Our Approach
Guide each child to flourish.
Enable young learners to safely explore and understand the world around them and how they can make it better.
The Forest School at Trilith is a 21st century micro-school—grades preK-12—with learner-driven technology, Socratic discussions, hands-on projects, and real-world apprenticeships in an intentionally diverse and character-forging community.
Design principles:
The following will shape every experience at The Forest School:
Inspiring to all participants
Deeply personalized and self-directed learning
Enthusiastically diverse and relationship-centered environments
Unambiguously rigorous, relevant, and mastery-based work products
Our promises to your child:
He or she will...
Begin a Hero's Journey.
Learn to be curious, become an independent learner, and love lifelong learning.
Discover his or her most precious gifts, along with the dedication it takes to develop real talent.
Understand the importance of strong character.
Cherish the arts, wonders of the physical world, & the mystery of life.
Treasure economic, political, & religious freedom.
Our core beliefs:
1. We believe each child has a gift that can change the world in a profound way.
2. We believe in a closely connected family of lifelong learners.
3. We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.
4. We believe in economic, political, and religious freedom.
Our Methods of Learning:
SOCRATIC GUIDING
Socratic Discussions and self-paced challenges equip children to be independent lifelong learners.
E-LEARNING
Educational technology used in a purposeful, meaningful way allows students to learn at their own level and pace.
HANDS-ON + QUEST-BASED LEARNING
Hands-on Quests for the arts, entrepreneurship, and science prepare children for Apprenticeships and real world challenges.
STUDENT-DRIVEN LEARNING
A democratic environment of empowered learners, children have choice and voice in the learning process.
What sets us apart:
1. We have Socratic Guides not teachers
2. We have mixed-age Studios not classrooms
3. We have Portfolios + Exhibitions not grades
4. We have Contracts and Covenants not rules
5. We ask questions not lecture
6. No homework!
7. Hands-on + E-learning
8. Students learn at their own pace
9. Travel is encouraged
10. Apprenticeships begin in middle school
the learner experience:
At The Forest School, children are trusted and empowered to be responsible for their own learning, and to use their learning to change the world. Our learner-driven community puts children at the center of their learning, allowing them to create and maintain personal goals, relational covenants, and real world meaningful work. Every student is empowered to flourish in both mind and character as they come to know their identity and place in the world.
Learners at The Forest School learn together in mixed-age classrooms, bringing the classic one-room schoolhouse into the modern age. Kids learn to mentor and be mentored by one another. Guides—our term for teachers—are not lecturers, but facilitators of student growth. Learners and parents track learner growth on an online dashboard updated daily.
