What Our Families Are Saying
One Tree is more than a tutorial, it is a community. My child has been part of One Tree since Kindergarten and it has played a huge part in her life and development by supporting and encouraging her to be a kid, as well as respecting her ideas and curiosities. Innocence and kindness are fostered here along with independent thinking and creative expression. She has learned to do her work on her own, has overcome fears, gained self confidence and has built lasting friendships. She looks forward to going to school and always has stories to share about what she learned and explored on the drive back home. The education team is encouraging and supportive, not only to the students but to the parents as well. We are blessed to be part of One Tree and we wish we could stay forever.
- Casey
One Tree has been amazing for our family in so many ways. It encourages our kids to be creative and enjoy nature. They spend a lot of their day outside enjoying nature, exploring, playing, and learning instead of having to sit at a desk and watch nature through a window. The teacher's also give our kids amazing academic accountability through group work, book presentations and research projects. The kids learn at their own pace and their interest, which helps make learning feel fun, not pressured. The students help teach each other and encourage each other. The teacher's are full of compassion and grace, encouragement and love. One Tree is a safe haven for our kids. They feel like they can be themselves there. Finding One Tree and the community that comes with it, is like finding a diamond in the ruff. We feel so lucky!
- The Fort Family
We could not be more grateful to have found One Tree. Not only do we feel so confident that our son is being cared for and loved when he is at One Tree, but our family has found a community of loving and inclusive people. We have watched our son thrive and grow in ways we never imagined. The teachers are kind, knowledgeable and care for each child as an individual. We have truly found the best situation for our family!
- Kimberly
“My two kids (ages 7 and 9) look forward to school days at One Tree, and they are often chatting about adventures with friends in the beautiful outdoor space, what math problem they solved, or what work they want to choose next time in class. We knew we loved the Montessori way, and One Tree adds in caring, happy teachers and a smaller school environment for a truly special community. ”
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We are finishing our fourth year at One Tree and our family is honored to be a part of such a special place. Whether it’s exploring the native plants by the creek, contributing to community works, or feeling the pride of completing the bead stairs, the gentle, Montessori leadership of the teachers have kindled our kids’ flames for learning and growth. It is refreshing to be in the company of families who value time together, nature, simplicity, and who recognize the magic of childhood. Jacqueline and the teachers have created an environment where kids feel safe to explore and do more than they thought they could.
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“We have had such a positive experience at One Tree! When my oldest was preparing to enter Kindergarten I was so torn about her being away from home for 5 days a week at a traditional school. I knew I would miss her! But I was hesitant to take on homeschooling full time. The concept of hybrid schooling was new to me but we have found it to be the perfect balance for our family of homeschooling and on-campus learning. Now, four years later, we could not be happier with our experience. We love the careful attention to our children and warmth of the teachers. The girls love spending their days in the wonderful outdoor classrooms and inside the thoughtfully designed indoor classroom spaces. The community is so supportive and invested in creating caring relationships. The girls come home happily tired with lots of great stories about their day. We have truly enjoyed our early learning years with One Tree!”
“I have been absolutely blown away but this school/tutorial. Before my son started One Tree I sat down with him to see what level he was at after his previous school. I was saddened to find out he seemed behind in most subjects but the main one was reading. He barely knew all of his letters. After just a few months at One Tree he was reading Bob books and he was enjoying it. I was blown away at the success he had found so quickly. Part of it was learning the Montessori way (he was at a traditional school before) and the other part were his teachers. I have also been blown away by how firm but gentle the teachers are. They have high expectations for the students but they are always ready to listen to the child’s feelings if they are having a hard time. I would recommend One Tree to any and all families. The 3 day program is a great way for kids to be at school and learn but also give time for families to learn and be together. It’s the best of both worlds!”
“There are so many wonderful things about One Tree. Our son absolutely LOVES having the option to be “outside” so much of the time. I LOVE the teacher – student ratio – there is not a school in town that has this incredible ratio. We are truly blessed. Our son loves all of the students and WANTS to do school work. Somehow One Tree has helped foster this desire and his thirst for learning. He would go 5 days a week to One Tree with no problem. It is definitely a “fit” for us homeschooling the other 2 days. The feedback from the teachers is awesome.”
