School Information

OUR BELIEFS
We believe that all students deserve the best educational opportunities where teachers hold high expectations for all and where students are part of a diverse, caring community.

Vision – Success for all in a community of caring and lifelong learning.

Mission – To create a learning community in which all students can develop intellectually, personally, socially and physically into lifelong learners and productive citizens.

OUR PHILOSOPHY
The education at Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts is driven by the Paideia Philosophy as set forth by Mortimer Adler.  We recommend all our families read The Paideia Proposal by Adler to more fully understand this approach to teaching children.

Three Columns of Instruction
One component of CSLA’s teaching philosophy is Didactic Teaching (or what we would normally refer to as lecture or the teacher giving information while the student listens).  In a typical class on a typical day, this should only comprise about 10-15% of the class time.

The largest block of time in a classroom should be spent Coaching.  This occurs when an instructor watches and listens to how students took in the information, how they are processing it, and how much they are grasping.  Small groups, one-on-one discussions and peer-to-peer talks are great ways to assess this understanding and as the instructor evaluates each student’s progress, they can make changes, add to the information, show another method to accomplish the same thing, etc.  Coaching is at the heart of how student’s learn at CSLA.

The final column of instruction is Socratic Seminar.  Each of the teachers at CSLA is trained to lead and facilitate small seminar groups of students.  During Seminar, which is held in every grade each Wednesday, students will use a text, a song, an art piece, a poem or something else and delve into the real meaning of it.  Through Seminar, students are taught to think critically, agree and disagree civilly and respectfully with other classmates, engage in an appropriate flow of conversation and back up their statements with evidence from the selected study.  We offer Parent Seminars throughout the year so that our families can also experience what our students do each week.

For Every Student, Every Day
One of Mortimer Adler’s big ideas was that the best education for the best is truly the best education for all.  At CSLA, we wholeheartedly believe in the learning potential of every student.  Our teachers and administration know that they themselves need to be the leading learner in the classroom.  Students are supported, challenged, applauded and engaged daily and our expectations of them – both academically and behaviorally – are high.  And you know what?  They meet and exceed those expectations, time after time!

To learn more about the Paideia Philosophy, please visit The National Paideia Center.

Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts opened its doors in 1991 in the former Elbert Long Elementary School on East Brainerd Road.  It was created in response to the overwhelming success of Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences which operates downtown on East 3rd St.  The then Chattanooga City School System thought that this side of the county could also benefit from the type of school that CSAS was.

Now thirty-two years later, CSLA is a thriving and diverse community on a brand new campus with students enrolled from all nine Hamilton County School Districts.  Our kids come from a various backgrounds of race, culture, socio-economic status, family structure and religion.  They walk the halls together to create a beautiful tapestry reflective of our Chattanooga community.  Every day our students say the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and follow it by reciting our Code of Conduct which guides our student, staff and parent behavior and expectations.

I will respect myself and others.
I will be responsible for my actions.
I will treat people the way I want to be treated.

Our students participate in learning-rich field studies throughout the year and tie their experiences into the curriculum and Tennessee state standards.  Second graders may visit local artisans at Dollywood as they learn about economics and natural resources.  Fifth graders take a trip to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC to reinforce their understanding of the Industrial Revolution and the men and women who led the way.  Fourth grade visits Cherokee, NC to see first-hand the Native American struggle and culture.  We believe that learning outside the classroom helps a child’s understanding of a subject grow exponentially.

Every child benefits from Foreign Language as part of their core curriculum, Music is incorporated into each student’s schedule and PE, Technology and Art are also rotations that allow students to find their gifting, explore new ideas and stretch their realm of knowledge.  Middle and high school students can take Strings or Band.

Clubs such as Archery, Garden Club, FCA, Sonshine Club and Drama give kids the opportunity to create friendships and delve deeper into their interests.  We offer Middle School sports for Cross Country & Track, Softball & Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Golf and Tennis.  CSLA has an amazing partnership with Brown Middle School and Central High School for our students wishing to play football or wrestling.

The intentional conversations between teacher and student, the parent participation, the commitment to learning by the faculty and staff and the belief that every child has amazing potential are just a few of the aspects that make CSLA a special place to learn and grow.  We work hard every day to support, encourage and teach our students to be the best people, the best learners and the best citizens they can be!