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How We Teach

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A teacher and a young boy are working together at a table in a classroom. The boy, holding a pencil and wearing a "Touchstone Academy" sweatshirt, looks focused on the task, while the teacher writes in a notebook, guiding him. The background features colorful art projects, books, and educational materials, creating a creative and engaging learning environment.
 An illustration featuring red icons with a transparent background, including a speech bubble with an exclamation mark, a speech bubble with a question mark, a magnifying glass, and a light bulb, representing communication, inquiry, discovery, and ideas.
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Individualized 

Touchstone has high academic expectations of every student. Our approach stems from the belief that authentic learning happens when children are treated as individuals possessing their own strengths, areas of growth, and learning styles. Teachers meet with each student one-on-one to assess their understanding of concepts being taught in class, and to further challenge students at their individual level. Touchstone’s teachers know their students well and ensure every student is always making progress with appropriately challenging instruction and learning.

A young boy wearing glasses and a gray hoodie smiles while working at a science station in a classroom. He is using a digital microscope, with a monitor displaying magnified images, and next to him is a rack of test tubes containing yellow liquid. The background features shelves with books, school supplies, and a world map, creating a bright and organized learning environment.
This curious
learner wonders:
What is the effect
of molecular
structures
on solubility?
 A teacher leans over a wooden table, smiling and engaging with a group of children who are playing with colorful building sticks and materials. The classroom is bright and organized, with shelves, a world map, and framed art on the walls. The children appear focused and happy, working collaboratively on creative projects.
 Three children sit around a table in a classroom, engaged in an activity. One girl, wearing glasses and a colorful sweater, raises her arms in excitement and celebration. The other two children, a boy in a basketball-themed sweatshirt and another in a green hoodie, smile and react with enthusiasm. A plastic bottle filled with colorful beads sits on the table, and the background features shelves with classroom supplies.

Class Size & Composition

Touchstone students thrive in small multi-age learning environments of 12-16 students. Our teachers are experienced and highly skilled in planning and teaching multi-age groupings. We know our students well—their needs are noticed and addressed, and their strengths are recognized and built on. 


Class composition is more than class size. Careful attention is paid to the range of abilities in a class to ensure all of the students’ needs can be met.

A group of smiling children posing together in a cheerful
The image depicts a group of children engaged in reading. They are sitting comfortably on a green couch in a cozy and inviting classroom setting. Each child is deeply focused on their book, suggesting a love for reading and learning. The bookshelf in the background is neatly organized with colorful books and materials, adding warmth and creativity to the space. The children’s expressions convey concentration and enjoyment.
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A group of children seated in a row, with one child gently touching a hedgehog being held by an adult. The children appear curious and focused on the interaction, creating a calm and engaging educational moment. The background is simple and white, emphasizing the hands-on experience.
Hedgehog
Three students wearing Touchstone Academy athletic shirts stand outdoors with arms around each other, smiling.
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 Three young girls smiling and hugging while standing on a forest trail. They are dressed casually, with vibrant expressions of joy and friendship. The background features a dense forest with trees and moss, creating a serene and natural outdoor setting..jpg
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Experiential Learning

Field trips, community excursions, and guest speakers are integral to a Touchstone education. To us, these experiences are so important they are part of our curriculum. Touchstone students go on at least one field trip a month, and guest speakers regularly visit the school. We recognize learning goes far beyond the school walls. Our students love getting out into the community and learning from others.

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The reason most kids don’t like school is not that the work is too hard, but that it is utterly boring. -Seymour Papert 

world-renowned mathematician and educator

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 Two young children are exploring a brightly lit overhead projector in a classroom. The boy, wearing a red shirt, and the girl, in a blue sweater, are focused on placing translucent objects on the projector's surface. The background features classroom materials, creating an engaging and interactive learning environment.
Investigating
Echolocation

Deeper Learning

In many classrooms, learners are passive. They listen, watch, memorize, and work alone on worksheets or tests. This is surface learning, where the focus is on grasping the main points and memorizing them.

Deeper learning happens when students build on their existing knowledge by integrating new information. Deeper learning is often called “Hard Fun” because the work is active and meaningful, and requires students to make connections across various disciplines.

Deeper learners are intrinsically motivated (rather than through grades or stickers) because they are personally connected and curious about the topic. Deeper learning is hard work, for teachers and for students, and it’s extraordinarily engaging. 

At Touchstone, deeper learning happens every day, in every classroom. 

 Three young boys are engaged in a hands-on STEM activity at a table. One boy is assembling parts of a small windmill model with a green fan blade, while another looks on with curiosity and excitement. The background shows shelves and a bulletin board, creating a classroom or learning environment. Scissors and other project materials are visible on the table.
Hard but
fun work
Children sitting at a wooden table working on laptops and reviewing printed documents in a collaborative classroom setting. Two students in the background are seated at a counter wearing headphones, focusing on their own tasks. The room features shelves, books, and a bright window letting in natural light.
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A young girl sits at a wooden table in a classroom, focusing on a hands-on activity with colorful geometric pieces and a corkboard. The background includes a dollhouse, books, and bulletin boards, creating a warm and inviting learning environment.
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• Yoga •  Mythology • Camping •  Dance •  Flag Rugby • Astronomy •  Musicals •  Green Energy •  Public Speaking •  Ancient Egypt •  Electricity •  Molecular Structures •  Ecosystems •  Meteorology •  Robotics •  Hands-on Math •  Theatre •  Chemistry •  Poetry

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