Classrooms

We value the experience of working and playing in a multi-age community. The community welcomes and seeks out the participation of any-age persons who want to join us in our programs. We are especially interested in the sharing of knowledge, skills and expertise and encourage people in the larger Bellingham community to talk to us about their interests. If you would like to share your own experience and skills with our community, please contact us.

In addition to our commitment that children have a firm base of academic knowledge, we are ever conscious of the need for balance and choices -- between academic and non-academic opportunities, between individual and group efforts, between structured and un-structured time.Balance and choices are enhanced through an assortment of instruction (led by adults or children); student interest-driven projects; thematic and experiential learning; after-school clubs, e.g. math, arts & crafts, homework, foreign language, or music clubs; individually-paced study; small group work; free choice times and community service.

Three multi-age classrooms (ages 4-14) each have seven to twelve students. These age categories are not exclusive, however.For example, a six-year-old who feels comfortable with older children and is sufficiently advanced socially and academically to fit into the 7-9 age grouping, could be admitted to that classroom; or a 'just-turned 10-year-old' might be better served to be with the 7-9 year olds. These decisions will be made jointly by the staff and the family applying to the program.While these classrooms function as primary learning groups, there will be abundant opportunities for interaction among the classrooms as well as for community-wide functions and activities. The possibilities for inter-classroom participation include tutoring or general assistance offered from one class or student to another; classes conducted by children or adults which are open to any age learner; and general invitations to join various projects.

Academic Curriculum

We provide an environment of encouragement and support for learners to challenge themselves. In all age groups we offer core instruction, activities and projects for math, science, fine arts, language arts, history/social studies/geography and research and presentation skills. Each student is supported to become competent in all academic areas. Staff members pay close attention to differences in learning styles, offer tutoring or mentoring where needed, and encourage students to do more than they think they can do.

Projects

We believe that projects, when designed from the interests, capacities, and resources of the learners, are a wonderful way to learn. A good project has a few essential elements:

* Brainstorming sessions at the beginning
* A planning and hypothesizing stage
* Information/resource gathering and sharing
* Revising project to focus and expand ideas
* Experimenting, clarifying and cooperating to display ideas

Adults act as facilitators during the projects, not designers or directors. It can be extremely valuable for children to be free to make mistakes without an adult trying to take over. We can be especially helpful by supporting the motivation of the children, and can do a lot by simply being attentive and available.Classroom staff help learners design and plan projects which present the opportunity for breadth and depth in their program studies. Math and science often lend themselves to interesting and learning-rich projects. Social studies, history, geography and local or regional physical science blend well into projects that generate connections, infusing the investigation with personal meaning for the learner. And, of course, the expression and presentation of the results of our investigation require effective writing and organization, and often effective speaking, computer skills, and the artistic representation of new-found understanding. A project might entail the study of a particular place, people, and time period including religions/beliefs; predominant industries; arts and crafts; food and customs; inventions; politics and physical locale. A group of learners might decide to cover several of these areas, and individuals might want to focus on one as an independent investigation.Another project might be the planning and construction of buildings, machines or inventions; or research into how place affects our lives -- in house construction, clothes, foods and life style. Other individual and group explorations into various and sundry interests of the students might evolve --the design and creation of a mural for our building, gardening for a local food bank, mastering a computer software program, writing/compiling a book of poetry or drawings, or creating a board, computer or card game. Much of the indoor work for projects will be conducted in common areas such as the library, community space or the art studio. Many aspects of a topic can be pursued at our Outdoor Learning Center. For any project underway, children from any classroom with a strong interest in the focus of that particular undertaking will be invited to participate, so that we might have an eight-year-old helping a 13-year-old to create a presentation or hone computer skills, or a 14-year-old working with or teaching seven-year-olds in a construction effort.