Instructional Goals and Methodology

1. Nashville Global Academy students will attain proficiency in English/language arts and demonstrate reading, writing and literacy proficiency at all grade levels, as measured by their course grades, individual portfolios, and performance on TCAP tests.
2. Nashville Global Academy students will accurately apply mathematical principles and demonstrate their attainment of skills and knowledge in mathematics, computer science and other sciences resulting in increased problem solving, critical thinking, technology and mathematical reasoning skills, as measured by students’ individual portfolios, course grades, and performance in academic support activities, as well as on TCAP tests.
3. Nashville Global Academy students will demonstrate proficiency in the social sciences as measured by their individual portfolios, course grades, performance in internships, studios and other academic activities, and performance on the TCAP tests.
4. Nashville Global Academy students will demonstrate proficiency in foreign languages including Spanish and either Japanese or Mandarin Chinese, as measured by their course grades, individual portfolios, and performance on standardized tests.
5. Nashville Global Academy students will develop an appreciation for diverse cultures, the fine and performing arts, and humanities via their active participation in art, music, drama, dance and other forms of cultural expression, as demonstrated by their course grades, individual portfolios, performance in studios and internships, performances in artistic programming, and performance on TCAP tests.
6. Nashville Global Academy students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of the importance of physical, emotional, social, and self development, as measured by their participation and course grades in physical education, and health and wellness courses; participation in extracurricular activities; rates of school attendance and disciplinary violations; and data from community surveys and other demographic research.
7. At-risk, learning disabled, and non-native English speakers will demonstrate improved academic performance in all content areas, as measured by their course grades, individual portfolios, progress in meeting IEP goals, performance in specialized courses (ELL, remedial, etc.), feedback from parents on satisfaction surveys, and their performance on TCAP tests.
8. Nashville Global Academy students will demonstrate civic engagement through their individual portfolios, journals and participation in service-learning initiatives.
9. Nashville Global Academy students will acquire and demonstrate their knowledge of Latin root words, prefixes and suffixes to enhance their proficiency in reading and writing, as measured by their course grades, individual portfolios, and TCAP standardized test scores in reading/language arts.
10. Nashville Global Academy students will acquire the knowledge and skills to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing and speaking Spanish and either Japanese or Mandarin Chinese, as measured by their course grades, individual portfolios, and appropriate standardized tests.

The specific and unique practices that will make the likelihood of success greater in the Nashville Global Academy than in a regular public school include the (1) utilization of the Core Knowledge Curriculum, (2) holding Saturday School twice a month; (3) innovative studio/ practicum/enhancement co-curricular experiences, (4) extended (90 minutes) instructional time in core subjects of reading/English/language arts, mathematics and the natural and environmental sciences, (5) small class sizes (no more than 20 students per class), (6) use of an instructional aide and/or tutors in classes, (7) individualized and small group (composed of no more than 4 students/group) tutorials and academic support groups, (8) an additional 18 days of instruction in the regular (August to May) school year, and (9) civic engagement experiences (e.g., service-learning, community service) that reinforce elements of the academic program.

            The instructional goals and methods support the school’s mission by supporting innovative curricula, which will ensure that all of our students attain the skill sets and Core Knowledge in the various disciplines essential to their success and development.  The instructional goals of the Nashville Global Academy require a varied array of instructional delivery methods within an inquiry-based and guided immersion-based instructional philosophy. The Academy, therefore, focuses its efforts on ensuring that every teacher is made aware of the vast amount of instructional possibilities through continual professional development.  Teachers will make sound and realistic teaching decisions based on the individualized needs of students under their care. Some of the instructional methods that the Academy will utilize are: