These ideas are biased toward an elementary setting, but they could easily be applied in upper years:
- A Socratic method used in most/all classes.
- All classes multi-age and ability linked. If students are several years accelerated in a subject, they can opt to take a sabbatical from standard coursework and pursue special interest topics or projects, or they can pursue dual enrollment.
- All classes taught by subject experts, not necessarily teachers.
- Students given personalized learning plans with individual-specific goals that are actually meaningful to the child's interests and development.
- The school would have an extensive library and online periodical database on site, with a functional computer lab.
- The school would have a rest space (ideally, a conservatory full of beautiful plants) with comfortable cots and couches. Any student would have the right to take a nap or read quietly as needed, even during class time, provided they are keeping up in course work.
- Several breaks during the day for movement and refreshment, including a long lunch/recess (90 minutes) with a beautiful outdoor patio/solarium dining room.
- A full service instructional kitchen where children could learn proper cooking technique. A small school community garden/greenhouse would be a terrific complement to both culinary instruction and biology.
- Classes, particularly art and literature, held outside whenever the weather is nice. (I have such lovely memories of reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream" outside one May in the shade of some gorgeous trees. It was terrific!)
- Multiple language options, without being limited to just taking a second language or modern languages.
- Unconventional classes, depending on student interest: robotics, public speaking, rhetoric, programming, entrepreneurship, separate science classes from an early age rather than one amorphous "science" class, creative writing, music composition, architecture
- A well equipped music class with high quality instruments that students can borrow
- A maker studio, where students could carry out more complex projects, even auto mechanics projects or building a chopper!
