ALPHA BASICS SUMMER 2017
COURAGE IN EDUCATION
4th Grade
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OverviewA typical Alpha Junior class begins with a short lecture on a text that students read prior to class, it continues with an extended discussion on the meaning of the text, and ends with a consideration of how it applies to students' lives. All this is led by a trained mentor: someone who models the clear thinking and emotional maturity that we foster in our students. Each class ends with an essay question that prompts students to respond to the text and the discussion. It's a tested model that helps students love learning and take ownership of their education.
Students need to become more than just proficient test-takers; they need to become people who can think. In addition to feeding students knowledge, educators must also give them the skills they need to acquire it on their own and understand its significance. Once our students have these tools, they naturally become free citizens, capable of innovation and leadership in any endeavor. this goal is at the heart of the classical approach to education. At Alpha Junior, we believe that critical thinking and eloquent writing are best gained by reading, discussing, and writing about Great Books. By doing so, our students are formed in soul, heart, and mind for intellectual and moral goodness. In addition to gaining the skills they need to advance their education, they become people who are full of wonder, people who love everything that is genuinely good, true, and beautiful. 5th Grade
The Hero's Journey In the transitionary phase between childhood and youthful adolescence, 5th grade students often have the luxury of worrying only about certain subjects in school. However, we here at Alpha know the importance of balancing many other roles, as students, siblings, children, and young adults. To help them find their places in the larger context of their families, their schools, and their communities, we will examine The Hero's Journey - a pattern found in all the world's great myths and stories - focusing on themes of sacrifice, adventure, and service. |
6th Grade
Where Naivety Ends and Maturity Begins
Transitioning into a new environment can often be a difficult process for a child. However, it is a universal truth that only when we feel uncomfortable, can we truly grow into better individuals. Students can often feel very alone and aloof from their classmates during this period of time. Our curriculum offers a close bond between our students and a sense of community in order to give your child a family to call their own outside of home. Teaching your children how to distinguish between truth and falsehood is an essential, a difficult task for children of this age. To address this need, ALPHA fosters a love of the truth and gives students the ability to differentiate a valid logical argument from an invalid one. With the introduction of classics such as The Iliad, Plato's Meno, and The Wind in the Willows, we acquaint students to the basics of Socratic discussion and logical reasoning. By the end of this course, your student will be able to grasp the fundamentals of logical thought as well as cultivate their wisdom from a variety of educational sources.
What |
Students will attend class for 2 hours each day, Monday through Thursday to read, discuss, learn, and write about the great works of Plato, Confucius, and selections from the work of C.S. Lewis and Dorthy Sayers.
Our theme for this summer's course: Courage in Education. |
Writing Curriculum
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We will be using Susan Wise Bauer's Writing with Skill (Level 2). |
Where & When
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Alpha Rowland Heights
19271 Colima Road F&G Rowland Heights, CA 91789 Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-3:30pm June 19th - August 11th Alpha Fullerton
1500 North Gilbert Street Fullerton, CA 92833 Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-3:30pm June 19th - August 11th |
Call Now &
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Rowland Heights Location : (626) 965-3996
Fullerton Location: (714) 562-9102 |
