| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my good idea
i have a good idea.
let's play school.
but instead of you being the teacher and me being the student
let's just have a conversation
and instead of desks
let's have a round table, and a tree fort
and lots of pillows lying around on the floor
and instead of curriculum
let's have bugs and plants and books and microscopes
with lots of jars holding strange little objects
like dragonfly wings and letters to mice and miniature trumpets
and instead of tests or grades
let's have internal motivation
that lets us do things in life because we're more interested in the process of doing
than we are in the analysis of the product
and instead of due dates and deadlines
let's have time. lots of time.
time for climbing trees and singing songs and making cookies
time for being ourselves
and instead of authority
let's have community
we can see each other as people
no matter how old you are or how young i am
and instead of recess
let's have the outdoors be a place
we go anytime, all day long
like the kitchen, or the living room or the grocery store or the post office
we just go outside and it's a normal sort of thing to do
i have a good idea.
-Elizabeth Baker
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Our Mission Statement
Located in East Boulder County, The Patchwork School works with children, families, and the community to preserve every person's right to a life of self-direction, meaning, and joy. Within our educational environment, we place equal importance on both freedom and responsibility, and understand that all people, regardless of age, are agents for change when they engage critically and compassionately with the world.
|
|
|
Philosophy
|
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.
|
- Non-coercive
- Collaborative
- Multi-age
- Responsive
- Interdependant
- Inclusive
- Democratic
- Redemptive
- Restorative
- Humanizing
- Whole Child
- Reflecting Life
- Purposeful
- Meaningful
- Adaptable
- Complex
- Visible
- Depth
- Playful
|
|
Image Of The Child
|
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.
|
- Curious
- Inventive
- Questioning
- Innovative
- Constructive
- Respected
- Open
- Confident
- Competent
- Efficacious
- Dreamer
|
|
Image Of The Teacher
|
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.
|
- Flexible
- Varied
- Accomodating
- Co-constructing
- Welcoming
- Nurturing
- Savvy
- Resourceful
|
|
Environment
|
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.
|
- Light
- Spacious
- Clean
- Interesting
- Accessible
- Inviting
- Comfortable
- Self-explanatory
|
|
|
|
