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Our Mission Statement
We work with parents and the community to offer all children an environment which emphasizes freedom and challenge in the learning process, through relationships with each other, with materials, and with the world.
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Philosophy
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By appealing to, and building upon each child’s interests, we recognize that every child has an innate desire to learn within a meaningful context.
Within an authentic learning community, each person’s contribution is valued and necessary. When children know that their thoughts and actions directly impact their community, the foundations for understanding true democracy are laid and a sense of self, as essential, is formed.
In opposition to models of rigid conformity, we understand the necessity of allowing people to be, while encouraging the critical thinking associated with autonomy.
Children should be allowed to develop their own system of values, critically and in the context of a diverse community.
In order to support the children in conflict resolution, we model strategies found in democratic learning communities, and restorative justice approaches (small and large group councils). Our stance on conflict resolution is heavily influenced by our belief in an education based on relationships within the learning community.
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- Non-coercive
- Collaborative
- Multi-age
- Responsive
- Interdependant
- Inclusive
- Democratic
- Redemptive
- Restorative
- Humanizing
- Whole Child
- Reflecting Life
- Purposeful
- Meaningful
- Adaptable
- Complex
- Visible
- Depth
- Playful
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Image Of The Child
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Children should be respected as people, and valued for who they are, rather than for who they might become. Therefore, it is important to provide an education for the whole child by valuing their social, emotional, physical, linguistic, and logical-mathematical intelligences.
Because we believe that no child can be forced to learn, we think children should be offered an environment which encourages their natural inclination to learn. By respecting the child's right to make choices regarding his or her education, we support the development of their self-awareness, as well as their self-regulation.
In an environment where children feel safe and confident, they are free to be their naturally competent selves.
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- Curious
- Inventive
- Questioning
- Innovative
- Constructive
- Respected
- Open
- Confident
- Competent
- Efficacious
- Dreamer
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Image Of The Teacher
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We view the role of the teacher as flexible and changing as the needs of the children change. As the caretaker of the environment, a model for the children to emulate and a keeper of the educational philosophy; the teacher holds all elements in the classroom as vital. As teachers, we trust that children will learn if we allow them both freedom and access to resources. Hence, we view the teacher as more of a shadow than a director.
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- Flexible
- Varied
- Accomodating
- Co-constructing
- Welcoming
- Nurturing
- Savvy
- Resourceful
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Environment
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The school environment should provide provocations that promote critical thinking. This access allows for the most valuable type of learning, that which comes from actively engaging with one's world. First-hand experience with both the natural and the man-made world will allow children to learn from their own mistakes and explorations.
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- Light
- Spacious
- Clean
- Interesting
- Accessible
- Inviting
- Comfortable
- Self-explanatory
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