“We wrestled so much with decisions about whether to homeschool, and whether to have our son wait an extra year for Kindergarten. Jacqueline was so helpful to us during this process, and so patient and kind. We decided to wait an extra year before he started formal schooling because he has a late birthday, and he has just thrived at One Tree this year. It has been nice for him to be in a mixed age classroom for his first year, and I love that One Tree fosters his learning and doesn’t hold him back if he needs more challenge in a certain area. One of biggest concerns I had with public school was their lack of play time/outdoor time, and One Tree has been so wonderful because they spend so much time outdoors. After school, I love seeing my son have muddy shoes, and rock collections, and stories about forts that be built with friends. There are so many positive aspects of One Tree–a calm, comfortable learning atmosphere; caring teachers; a smaller class size; learning that goes beyond academics in areas like polite manners and kindness to friends. All of these social learning experiences are things I would be unable to provide if I was homeschooling on my own. It is the perfect balance of getting some time with my young son on his days at home, and 3 days for him to be away in this nurturing & peaceful environment. I can’t say enough good things about One Tree. We love it!!”
“One Tree Tutorial offers an innovative, nurturing approach to education which compliments our homeschool learning. Hybrid homeschooling is the best of both worlds! Our family is able to spend more time together and learn together, and as a parent I still have time to work part-time outside of the home. And my daughter loves it! She is smiling and energetic at the end of every day at One Tree. At One Tree, she spends lots of time outdoors learning through hands-on experiences and exploration. She is developing friendships with peers in an environment which encourages teamwork and mutual respect. The class size is small and the teachers really know my child. Each child is given an individual learning plan which focuses on his/her learning style, interests,and needs. The teachers also work closely with parents to develop a collaborative learning plan which compliments what is being taught at home on homeschool days. My child is encouraged to be the curious, creative, energetic child that she is naturally. We are so thankful for One Tree!”
“We love One Tree! After homeschooling with three small children one year, and trying a year of public school the next year, our family is experiencing the best of both worlds with our kids attending One Tree. We love being home: taking time slowly, delving deeper and deeper into literature, history and science, making bread and muffins, watching math and engineering videos on youtube, and annoying one another. Homeschool days can be long, and I can get cranky… and then the kids go to One Tree! The access to outdoor play, no matter the weather, is the main appeal for us. The amount of time spent at play and outdoors with children of mixed ages encourages social skills such as negotiation and collaboration while the natural setting and landscape allow their imaginations to expand. Academically, we know that what our children learn in 2 or 3 days at One Tree is above and beyond what they would get in a week at our neighborhood public school. This allows me not to stress myself out, as I did when we exclusively homeschooled. I know that their basics are beyond covered, I know they are challenged, and their needs exceeded. One Tree has helped us strike the perfect balance of home and school.”
“One Tree has changed our lives. I knew walking into the lovely bright rooms that this was ‘home’ for us. Three days a week I homeschool our daughters and their two days at One Tree every week has given me such peace just knowing that they’re getting all of the beautiful benefits of a wonderful, well rounded childhood education. It was crucial for my husband and I to ensure our girls had the opportunity to have consistent collaborative fellowship with other children and teachers outside of our home. They’re able to engage in group discovery and collaboration in a creative and safe environment at One Tree surrounded by adults that know and care for them in a way that’s just not possible anywhere else. The Montessori method was completely new to me and I was quite apprehensive initially. Now that I have seen my children reap its benefits and their little spirits soar under the Montessori themed guidance I am a believer. We drive an hour and a half round trip just to get to One Tree even though there are Montessori schools just blocks away from our home. One Tree is unique. They value the things that our family has always held in high regard while making it joyful and fun to learn. The class is blended in ages which gives children the opportunity to be comfortable exactly where they are developmentally while letting them teach and engage with others younger and older. One Tree is a very special place and it’s a miracle that we found it.”
“We have found One Tree an excellent place of learning for our daughter. We feel she has a safe, fun, and excellent learning environment there with dedicated and attentive teachers who encourage her to work both independently and in groups. The time she gets there with the other students is a great and needed supplement to her home-schooling. One Tree is a place where we are seeing our daughter thrive socially and academically and a place where she gets to explore so many things tangibly, vibrantly, and using all her senses.”
“One tree provides rich hands-on learning and fun that engages kids in critical thinking and in enriching their spirits as well as their minds. I’m so grateful to be a part of the One Tree community.”