In its developing years, Venture contracted with EL Education to support the development of its Vision. EL Education practices and resources supported,
- rigorous and engaging learning experiences;
- an active, inquiry-based approach to teaching; and
- a school culture that fosters respect, enthusiasm, collaboration, and the idea that with effort everyone can achieve more than they thought possible.
EL provided professional development opportunities for our teachers to develop core practices that improve student engagement and the overall quality of student learning experiences. The resources and core practices engaged in throughout the EL network of thousands of teachers provided fertile ground for Venture to develop its own curriculum.
Though we no longer have a contract with EL, EL core practices that were incorporated into our school in the developing years are still important in the work we do today. A few prominent examples include: Crew, high quality student products, passages, and learning expeditions.