Research: Studies show that traditional classrooms wield inefficient use of student time (Goodlad 1984, Godwin et al. 2013). Only 70 percent of a student’s time in such an environment is dedicated to instruction, while the other 30 percent is dedicated to routines, behavioral issues, and socialization. Within that 70 percent of the school day, instruction is geared to teaching the mythical “average student,” meaning that lessons must be presented broadly, practiced, assessed, corrective procedures put into place, and assessed again. After assessment the teacher moves on to the next lesson, with or without students who mastered the concept. This methodology serves a few students well, but students on either end are left either bored or frustrated and, ultimately, alienated.Practice: At Chrysalis we try to work smarter, not harder, by offering classes one-on-one and in small groups. Smaller numbers allow us to track student easily, continually assess their progress, create meaningful assignments toward their goals, and achieve mastery. We ensure that every minute we have with a student counts because academia is just one part of a child’s world…there’s so much else to explore!