Academics
At Dawn Treader Academy, academics is never separate from formation. We're preparing students to be informed of the past, conversant with the present, and equipped for whatever lies ahead as ambassadors of Christ's Kingdom. That shapes everything from the books we read to the way we structure a school day.
HOW WE LEARN
Knowledge Before Skills
Students cannot think critically about what they do not know. We believe strong reasoning grows from a rich foundation of knowledge--in literature, history, mathematics, science, Scripture, language, and the wider world.
Depth Over Box-Checking
Finishing a textbook is not the same thing as learning. Sometimes students need to slow down, wrestle with an idea, practice until something makes sense or spend longer with a worthwhile book. At other times, they are ready to move ahead. The goal is understanding, not simply staying on schedule.
Great Books & Enduring Ideas
Students should encounter books and ideas worth returning to. Literature, history, theology, and the Western Christian tradition place students in conversation with people who have wrestled with questions of truth, goodness, beauty, justice, human nature, and the life well lived long before we arrived.
Teachers Who Actually Teach
DTA is not built around students spending the school day independently completing online coursework. Teachers introduce material, explain difficult concepts, lead discussions, ask questions, assign meaningful work, assess learning, and adjust instruction based on what they see happening in front of them.
K-12
A Small School, By Design
Dawn Treader Academy serves students from Kindergarten through 12th grade in a small, multi-age environment. Students are grouped when shared instruction makes sense and work at different levels when it doesn't.
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That means a school day does not always look like thirty students of exactly the same age completing exactly the same assignment at exactly the same time. A literature discussion may bring several grades together. Math may have students working at very different levels. Science may begin with a shared experiment before students complete work appropriate to their course or age.
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Small size gives teachers the freedom to know where students actually are, notice when they are struggling, recognize when they are ready for more, and adjust accordingly. The goal isn't to make every student's education identical. It's to make it meaningful.
Subjects
A broad education, pursued with purpose.
Our curriculum brings together carefully chosen programs, worthwhile books, direct instruction, discussion, practice, and hands-on learning. We do not choose curriculum simply because it belongs to a particular educational movement; we choose resources that serve our students and the kind of education we are trying to provide.​
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English & Literature Our English program is built on strong, classical foundations, using Memoria Press curriculum at every level. Kindergarten begins with structured phonics instruction. In 2nd and 3rd grade, students build reading and spelling skills through literature selections such as Amelia Bedelia, Little House in the Big Woods, and The Courage of Sarah Noble, with grammar reinforced through our Latin instruction. Middle schoolers study literature including The Hobbit, Anne of Green Gables, and The Bronze Bow, alongside Classical Composition. High schoolers study British literature, including Macbeth and Pride and Prejudice, also alongside Classical Composition.
Mathematics Math is one subject where mastery matters more than pace. We use Math-U-See, a mastery-based program well suited to independent work. Students begin at their own level, determined by placement testing, and progress as they demonstrate mastery rather than moving in lockstep with a grade-level calendar.
Science Our science curriculum, Berean Builders, pairs hands-on investigation with a strong grounding in the history and philosophy of science. Elementary students follow a multi-year rotation through Berean's elementary science books, currently studying Science in the Beginning. Middle schoolers are studying Science in the Atomic Age this year. High school rotates through the sciences based on students' needs, with a focus on Earth Science this year.
History & Social Studies Our history curriculum uses BJU Press throughout the school. Elementary students are studying World Regions, middle schoolers are studying American History, and high schoolers are studying American Government and Economics this year.
Bible & Theology Bible instruction is central to our identity, not an add-on to it. Elementary students are studying Bible Truths through BJU Press, with plans to continue through the series in future years. Middle and high school students are studying The Triumph of Christ, also from BJU Press, building a solid theological foundation as they grow in their faith.
Latin Latin has long been a hallmark of classical education, sharpening students' grasp of English grammar and vocabulary while opening the door to the Western tradition's foundational texts. Elementary students begin with Prima Latina, and middle school and above continue with First Form Latin, both from Memoria Press.
Fine Arts & Electives Education should make room for students not only to read, reason, and calculate, but also to create. Art is part of the regular school week at Dawn Treader Academy, combining hands-on work in a variety of media with opportunities to study artists, techniques, and the history of art. Students also participate in physical education, while additional electives and enrichment opportunities may be offered as our school grows and as instructors and partnerships become available.
A Four-Day School Week
Dawn Treader Academy operates Monday through Thursday, giving us four full days of instruction each week. ​
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Fridays are generally free from scheduled classes. They provide space for appointments, family activities, athletics, independent work, and the occasional school field trip or special event. Students may sometimes have reading, unfinished work, or other assignments to complete outside the regular school week.
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Four days of school does not mean four days of education. Learning rarely fits neatly inside a school calendar.