Choices and challenges are major components of Bright Ideas' program. Giving choices empowers a child to take charge of his learning to deepen and extend it. The curriculum is differentiated, which means varied to accommodate the child's learning style and emotional needs. It is individualized to provide an appropriate pace. We firmly believe that a child cannot reach his optimum potential unless he is sufficiently and consistently challenged to higher achievement. Children have a right to learn at a level that demands sufficient effort, yet is not beyond their grasp. Instead of pigeon-holing children by age, we search for the level that challenges them. A child’s age is only loosely correlated with his challenge level. Grouping by multi-age grade levels, we offer flexible pacing from preschool through the 12th grade, so that a child can be moved ahead when his personal growth exceeds his present level. Without intellectual challenge, his learning would become stagnant and stale, rather than vibrant and exciting. Choices in how to complete work and in designing projects provide flexibility in pacing, learning style, and depth of study.

Bright Ideas’ strategies incorporate Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of flow. Flow is a subjective state that people report when they are completely involved in something to the point of losing track of time and of being unaware of everything else but the activity itself. To enter the state of flow, there must be clear goals and immediate feedback on the activity. Challenges and skills must be closely matched. Focus narrows to the activity and the experience. The activity becomes autoleic, that is, worth doing for its own sake. Flow leads to complexity because, to keep enjoying an activity, a person needs to find ever new challenges in order to avoid boredom, and to perfect new skills in order to avoid anxiety (Csikszentmihalyi). The more times that flow is experienced, the more often the student will choose to do the activity that produced it. Bright Ideas’ task is to increase student flow experiences associated with school work so that achievement is enhanced and talent is developed.

Hard work is demanded of everyone and celebrated by everyone. Instead of the false hierarchy of supposed innate ability that is common in traditional schools, we have created a meritocracy of effort. Since everyone is placed at their challenge level, the harder a student works, the more respect he gets.

Project work requires courage, determination, and responsibility. Courage is demanded when publicly presenting projects in which creative risks are taken. Determination is required to develop projects. Responsibility is demanded in order to meet deadlines and work independently. Students often come from environments that have caused them to lose their inner locus of control, and along with it, their love for learning and their motivation to succeed. Many do not take responsibility for their actions. High moral character, honor, integrity, and self-discipline are vital components in the leaders of tomorrow. Our Code of Accountability must be strict in order to instill these qualities in our students. We have daily standards for quantity and quality of work done. Students earn rewards for keeping their work up-to-date and receive consequences when work is not done. We work with the child to help him become more responsible by giving choices, with praise and encouragement when he chooses well, and by allowing him to experience consequences when he doesn't choose well (see Code of Accountability).

Other theories and strategies used are cooperative learning, Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Barbara Clark’s Integrative Education Model, manipulatives for math and science, peer tutoring and mentoring, computer technologies, phonics combined with whole language, interdisciplinary project learning, and reading and writing across the curriculum.