Academics

What Drives Us?

Aristotle wrote, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." Likewise, Charlotte Mason believed in educating the whole child, not merely the child's mind. Hence her thesis, "Education is an Atmosphere,
a Discipline, and a Life.

Atmosphere

"The bracing atmosphere of truth and sincerity should be perceived in every school; and here again the common pursuit of knowledge by teacher and class comes to our aid and creates a current of fresh air perceptible even to the chance visitor, who sees the glow of intellectual life and the moral health on the faces of teachers and children alike."
~~ Charlotte Mason

Discipline

"By this formula we mean the discipline of habits are formed definitely and thoughtfully whether habits of mind or of body. Physiologists tell us of the adaptation of brain structure to habitual lines of thought, i.e., to our habits."
~~ Charlotte Mason

Life

"For the mind is capable of dealing with only one kind of food; it lives, grows and is nourished upon ideas only; mere information is to it as a meal of sawdust to the body; there are no organs for the assimilation of the one more than of the other."
~~ Charlotte Mason

Our Understanding of Success

At Ambleside, we believe a successful education can only be measured by looking at the whole person. Is he a thinking person? Does she possess critical thinking skills? Can he relate appropriately with others? Can she communicate her ideas clearly, and write well?

What We Offer

* Classic Literature/History
* Math and Science
* Art/Voice/Violin
* Spanish
* Habits and Etiquette
* Bible and Devotionals
* Low Student/Teacher Ratio
* Bentwood Partner - Tennis &
Golf
* Only private school in San Angelo to offer Dual Credit courses on campus for Grades 11 - 12
* Pre-K - 12th Grade

What We Practice

Narration is the basic methodology of Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education. It requires an active labor of the mind on the material. Students are given a challenging, literary text on the subject at hand, and tell it back, in writing or orally. Through various forms of narrating in all subjects, students approach learning actively. All students are trained to pay attention, to truly see what the text says, and to make the knowledge their own. Students learn to analyze information, and to express their thoughts accurately and eloquently.

Exams are twice a year and take the form of essay responses to open questions about the semester's studies. Exams assess mastery of content, reasoning abilities, and skill development. Testing in essay form also develops the child's competence in clear thinking and verbal expression.

Our students develop a love of Shakespeare, as each child from grades three through eight has a speaking part in one of two plays performed in the spring. Students are expected to learn the lines, and to speak clearly and with expression. Their teachers guide them toward the competence, freedom, and courage to do so. Younger students memorize and perform Shakespearean Sonnets and Renaissance dances.