Academics
Statement on Good Teaching
At Indian Springs, educational excellence starts with a culture of respect.
From the earliest writings that brought our school into being, we have referred to ourselves as the “school community," conspicuously linking teachers and students into a passionate and welcoming academic village. We celebrate the idea of Learning through Living and seek to instill in students a lifelong love of learning and creativity, a sense of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship with respect for individuality and independent thought.
As members of a vibrant boarding community where nearly half of faculty live on campus, our students and teachers have the opportunity to continue inspired conversations beyond the classroom. Because our Student Government is set up like a town council, run by students with the guidance and support of the faculty and administration, our students build on these important relationships as they practice balancing freedom and responsibility in community life.
Bonds created at Springs among students, and among students and teachers, often last a lifetime. In and outside the classroom, we inspire our students to reach their potential by learning to think creatively, ask meaningful questions, make honorable choices, learn from mistakes, respect one another, and participate in their world. We invite you to explore the six key relationships that our faculty have identified at the heart of good teaching.
Six Key Relationships
List of 6 items.
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Teacher to Community
Embodying Learning through Living, our faculty engage with students in and out of the classroom.
Faculty actively participate in town meetings, sponsor student clubs and activities, coach teams, and supervise service projects as we strive to help students reach their full potential. On-campus faculty also help organize Springs' robust residential life program, including evening study hall and weekend activities. Through shared engagement and mutual respect, students know they are valued as individuals and as members of the Springs community. -
Teacher to Class
Classes are both a collective and a group of individuals with a range of abilities, personalities, learning styles, learning preferences, and cultural backgrounds.
An effective teacher uses diverse teaching and assessment strategies to engage students in meaningful ways. We are committed to protecting the worth and dignity of every student, as well as that of the class. We strive to select compelling and intellectually challenging content to enable students to develop critical thinking skills and a sense of moral responsibility. As teachers, we guide students while also recognizing that we are a community of scholars who learn from one another. -
Teacher to Student
Good teachers help students grow by encouraging curiosity, resourcefulness, diligence, and appreciation for a field of study.
Springs faculty members strive to create supportive classroom environments that are rooted in mutual respect. Students thrive when teachers are both authorities in their subject areas and caring individuals who want to help them reach a higher level of understanding and skill. At Springs, we aim to be positive, enthusiastic, fair, truthful, and authentic, and to look for ways to help students reach their potential. When we make mistakes, we admit them and correct them when possible. Honesty builds goodwill and trust that allows students and teachers to experience true community and the very best of Learning through Living. -
Teacher to Parents
Guided by Springs’ philosophy of Learning through Living, faculty members understand that their relationships with students and parents are dynamic.
When new students arrive, a great amount of parental involvement is often the norm. As students progress, their academic freedom is balanced by academic responsibility. Learning through Living enables students to claim ownership for their learning and to grow as they encounter the outcomes their choices. At Springs, we remind students regularly that even failure can make us stronger when we choose to profit from its lessons. While encouraging student responsibility and accountability, we strive to provide regular feedback to parents and to reach out proactively when we believe students need additional support. Our faculty and administrators are always here for parents, and just a phone call or email away. -
Teacher to Teacher
Indian Springs School faculty and administrators work together toward the betterment of the school.
The faculty and administration encourage open dialogue about needs and challenges. Teamwork involves supporting inter- and intra-departmental goals and needs. To achieve this, we strive to remain flexible and to coordinate assignments and plans for special events, field trips, and extracurricular activities with colleagues. We also advise fellow teachers of any changes in a student's performance or classroom demeanor so that help can be offered on as many fronts as possible. We believe that we serve as role models both for one another and for our students as we demonstrate the highest levels of personal integrity, dedication, and respect in our dealings with one another. -
Student to Student
As part of a community of scholars, students impact the educational experiences of others around them, both in and out of the classroom.
From impromptu discussions to group study sessions, meaningful interactions with peers are vital to enabling students to learn to listen respectfully and think creatively. With the help of faculty, our student Commissioners of Education maintain a peer-tutoring system to allow students who are strong in certain subjects to assist students who need extra coaching. By taking part in Springs’ active Student Government, students also learn from one another as they assist in governing the school and develop policies under which they and fellow students learn and live.
