Challenger School
In 1960, while teaching in a public school, Barbara Baker became alarmed that her 1st grade students had received no academics in kindergarten, depriving them of the best years for establishing a foundation for learning.
Challenger School is an independent private school. We accept no government or private subsidies. There are now 22 campuses in California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Texas, with more than 10,000 preschool to 8th grade students enrolled annually.
Challenger emphasizes the bedrock of knowledge: reading, composition, math, and history. We promote individual and independent thinking, teach traditional American history and values, and inspire children to embrace challenge and to find joy and self-worth through achievement.
Explore our website to learn more about our history , mission , and philosophy. Read testimonials from parents and former students. Examine our traditional methods and essential curriculum, and marvel at our students' breathtaking achievements.
The best way to understand the Challenger difference is by visiting a school. Tour a campus near you and see for yourself why so many discriminating parents choose Challenger.
Education is much more than a good classroom environment, school supplies, playgrounds, and a nice teacher. Challenger School's educational philosophy (why we do what we do) and methods (how we do what we do) are what set us apart from other schools.
Challenger helps children become individuals led by neither peer pressure nor common sentiment, but by the strength of their own thinking.
We begin by building a foundation. Mastery of the disciplines that make up the bedrock of knowledge-reading, composition, math, history, and logic-expands a student's potential for learning in all other subjects.
As we teach, we lead students to recognize the hierarchy of concepts and to integrate concepts within and across subjects. Students learn to question before validating the new connections that will eventually improve their understanding and reasoning skills. Discovering, validating, and verbalizing these concepts in their own words with clarity and precision is what enables students to retain their knowledge and then to apply and extend that knowledge.
Learning that progress is determined by work, a student realizes that his success is in his control and is his responsibility. As he learns and applies this idea, he begins to understand and enjoy the strength of his own mind. As he learns to respect his own capacity and gains confidence, he also respects the same in others.
Challenger students learn that each individual is born with unalienable rights. They learn that happiness does not come from superficial sources, but rather through the application of the virtues of rationality, productivity, self-reliance, honesty, integrity, and justice. They create their own self-worth through achievement.
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