Phases of Learning/Classes

Students in our commonwealth are divided into different classes based on their phase of learning (see A Thomas Jefferson Education). Below outlines the general subject matter and objectives of each class as well as the courses for the current or following year. 

Legacy is primarily designed to support families with students in or moving toward the Scholar Phase of learning.

Core Phase

"During Core Phase, we lay the foundation for all learning and service in the child’s life.  The “curriculum” is simply: - right and wrong - good and bad - true and false - relationships - family values, especially spiritual culture - family identity, including family history and mission - family routines and responsibilities - accountability - the value and love of work and play."

-Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning, p. 48-50

"The lessons of the Core Phase are best learned through daily experiences in home life, uncomplicated by the secondary goals of academic achievement."

-TJed In Our Home

CORE 1 & 2 Classes

According to the phases of learning, Core students are not often found in educational settings. Core phase is to be left to families. However, we recognize that even our littlest friends desire community and that families need support. Our Core friends study the same topics as our LOLIPOP students with the hope that younger and older siblings can bond over the fun things they're learning. While the topics covered are the same, the focus is on playing with the subject rather than any academic work. The amount of formal activity time is significantly less than older groups due to younger attention spans. Interspersed within fun learning activities and free play time are moments where mentors can help Core friends learn to work together, be kind, and have age appropriate responsibilities. 

Core students are typically ages 4/5 (Core 1) and 6/7 (Core 2).

2024-2025 LOLIPOP & Core topics

Nature Cycles (September), Animals (October), Survival Skills (November), Art (January), Ancient Greece/Rome (February), Medieval Times (March), Ancient Egypt (April)

Love of Learning Phase

"During the Love of Learning Phase, the student falls deeply in love with learning, studying, knowing and learning even more."

"These are the years when children dabble with learning, getting to know “what’s out there”. If they have emerged from Core Phase in good order they are usually fearless, feeling like almost everything will be interesting and believing that they will be able to do whatever they set their minds to."

"The use of project learning is an incredible way to encourage the child to venture into new areas of learning.  You can start with almost any subject of interest."

"It's okay to just play sometimes!" "Play is one of the chief educational curricula of the Foundational Phases of Core and Love of Learning."

"The key to the whole Leadership Education system is to have students who are absolutely head-over-heels in love with learning."

-Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning, p. 51-56

Three goals of the Love of Learning Phase: "Help children develop a love for learning. Build students' confidence in their ability to learn anything with resources and hard work. Teach strategies and processes for learning." 

- Giving Your Child a LOLIPOP Education, p. 35

LOLIPOP

LOLIPOP stands for Love of Learning Integrated with Projects, Opportunities for Service, & Play. Our goal is to introduce a feast of assorted topics that allows students to gain a love of learning through play and activities. Interest based topics are assigned each month and mentors lead each group through various activities related to the topics, showing that learning can happen in a variety of ways. 

Past topics have included Space Science, Ancient China, Handcrafts, Oceans, Nature Journaling, Shakespeare, Dinosaurs, Anatomy, Pet & Animal Care, Art Studies, and World Religions. 

LOLIPOP students are typically ages 8-12.

2024-2025 LOLIPOP & Core topics

Nature Cycles (September), Animals (October), Survival Skills (November), Art (January), Ancient Greece/Rome (February), Medieval Times (March), Ancient Egypt (April)

Jr Scholar

Jr. Scholar is an advanced Love of Learning period where students prepare themselves to transition to Scholar Phase. Students in this phase of learning still study a variety of topics but instruction is tailored to dive a bit deeper and includes reading and writing assignments. The focus is still exposure to a variety of interesting topics and falling in love with learning, rather than academic mastery. 

Previous topics they have studied include Entrepreneurship, Geography, Friendship & Kindness, Shakespeare, & Logic. 

Jr. Scholar students are typically ages 10-14.

2024-2025 Jr. Scholar Topics

Scholar Phase

"During this period, the bulk of a person's 'book learning' takes place - at least up to that point in her life."

"During the Scholar years...the young person begins a rigorous, disciplined survey of classic works and real life application."

"Although each person is different and each education should therefore be personalized, there are also some basics that we should all learn...Our place in history and cycles of society...history, science, mathematics, literature...writing, public speaking, business planning, using technology...principles of freedom and prosperity and the type of civilization and culture that perpetuates them..."

Peer involvement and interaction are not only desired by the student, but also desirable for his progress through Scholar Phase. Group discussions of classic works and review of original works by the students are invaluable in expanding the young scholar's horizons."

"The Scholar is still a work in progress and frequent interaction with and accountability to the parent, teacher, and/or mentor are imperative. He still needs nurture and affection as a child, and respect and responsibility as an adult."

-Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning, p. 57-59

Scholar students are students who are ready to dive deeper into their learning and expand their knowledge through self-motivated study and supported by mentors and parents. These classes are led by 1-2 mentors who are passionate about the class topics and/or trained specifically to teach a Scholar course (called "Projects"). Some of our Scholar level classes are from the Leadership Education Mentoring Institute or LEMI. These projects are designed to expose students to a specific body of knowledge and instill within them a greater vision of themselves, ultimately enticing them to ask the question, “What is the purpose of my life?” or “How can I make a difference?” These courses include speaking/presenting, reading, writing, and critical thinking. 

Scholar Phase students are typically between the ages of 12-18. 

2025-2026 Scholar Classes

2024-2025 Scholar Classes

2023-2024 Scholar Classes

Aspire/Key of Liberty (Year long, Mornings)

Georgics (Fall Afternoon) 

BEAM - Emotional Intelligence / Hero Project (Spring Afternoon)

A Note About Phases of Learning

You may notice that there is some overlap in the ages of our student groups. No one person is strictly in one phase of learning over another. It is important to understand where your child really is in their learning journey (not where you want them to be) and to appropriately choose the best group to place your child in. Some students are ready to move forward in their learning journey earlier than others. Some students require a bit more time in a phase before they're ready to move on. Either situation is perfectly acceptable. Our goal is to help inspire each child in their own learning journey and meet them where they are.

I love it all! We're ready to Apply!