Equinox definition kids7/7/2023 ![]() ![]() The children observe life cycles of wildlife – the migration of birds at the Leslie Spit or of salmon in the Humber River. On the hikes, students hear stories and learn names of native plants. Primary students go on guided nature walks in our ravines and parks and in local conservation areas, such as the Leslie Spit and the Humber River. Again, the goal is to teach students how to feel empowered to take action and how to make sustainable choices about the environment.Ī focus in the primary years is to develop a strong connection to the earth through our gardening and food growing programs in the school’s learning gardens. In the early years, students develop a strong connection and relationship to the earth, and in the older grades, children learn how to take action. ![]() Our environmental program follows a similar format as our community-building program. The curriculum teaches students not only about environmental problem solving, but more importantly, how we are fundamentally embedded in the earth’s natural processes. Students awake to the natural processes of life by connecting to the earth. In a sanctuary, teachers and students look forward to being at school, as they feel nourished by the environment, which is one of respect, caring and, occasionally, reverence. In grades 6 to 8, students learn about social action and justice in the local and global communities through project-based learning activities.Ī deep sense of school community or sanctuary will be created throughout the school. Throughout the year, they work with primary school students to help build a collaborative and cohesive community. Students take leadership roles in the school community. In age-appropriate ways, teachers support peer mediation and leadership skills development. In the older grades, learning about social justice transforms into social action. This program is largely taught through literature, and teachers provide learning activities, such as role-play or inquiry, to connect stories to children’s lives and experiences. Our goal is to introduce the children to multiple perspectives and to nurture empathy around social issues in the classroom that extend to local and global communities. The students learn about social justice through our Social Studies program. Some of the elements of this program are weekly classroom meetings, language for conflict resolution, cooperative/collaborative learning activities, and classroom discussions on building respectful relationships. To build community in the classroom, we have adopted a school-wide, community-building program that provides classroom routines and rituals, as well as a common language. ![]() The teachers at the Equinox Holistic Alternative School (EHAS) are committed to building a cohesive classroom community. ![]() The classroom is the child’s first experience of community. It is our hope that students who graduate from our school will feel empowered to take social action and will work towards creating a more equitable and just world. Through our community-building program, students gain skills to create solutions to difficult social problems. Building a community starts in the classroom and extends to local and global communities. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |