We are preparing children for a time of new paradigms, for jobs that have not yet been created, for unknown challenges and undiscovered solutions. In these unprecedented times of change and uncertainty, our world needs adaptive thinkers with strength of heart and character. It is in our striving that we prepare for something we cannot yet imagine; that we become ready to meet the world and each other with open minds and hearts.
Childhood is a distinct and valid time in and of itself, rather than something to hurry through in a race toward adulthood. Children are not miniature adults; they have a unique set of needs for healthy development. Only when children are engaged with relevant and developmentally appropriate activities can these developmental milestones be reached and real learning occur. Assessing developmental milestones along with academic levels provides a more complete picture of student concerns and capacities.
Learning is the foundation for a human being to act and behave in new ways. While information alone can be valuable, learning develops a capacity to translate information into knowledge, knowledge into understanding, understanding into wisdom, and any of these into action. At the same time, acting or behaving in new ways can support healthy brain development and influence learning. Children experience the world through the senses; then interpret those experiences through the intellectual and emotional body which leads to action.
Learning is physiological and begins in the body. Neural processes are not limited to the brain mass, but rather are distributed throughout the body in an extensive network of electrochemical activity. In fact, neurons just like those found in the brain are also found in the heart and other bodily organs. Children process, integrate and act upon information with their entire body. Sensory motor skills, body awareness, maturing reflexes, spatial perception and focused attention are directly related to a child's capacity for learning.