Our approach to progressive education provides a balanced experience for students, who come away with deep understandings of academic concepts, as well as the spark and joy necessary for lifelong learning. Immersive thematic units encompass and intertwine academic areas into meaningful contexts and projects that allow students both the opportunity to develop academic skills and to apply them in ways important to them.
Children develop values and attitudes about learning based on their earliest school experiences. Designed to inspire children to a life of learning and positive contribution to community, our elementary grades are filled with discovery, exploration and an abounding sense of joy and creativity.
Students collaborate on designing and building a lunar colony–a context voted on and chosen by the class–to show understandings of what civilizations need, incorporating math, engineering, science, writing, and presentation skills in an immersive project
In a social studies unit, they identify a community resource of interest to them–learning to collaborate, compromise, and meld ideas together–to demonstrate how communities must work together to thrive. They develop place value and spatial reasoning skills while building an igloo from recycled milk jugs, collected and inventoried by the students. They develop research and modeling skills to build a pioneer village and the resources early settlers needed. After learning about the rainforest, students identify an environmental issue salient to them and are guided in proposing a plan of action or solution while considering multiple perspectives and developing cultural competences.
These experiences prepare students for project-based learning in the Upper School, equip students with necessary skills as they continue their educational career, and provide the foundations for engaged, globally-minded citizens of the 21st Century.
– Adrian, 5th Grade Student –
