(Ages 6 to 11) Junior School
The primary emphasis of the educational programme for younger students (ages 6 to 11) is on awareness and observation. They are exposed to a variety of experiences that foster keen observation, interest and total involvement, and nurturing and keeping the senses alive. The fundamental skills of language and mathematics are integrated into the activities where possible, and are otherwise taken care of with minimum pressure. We create a learning environment that gives the student a sense of freedom, allowing her to work at her own pace and level and creates space for self-directed tasks. All this allows the student to grow with a sense of responsibility for her actions.
Much of the learning happens through observation, with less emphasis on information-based books. We would like young students to understand the world and themselves through direct contact and interaction, rather than through the accumulation of information. They are naturally curious, so questions are asked and explored in a gentle, spontaneous way. We provide the space for a student to look around and discover things on his own. Students take care of plants and animals, and clean and care for the spaces we work in. We go for nature walks, and visit museums and factories. Some other activities are sketching, baking, reading, working with clay, making toys and measuring things. We do not compartmentalize learning into academic and non-academic learning and separate this from day to day living.
Regular parental contact is an important part of the program. We would like all we do at school to be linked harmoniously to the home, so the student, the parents and the teachers can grow together.
>