Academic Program
CURRICULUM
PHOTO CREDIT:
JOHN H.
Forge Student
Outdoor Leadership Adventure
Strawberry Mountains; 2024
Forge’s learner-centric curriculum provides each student with a personalized education that is designed to not only engage their natural curiosity, but to unlock their genius and propel them to reach their full potential.
Learners at Forge are provided instruction in the core academic subjects of math, literacy, and traditional art, and are then given opportunities to apply this academic study to real-world projects and experiences in our Learning Studios.
AN EXAMPLE:
On the same day, a student at Forge will learn how to multiply fractions, and then work on a project in the Build Studio that will require them to do just that.
Another student might study the leaf-shape of a particular plant, and then go on a trip in the Outdoor Leadership Studio to harvest that same plant in order to use it to make fire. That same student might apply the sketching skills they learned in art class to create a storyboard for a short film they are working on in the Multimedia Studio.
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This close relationship between learning and application is the secret to the learners’ success at Forge, and is what sets us apart from other curriculums. The hands-on experiences provided in the studios are not extra add-ons or afterthoughts; they are an integral part of the Forge model and they ensure that our students’ learning is meaningfully retained.
STUDIO PROFICIENCIES
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Within our Learning Studios, students progress through a series of increasingly complex and rigorous performance tasks that are specifically designed to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in our modern world.As they “level up” in each studio, learners earn gear and equipment that will prepare them to continue to explore their passions and interests outside of their time at school. ​While all students are expected to achieve a foundational proficiency in each of the studios, the path that they take towards mastery is the learners' choice.​
AN EXAMPLE:​
One student might strive for mastery in the Build Studio, while another seeks mastery in the Multimedia Studio. A student might decide to reach mastery in both the Outdoor Leadership and Traditional Art Studios in order to pursue a career as a naturalist.​ At Forge, each student’s path is unique, and each student is given a voice in shaping their own educational outcomes. ​
CORE SUBJECTS
The core academic subjects at Forge include mathematics, literacy, and traditional art. The goal with these courses is not to progress each student through a series of prescribed academic standards or to prepare them to take a standardized test; our aim is to empower learners with the knowledge that they need to operate and thrive within our hands-on Learning Studio system. As such, we seek to maximize the transferability of our core academic subjects and strive to connect it to real-world applications as much as possible.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Graduation requirements at Forge are not calculated by credit hours or averages derived from “grade points”. Instead, we expect that each learner that graduates from Forge has passed through a series of core thresholds, experiences that mirror success in life beyond the classroom. These core thresholds are left intentionally broad so that each learner can apply their own strengths and genius towards their education at Forge. ​
By successfully navigating the Ten Core Thresholds, learners will have demonstrated an ability to reason, communicate, and problem-solve. We believe that these qualities, more than averages and statistics, should be what determines if someone is ready to graduate and continue on their path to success.