ACADEMICS
Sequoia Conservatory balances the State of California curriculum requirements with an individualized programming approach, incorporating student interests, needs, and passions into their daily lesson plans. With our team of educational consultants, including credentialed teachers, university professors, child psychologists, and developmental and educational specialists, each student's curriculum is designed and monitored with data-based precision. Our full-time instructors are developmental and behavioral specialists, with extensive experience and training in teaching neurodiverse students from a multi-disciplinary paradigm. Allied professionals (Speech, Occupational Therapy, and Licensed Mental Health therapists) are also present in the classroom, as needed. Our part-time instructors are area specialists ranging in focus from Physical Education and Wellness to Scratch Coding to Culinary Science.
Each student's journey at Sequoia begins with a standardized academic achievement test, or equivalent, for students with needs which would make standardized testing invalid. This allows our educational teams to know where we are beginning, so they can collaborate with parents and students to map the best Pathway for each child's learning journey. This Pathway incorporates academic goals, along with personal development and passion goals to ensure a high level of student engagement.
A combination of small group, individual, and whole group learning settings are employed, with flexible implementation to meet the needs of each student. Instructors have a hands-on participatory approach, engaging students in active experimentation and application of concepts. By minimizing wait time, down time, and "busy work," our instructors can move students through basic material quickly, allowing increased time for applied and meaningful project-based learning. Also--Sequoia students do not participate in "homework" in the traditional sense. While review or study practice might be assigned, or work on an ongoing project, there are no packets, "busy work," or unnecessary assignments provided. Sequoia encourages families to spend the time that would normally be spent on homework engaging in activities that support child interest areas or encourage positive family relationiships. We think game night would be a much better use of your time than 50 addition problems!
Regular skills testing and learning reviews are conducted to ensure student progress at regular intervals throughout the year. Students are involved in the creation and monitoring of their own goals, as well as the group goals of the community, which encourages active participation, feedback, and ownership of results. Students also participate in regular Showcases, where they share their learning achievements visually, verbally, and/or through shared activity experience with the Sequoia community.