The Satori Way
COMMUNITY: Satori is a village of families and staff dedicated to raising healthy children.
CREATIVITY: Satori nurtures the creative genius in every child through diverse experiences.
CRITICAL THINKING: Satori promotes higher order thinking to prepare kids for the 21st century.
What does creative education look like in the classroom?
- Gifted education for ALL learners
- Choices ~ children learn through multiple intelligences and styles
- Student-directed learning
- Learning through concepts
- Value of process over product
- Develop potential in the whole child
- Teachers who are lifelong learners
How do we prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s world, when we know the world, information, careers are changing faster than we can imagine?
- Rigor: quality and depth of authentic learning and original thought
- Relevance: meaningful, engaging, and relevant learning that connects to kids’ interests and abilities- dynamic curriculum and content are core elements
- Relationship: education is an endeavor in partnership; inter-connecting the student, family, staff, administration, community and the world around us for the highest good of each other; practicing humility, service, and generous spirit.
Social/Emotional Intelligence
- community building lessons, events, and experiences
- conflict resolution practiced daily
- language of responsibility: kind, supportive, nurturing, listening, respect
- world culture focus in thematic units
- interpersonal relationships: kid-to-kid, kid-to-adult, adult-to-kid, adult-to-adult are valued and nurtured
- praise growth, effort, and talent
- shape desired behaviors and outcomes
- value human dignity
- embrace diversity and individual circumstances with compassion
- a SAFE learning environment recognizes the whole child’s needs and growth on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels
- kids need time and space to be kids; school is one facet of a child’s life
- encourage balanced living, moderation, patience, boundaries
Satori Intelligence
- Satori means light and enlightenment
- we are all one
- Satori IS a special experience for kids and adults
- we recognize a calling to serve something greater than ourselves
- miracles happen (we call them “Satori Moments”)
- we teach and practice self-awareness and sense of purpose
- each person is on a journey of self-discovery
Conceptual Thinking & Learning
- integrated thematic units teach content through concepts, rather than content-driven objectives
- concepts are woven deeply into curricular areas
- students dwell in concepts for longer periods of time in order for them to direct their explorations and outcomes
- TIME is given generously to practice, discover, LEARN, UNLEARN, and RELEARN
Creative Thinking
- gifted and creative strategies benefit ALL learners
- higher-order expectations and learning experiences raise the BAR of learning for everyone
- giving students choices to demonstrate and explore learning rather than teacher-driven objectives and assignments
- posing problems and exploring solutions
- out-of-the-box thinking is a school value
- valuing the learning process rather than right answers
- investment in right-brained activities including visual arts, performing arts, theater arts, music, meditation, imagery, sensory integration exercises, and mind-body practices
- practicing quality of thought
Critical Thinking
- Bloom’s taxonomy of higher-order thinking
- EXIT OUTCOME: mastery of learning process and becoming a lifelong learner
- applying what has been learned in student-directed projects
- project-based learning
- open-ended research, problem-solving, and questions across curriculum
- student makes choices in how to share and communicate learning
21st Century Learning: Teacher’s Stance
- awaken innate intelligences and ability
- guide self-discovery
- teacher provides inspiration, student invests in authentic learning and growth
- teacher meets student in an individual learning space
- education is a journey
- non-ego approach to teaching
- homework is an opportunity to deepen, learn, and grow
- hold the highest expectations of every child
- acknowledge and practice multiple learning styles and intelligences
- give consistent, qualitative feedback to every child
- EXIT OUTCOME: lifelong learners
Self-directed Learning
- teaching is inspired by class chemistry and individual needs
- students have a voice in planning, learning experiences and assessments
- students are encouraged to respectfully challenge and prompt their learning environment
- curriculum content flexes every year- lesson plans are dynamic
- students are experts in some fields; teachers are lifelong learners
- re-invent the learning environment often