academics at Little River

“The question is not,–how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education–but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
— Charlotte Mason

Kindergarten

A Different Approach To Kindergarten

Our Kindergarten program embraces a play-based approach with an emphasis on outdoor exploration. While Charlotte Mason advocated for no formal lessons before age 6, our program thoughtfully draws inspiration from her philosophy that children are born persons and that nature nurtures a child's innate curiosity.

Their days are enriched with creative art projects, hands-on handicrafts, exposure to masterful artwork, uplifting music, and delightful poetry. Throughout the morning, children are immersed in quality literature that spans various subjects - from enchanting nature stories and historical tales to beloved folk and fairy tales, as well as gentle introductions to geography.

For our 5-6 year olds, brief 10-minute lessons in phonics and mathematics are thoughtfully integrated, ensuring children have plentiful time for their most essential work: play!

  • Play-based kindergarten allows children to learn and develop crucial skills like problem-solving, social interaction, creativity, and emotional regulation through natural play, fostering a holistic development while making learning enjoyable and engaging for young children; it encourages curiosity, independent thinking, and a love for learning through active exploration.

  • Kindergarteners will be introduced to basic phonics, as well as reviewing the letters and sounds of the alphabet, using All About Reading Pre-Reading Level. Any child who is already confident with the alphabet can be tested to move to All About Reading Level 1.


    Math will be taught using Right Start Math Level A (Kindergarten). To learn more about Right Start Math click here.

  • What if your kindergartener could recite their favorite poem from Robert Louis Stevenson? What if they recognized Mozart in the background or painted a version of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night?” These are the kinds of riches your youngster will be exploring in Little River Collective’s kindergarten program.

Lower ELementary

While we still believe play to be in important part of children’s lives beyond kindergarten, our elementary classes and above are not play based or child-led. These classes are led by facilitators and follow a structured schedule of subjects. We adhere to short lesson times and release early, without additional homework, so that children are free to play at home.

In grades 1-3, students are asked to narrate* their readings from the subjects above orally, or to draw pictures representing their readings.

Our facilitators ensure that a variety of oral narration methods are used throughout the week. For more on the science of narration and why we use it in our classrooms, please consider reading Karen Glass’ Know and Tell.

    • Math

    • Reading and Spelling

    • Bible

    • Hymns and Folksongs 

    • History

    • Geography

    • Literature 

    • Nature Studies 

    • Science

    • Poetry

    • Composer study

    • Picture and Artist study

  • Reading and Spelling will be taught using the All About Reading and Spelling Curriculum. To learn more about All About Reading click here. To learn more about All About Spelling click here.


    Math will be taught using Right Start Math. Students will test into their appropriate level. To learn more about Right Start Math click here.

Upper Elementary - Middle school

Beginning in fourth grade students will begin writing narrations down on paper. These may begin as only a sentence or two for one reading, with oral narrations for the rest of the day’s readings, but they will gradually progress to longer, written narrations. For more on the science of narration and why we use it in our classrooms, please consider reading Karen Glass’ Know and Tell.

    • Math

    • Spelling and Grammar  

    • Bible

    • Hymns and Folksongs 

    • History

    • Geography

    • Literature 

    • Nature Studies 

    • Science

    • Civics 

    • Poetry

    • Composer study

    • Picture and Artist study

  • Math will be taught using Right Start Math. Students will test into their appropriate level. To learn more about Right Start Math click here.

What Curriculum will we use?

The Alveary Curriculum is based on Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy, focusing on two key elements: living books and narration. These foundational components shape the entire learning experience.

Each year's curriculum is thoughtfully built around a history cycle, incorporating carefully selected living books. The comprehensive program includes: architecture, art, Bible, citizenship, English, geography, history, life skills, literature, mathematics, movement, music, and science.

The curriculum is both engaging and rigorous, designed to capture students' full attention in efficient, focused lessons. As students advance, they encounter increasingly challenging material that prompts deeper thinking and meaningful discussions. The natural integration of logic and rhetoric makes this a true classical education, delivered through Charlotte Mason's gentle yet thorough approach.

“We are very tenacious of the dignity and individuality of our children.”

— CHARLOTTE MASON

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