Our place of exploration
What do you think about a classroom with no walls? A place where you can be barefoot alllllllllllll day long? It sounds like a dream, too good to be true, right? Guess what? You found it! But between you and I, I don’t like to call it “ school” or “classroom”… What if we call it “ Our place of exploration”?
In our “place of exploration,” we truly believe that the path to the mind runs through the body and that’s why our children have the time and the space to explore materials on a larger scale. The freedom to move, instead of being restricted by the size of a table or small sheets of paper. The freedom to pour paint or use their body as a tool to express themselves. Also, in “our place of exploration”, children are able to experiment and make their own theories while they are doing what they enjoy the most: PLAY! Giving the children the freedom to follow their own instinct gives them the chance to connect with the real world. Remember, they will remember a learning experience if it’s just that . . . a real experience.
Children have the right and the freedom to make their own theories
What would you think of a place where your children learned the root of where everything comes from? A place where they learn from each other? A place where they learned to plant and understand that the vegetables and the milk they eat or drink at home do not come from a supermarket? A place where they could learn and exchange different skills?
Do you remember in the olden days when resources were scarce? They would practice creative problem solving and teach each other their skills and crafts.
The carpenter would teach his skills with wood, the shoemaker would teach how to fix the soles and the baker how to make bread. All this was achieved through exchanges that oftentimes had nothing to do with money .
What if we told you that we have brought that way of living and thinking to the present?
One of the best memories has just come to my mind.It was an exceptionally hot day, we all had a craving for ice cream. Together with the children we realized that we did not have “money” to pay for the ice cream. It was so beautiful to see that the children came to the conclusion “What would happen if”…. they exchanged a rock they found in the backyard for a chocolate ice cream? and a green leaf for a vanilla ice cream? and maybe a piece of mulch for one of the strawberries ..? Looking closely and putting your heart there you would see that in addition to those children developing skills such as problem solving, perspective, communication, critical thinking, negotiation and self control, among others, they were also developing empathy and socialization.
When we return to the simplest and most organic things is when magical and wonderful things happen…
Never forget that Inventing, experimenting, questioning, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, Imagining, socializing and being creative are truly the essence of the human spirit.