Curriculum   Manzanita Students Are... Excited about learning; Creative and critical thinkers; Independent and cooperative learners; Responsible community members; Empowered in their lives and in the world.

 

A Curriculum for the Head and the Heart
Central to Manzanita School is the idea that children learn best by doing, when they are creative, excited, and curious. Children learn the “basics” through hands-on activities that develop critical thinking skills and are relevant to their lives. Teachers structure the environment to encourage experimentation, exploration, and discovery. Children use their many intelligences through art, music, nature exploration, and countless other experiences.

The curriculum is age-appropriate, with multi-age classes that allow children to work at their own pace. There is no one-size-fits-all curriculum, no standardized testing, and no labeling. Teachers individualize learning in small classes to ensure that children reach their fullest potential.

Children learn best in a caring environment that honors each child’s strengths. Manzanita School creates a climate where children can love learning. Our teachers value every child, supporting them through their successes and their struggles and helping them to gain a fuller understanding of themselves.

At Manzanita School, children learn the skills to work cooperatively and settle disputes peacefully. Children work in many groupings throughout the day, gaining valuable social skills. An attitude of life-long learning is fostered while nurturing each child’s self-confidence and sense of wonder.

Collaborating with Family and Community
We believe that school should collaborate with families to educate children. Teachers work in partnership with parents, expanding on the learning that occurs at home.

We encourage parents to actively participate in their child’s education and the life of the school community. Parents are welcome in the classroom at any time and many volunteer opportunities are available. Family social events, class meetings, and project exhibitions involve families in the learning process.

Beyond the family, each individual has a responsibility to the community. From the class to the school to the larger world around us, children participate in community on many levels. Both the natural and social worlds are explored; projects facilitate discovering community resources and providing community service.

Children learn to build community by taking responsibility for their actions, practicing empathy, and accepting others. We encourage children to recognize the contributions they can make to the world as active citizens.

 

Curriculum Philosophy

Progressive Education
The Manzanita School curriculum is grounded in the philosophy of Progressive Education, which empasizes a child-centered approach to learning. An overview of Progressive Education and related materials are located in the Resources section.

Field trips, guest speakers, ongoing workshops, and other events play a prominent role in our curriculum. Students participate in a wide variety of activities. For a list of last year's special events, click here.

Emergent Curriculum and the Reggio Emilia Philosophy
A key aspect of our philosophy is Emergent Curriculum. An emergent curriculum is one that builds upon the interests of the students. It is often spontaneous but develops into projects that can extend throughout the year. Topics are driven by the ideas, questions, information, and excitement from the children themselves. This is also referred to as inquiry learning, constructivism, and project-based learning.

More on Emergent Curriculum

Key Principles of Emergent Curriculum (Hilltop Children's Center)

We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, found primarily in early childhood programs, that builds critical thinking abilities through emergent curricula and the documentation of the learning process. This philosophy also emphasizes a caring school community, strong family-school relationships, and the teacher as a learner/researcher.

Links to information about the Reggio Emilia philosophy

 

Nurturing the Whole Child

Attending to the whole child means teaching for social and emotional development, not just for cognitive skills. At Manzanita School, we explicitly teach communication skills using Nonviolent Communication methods. We teach children to identify their own feelings and needs and then share them with the person they are in conflict with. Children learn to make clear requests of others and to value other people's needs equally with their own. The book "Nonviolent Communication: a Language of Life" by Marshall Rosenberg explains more about these principles.

We make group decisions using both consensus and democratic voting methods. Children learn the pros and cons of each method and decide what is appropriate in a given situation. Children experience group decision-making as a whole school and in class meetings. Responsibility and trust are emphasized, and children are given increasing responsibility and trust as they demonstrate their readiness.

Children learn to trust their bodies through our numerous outdoor experiences. We hop rocks across creeks, climb mountains, and roll down grassy hills. For many children who spend their lives indoors, these outdoor experiences help them to become more comfortable physically and strengthen their sense of themselves as capable individuals. Read the book "Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder" by Richard Louv for more reasons why children need outdoor play in their lives.

 

Curricula Descriptions

Language Arts

Mathematics

Science & Social Studies