There is no exact recipe for adapting general education curriculum to meet each student’s needs. Each teacher, each student, each classroom is unique and adaptations are specific to each situation. All of us have some part in supporting, investing in, recommending, creating and developing our program. We insist that our curriculum provides both inner and outer education that looks out into the world through the lens of a particular subject.

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The purpose of our program is not to make professional mathematicians, historians, or biologists, but to awaken and educate capacities that every human being needs. One’s early education should present a palette of experiences from which to paint a unique canvas.

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Language and Literature

At IT’SKOOL, reading and writing are introduced with oral storytelling. Using imaginative pictures of sounds (e.g. a snake shape for the letter “s”), the children gradually learn the abstract letter forms, and move on to phonetics, spelling, grammar and punctuation. After recording their own stories and illustrations in personal books and audio visual medias, children learn to read from the words they wrote themselves.

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Nature and Science

Life sciences begin with stories of “the living world.”  Our curriculum includes practical lessons on farming, animals, plants, as well as geology, human biology and astronomy. Children gain awareness on the interconnectedness of all things and subsequently develop global stewardship.

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History and Geography

We focus our efforts on presenting historical events through different lenses and angles. Additionally, we exclusively present national and international role models; people who have sparked positive changes, philanthropists, inventors…

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Language

Generally, the English language instruction at first is purely oral; reading and writing of English come second and are introduced through simple memory games and puzzles. Learning a second language (often a third one for the children of our indigenous community) empowers people to face things unknown, prepares them to utilizes the best resources from the internet and arms them with practical linguistic tools.

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Arts, Crafts and Handwork

Everyday, our participants are given the chance to draw, paint, sculpt, build and create artifacts with all types of natural materials. Creativity is unleashed as we encourage divergent thinking approaches and authorize thinking radically outside of the box.

Handwork (including knitting, crochet, sewing and embroidery) is taught with projects which may include cushions, socks, gloves and dolls. Woodworking, basketry, weaving and book-binding are also crafts we include within our workshops amongst others.

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Music

Music is also integrated into the teaching of subjects such as arithmetic, geography, history and science. We not only perform with proper instruments but also manufacture our own with recycled material. Jam sessions are frequent to build community, collaboration and interconnectedness.

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Eurythmy and Extatic dancing

Eurythmy is a movement art, usually performed to poetry or music, meant to help children develop harmoniously with mind, body and soul. We welcome free dancing, gibberish and total freedom of movement.

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Additionally, there are six broad learning emphases that we incorporate in our holistic curriculum:

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1. One world:  globalization and interdependence

2. Identity and cultural diversity

3. Dimensions of change

4. Stewardship and human rights

5. Peace building and conflict

6. Sustainable futures

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