and a foundational aspect of our educational approach.
Subjects are taught in large blocks of time for language arts and mathematics to ensure mastery and understanding. Lessons are individualized according to informal and formal assessments, utilizing both formative and summative assessment practices. Wednesday is our club day with activities designed to make the curriculum come alive such as dramatic arts, visual arts, physical education, Raspberry Pi (coding), computer keyboarding, Lego League (robotics), and leadership classes.
The Community is our Classroom
Character Education is very important to us at Bear River Student Center, and we encourage our learners to be global, positive students. In addition to our Da Vinci pillars: curiosity, demonstration, refinement of senses, understanding of ambiguity in all things, art & science integration, the refinement of the body, and appreciating the interconnectedness of all things, we also utilize Move the World.org with the student daily, learning valuable insights into team building, collaboration, kindness, respect, and responsibility.
Part of the global exploration, we offer numerous field trips throughout the year, getting the students and our families outside of the school walls to see and feel new experiences, enhancing their education in exciting ways.
The community is an important aspect to all academies in Springs Charter Schools, and we will continue to offer new and innovative ways to instill community involvement in our students.
