Learning at NFES

At Nuckols Farm, we believe in an approach to teaching and learning that challenges students to think critically and take an active role in their learning. We use the Virginia Standards of Learning as a base for developing units of study that foster not only content-area learning, but the development of skills, including research, communication, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity, with daily opportunities for students to extend learning beyond the core curriculum and to make strong connections between subject areas.

Instead of “covering” the curriculum, we support our students in “uncovering” the curriculum, with rigor and relevance. We believe that learning should be challenging, meaningful and experiential, and we plan instruction with this in mind, making connections with students’ lives outside the classroom and within our community.

We differentiate learning through small-group instruction, selection of instructional materials, and through many other strategies and regularly assess students’ growth and understanding. We provide focused and tiered intervention to students needing extra support.

At Nuckols Farm, our students learn to take ownership for their own learning and interactions with others, to set goals and assess their progress toward those goals. We love supporting our students in this journey and working hand-in-hand with families in the process. We encourage you to check out any individual teacher blogs to see examples of learning in action and invite all our families to join us when you can. There is always great learning going on at the farm!