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Educational Philosophy
The Learning Well believes that there is no “one size fits all” in education. Our classroom environment is uniquely tailored with the individual child in mind.
The Learning Well recognizes that each child develops at his or her own rate. We do not expect all students to read, for example, at the same age, nor to understand certain mathematical concepts at the same age, nor to be able to understand abstract ideas at the same age. All of the curriculum, learning activities, and educational tools used at The Learning Well begin with the goal of supporting children as individuals, not as children who because they are a certain age, are required to learn and master certain things.
At the same time, children are continually challenged and inspired to learn and are not held back by any grade-level standard. With hands-on learning and high quality tools, Learning Well students often excel and challenge themselves to engage in deeper and more advanced concepts.
We view learning as something that children do, not something that is done to them. Learning is doing things: exploring, searching, selecting, experiencing, wondering, suspecting, challenging, building, arguing (Smith 1995). Learning is a natural and unavoidable part of normal development. This type of learning is encouraged and foundational in The Learning Well's approach. With this approach, the teacher supports, guides, instructs, clarifies, and encourages the child to go further in their learning and exploration.
Reference: Smith, Frank. Between Hope and Havoc: Essays into Human Learning and Education Heinemann 1995 ISBN 0-435-08857-2
Teacher's Role
The teacher is a guide and resource to encourage investigation and achieve great depth of learning.
The teacher is knowledgeable of standards mandated by the state and federal government, but is also aware that most kids are above or below the grade level standards and should not limit their learning. Instead our teachers will focus more on the process of learning, not a standard that must be met by a specific age or grade.
The teacher is aware that all children learn at different rates and at different ages. It is the job of the teacher to provide meaningful tasks that engage the child at their appropriate learning level. It is also their role to encourage children to work hard and try their best in all they do. If your child already demonstrates mastery of a topic, then the teacher’s job is to lead them into deeper knowledge and skills within the same topic or guide them into a new topic of study.
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