Tessellations – The Beneventi School

Why Tessellations?

If you plan on being anything less than what you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.

– Abraham Maslow

Why Tessellations?

Everything we do at Tessellations is guided by one simple purpose – to create a learning environment that allows gifted children to thrive and realize their full potential through curiosity, inquiry, and engagement in an emotionally safe environment.

We use gifted education research and best practices to guide our teaching and provide an exceptional educational experience to those we serve. Our schedule uniquely allows our students to move at their own pace, employing multi-age ability grouping, differentiation, and radical acceleration. Gifted children have been shown to need fewer repetitions and less explanation in order to grasp a concept or skill.

We place equal emphasis on teaching life lessons, character-building skills, and problem-solving tools to help these young people develop habits of mind necessary for academic and personal success.

We are student-centered.

Students are the center of a dynamic, collaborative process of learning and discovery. Students are listened to and have input into school issues. Their interests are incorporated into the program of study. We focus not only on intellectual but also character growth, attending to the social, ethical, physical, and emotional needs of the individual.

Our teachers are trained and experienced in gifted education.

Our teachers are prepared to challenge even the most advanced young minds and appreciate their learning strengths and styles. Low student-teacher ratios allow us to differentiate instruction. Our teachers are passionate about what they teach, assist in designing the curriculum, and are free to adapt their curricula to the needs and interests of the students in their classrooms. Teachers take great pride in knowing the students intimately and are committed to helping students become the best version of themselves.

We understand the importance of intellectual peers.

Our students are surrounded by peers who share their way of looking at life and passion for learning, giving them a sense of belonging. Like-minded friends provide stimulating and motivating developmentally-matched interactions that naturally lead to healthy social and emotional development.

We teach through theme-based instructional “journeys.”

Our curriculum creates opportunities for exploration, active learning, and meaningful connections across subject areas. Our thematic model challenges and engages students as they learn to use information and concepts to think critically, solve problems, and answer their own questions. This approach fulfills gifted students’ strong desire to know and perform at the highest levels.

Our rigorous academic content is several years above grade level, but the methods teachers use are age-appropriate. Students are provided with the time, tools, and attention they need to explore ideas, make mistakes, and try again. They become independent lifelong learners.

We embed social and emotional learning into every aspect of the student experience.

Our teachers guide young people into a deeper understanding of their identity, personal goals, and social skills. Our social and emotional program strengthens students’ self-knowledge, empathy, resilience, and ability to collaborate.

Starting in the Lower School, students learn to build relationships with one another, identify and regulate their emotions and develop mindfulness. As they progress, the students learn about their physiological responses to emotions, and participate in group activities that foster cooperative leadership and communication skills, including the healthy role of technology in their lives. This social and emotional education is tailored for our gifted population and its positive impact can be felt far beyond the classroom.

We value our strong community.

We value the growth and uniqueness of each member of the community at Tessellations, as well as our mutual interdependence. We provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere where everyone benefits from a sense of belonging.
Children are known for their genuine self and recognized for their potential to positively impact our world. Tessellations is a safe place to try and a safe place to fail. In our learning environment, children feel happy, emotionally secure, and confident. They develop into self-motivated learners and critical thinkers who pursue excellence.

Families of gifted children all have their own unique stories of how they came to understand that their child is gifted. For some, the path to understanding can be difficult. It is often confusing to navigate the complexities of giftedness, and families are relieved to connect with others who understand. We lift each other up and are thankful to have found one another.