School Vision and Mission

The philosophy of the Molalla River Academy is based on learner-centered theories and practices of education. This approach values individual learning styles and positive reinforcement while promoting understanding and creativity. With alternative curriculum design and project-based learning as its hallmarks, MRA provides a valuable option for families in Molalla, Oregon.
 
Learning at MRA is characterized by a process of collaboration and a sense of family. Students are part of multi-age learning groups. They participate in hands-on activities and cooperative projects that are not only focused in their own classrooms, but also extend to other classrooms, and where appropriate involve the greater community in which they live. Students and teachers consider the entire school as an extended family.
 
The collaborative spirit of MRA es enhanced by the interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum which integrates the arts and sciences into core learning areas. Creative theme-based units combine art and science elements for a well-rounded education that supports the continued development of all students.

The unique philosophy of MRA is based on the assumption that:

• learning is a natural and normal component of life, inseparable from all other parts;

• learning occurs most readily when people learn by experience and see how that knowledge can be applied in the world;

• people learn better when subjects are related to their interests and past experiences;

• children, parents and teachers together can provide the most appropriate educational opportunities for each child;

• education is determined by the ability to apply knowledge and skills in an appropriate manner, not by the  number of facts one can recite;

• learning is best achieved in an emotionally safe, nurturing environment where the child feels loved and secure;

• a sense of community enhances learning;

• each person is valued as s/he is, not just for what s/he can become.

The purposes of MRA include:

• to develop the powers of intelligence: thinking, knowing, reflecting, observing, imagining, appreciating, questioning and judging;

• to kindle empathy for others and a sense of responsibility and integrity;

• to cultivate the development of talents, interests and abilities;

• to provide opportunities for students to learn by doing; to carry out projects; to conduct experiments; to make art and music; to write, publish, and produce pieces of literature and music; to do research; to build models; to design objects;

• to teach children how to lead, how to follow, and the appropriate time for each;

• to encourage children to strive to realize their own potential, to provide them with models of achievement, and to enable all children to be successful academically;

• to prepare children to be thoughtful citizens;

• to enable each child to appreciate and contribute to his/her culture;

• to develop the understanding and knowledge necessary to enable students to be responsible stewards of the environment;

• to sharpen the intellectual and aesthetic abilities for lifelong learning and enjoyment.

Educational Program

Emphasis on the Arts and Sciences

Students are engaged in many artistic modalities, including: literary and expressive arts, dramatic arts, crafts, dance, music and visual arts. They are expected to develop skills and appreciation for many artistic modalities.

Students are introduced to a wide range of the sciences and a set of foundational concepts in each, including but not limited to: biology, astronomy, geology, chemistry, physics, and environmentalism.

Project-based learning

Students develop projects based on their thematic studies.  These projects demonstrate what the student has learned during the thematic study.  Students are encouraged to research extensively and use their creativity in developing their projects.  Teachers set expectations for the project and give examples of projects to encourage the students to produce their most excellent work.  Once the projects are completed, students have the opportunity to share with other students what they have learned.  Using one’s presentation skills is an integral part of the project.

Multi-aged Classrooms

In most cases, students will stay with the same teacher or team of teachers for at least two years.  With this arrangement, the oldest group will “graduate” to another classroom at a higher level, while a new younger group enters the class to replace the “graduates.”

Staying with the same teacher or team of teachers and many of the same classmates over the years provides a secure learning environment in which the student can dare to take the risks necessary for learning to take place.  Since most of the students and the teacher already know each other, there is not the six weeks or so of low productivity at the beginning of each school year while the students and teacher "feel each other out."  The first day of the new school year becomes continuation of the previous year with increasing development and maturation.

Teachers know what the students have done in their class the previous year and can continually progress their students to higher levels of development.

Students have the opportunity to be the youngest and the oldest in the class with a wider range of ages and abilities.

Experiential Learning and Construction Projects

When applicable, students are provided opportunities to learn by doing.   Students are expected to have at least one construction project in progress at all times.  Construction projects include making models, dioramas, scenery for plays, needlework, hardback books, masks, trellises for the garden, a fishpond, mobiles, a go-cart, bird feeders, and a wide range of other projects.

Studies have shown that students frequently involved in construction projects do better in geometry, engineering, architecture, clothing design, and other endeavors where spatial relationships are involved than students in standard learning programs.

Grades Will Not Be Given

A variety of assessment tools, including the development of a portfolio and a narrative report, are used to track student progress throughout the year.  Students are taught how to assess their own work with their involvement in this assessment increasing with their age and maturity.  Students and teachers assess student progress in order to evaluate the strength of the academic program and insure that students are achieving state standards using multiple intelligences.

In order to become independent learners, students must learn how to assess their own work.  Students can feel freer to use their creativity when their grade is not determined by how well they have satisfied the teacher's vision for their work. 

Emphasis on Cooperative as Opposed to Competitive Work

Although students may occasionally engage in competitive activities, such as games involving skills and speech contests, most of their academic work is individualized and unique and/or done cooperatively.

When working cooperatively with others, the student learns that a group pooling their brain power and physical efforts can complete large projects that individuals usually cannot do alone.  Some of these projects are of a magnitude that they attract attention or make a significant contribution to the school or community, thereby giving the students a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Use of Themes

Class and school wide themes are central to learning at MRA.  Teachers plan for the orderly attainment of curriculum objectives in their content areas and then integrate subject matter across disciplines and grade levels through themes. 

Students are able to see relationships among concepts and knowledge learned in different content areas when they are immersed in a theme for a period of time.

School wide themes foster a sense of community when all students are learning similar concepts.  Students become aware of the progression of concepts and skills from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Special Areas of Learning

MRA employs a range of activities such as music, theater, arts, gardening, and physical education.  The specifics are decided by the school community as interests and talents of the families are explored and discovered.

Portfolio Assessment

Our major means of recording the development and performance of an individual student is through authentic portfolio assessment.  The portfolio will be organized according to multiple intelligences, so as to attribute merit to hands-on learning, as well as to more traditional forms of displaying mastery.  Student portfolios contain samples of the student’s work that show growth over time.  Portfolios may also contain pictures of projects, videos of speeches and presentations, lists of books read, performance programs, as well as many other items that demonstrate what the student has learned and/or accomplished.  Student self-assessment is an important part of the portfolio process as well.

At the end of each semester, teachers place the results of other types of student assessment in the portfolio.  These include checklists of skills and standards, teacher and peer evaluations, and scores from standardized assessments.

Other Forms of Student Assessment

Means of assessment varies from project to project and at times from student to student.  Students are involved as much as possible in the assessment of their own work.  However, the instructional personnel is responsible for maintaining a high standard of accomplishment.  While traditional grades are not given, a student may be asked to revise a project until it attains an acceptable level of achievement.  Rubrics are developed for many projects, with older students often involved in the development of the rubrics for their projects.

Growth is measured by scores on assessments and meeting the criteria established for attaining mastery of Oregon State Standards.  An Academic Improvement Plan (AIP) is written for every student who is functioning below grade level in reading, writing, or math.  The AIP includes instructional strategies to help the student progress.