Lorien Wood’s Distinctives, our educational philosophy, school culture, and close-knit community cultivates a vibrant learning experience for our students. Learn more about the unique aspects of our school:
Biblical Worldview
We believe all truth is God’s truth and that all areas of Lorien Wood’s school life are to be understood in light of God’s word. Lorien Wood seeks to equip students with a redemptive lens with which to view the world. We help develop our students’ ideals of biblical virtue, evidenced through noble character formation. Our faculty-student conversations, purposeful classroom management, and the study of role models in Scripture, history, and literature, all contribute to the formation of virtuous character.
Relational Community
Our deeply invested parents seek to come alongside students by modeling life-long learning, regularly serving in the school, and offering their time and talents inside and outside the classroom. Parents become familiar with their child’s learning community and develop deep relationships with other families as they serve alongside one another. Small, mixed-age classes are designed to identify and develop each child’s individual abilities and also serve to help each child feel known and valued as a unique image bearer of God. In addition to annual community events, we hold parent coffees and dinners, family nights, and parents and children frequently gather after school on the playground for times of fellowship. Read more.
Classical Study and Joyful Discovery
We believe that children have been designed with an innate curiosity about the created world. Inquiry-based learning harnesses a child’s natural desire to discover, understand, form patterns, and to make connections about what they learn. We also incorporate Socratic Seminar and lectures for developing intellectual skills and for enlarging the grasp of ideas and values. A love of learning and daily academic discovery enables students to remain actively engaged in the classroom. At Lorien Wood, learning is a daily invitation and an atmosphere of joy is a natural result. Read more.
Integral Curriculum
Academics are taught with the view that all of creation reflects the integral nature of God and the reality He spoke into being. Lorien Wood seeks to minimize the often artificial divisions amongst traditional subjects, as we purpose to study the whole of the topic. This demonstrates an integral weaving of the disciplines, and enables students to form deeper connections and understanding about the topic of study. When a student studies Europe, they explore its history, literature, music, art, geography, religious beliefs, government: they read about, write about it, calculate and communicate about it. Read more.
Experiential Learning
We believe that children are whole persons and as you engage their minds, you must also engage their hearts and bodies. We value hands-on experiences, living books, recitation, narrative, nature and picture study (elements of Charlotte Mason). We heed the call of scripture which beckons us to “taste and see,” as we invite our students both “to know” and “to do.” Weaving experiential learning with other elements of our teaching methodology provides a robust learning experience.
Outdoor Education
Our Director of Outdoor Education works alongside teachers to develop relevant outdoor learning experiences in the current unit of study. Children engage in the observation, grow in appreciation, and take part in stewardship of God’s creation. From gardening, to nature-inspired artwork and journaling, to creek walks to study macro-invertebrates, to extended Field Studies in the Watershed year, our students regularly engage with God's creation to enrich their learning and expand their understanding of Him. Outdoor education driven by a biblical worldview is unique.