The Individual and the Group

As individuals, it is important to know and understand our own thoughts and feelings, and to have the ability to make them known to others in appropriate ways.  As members of many groups – family, school, work, community, it is equally important for us to know how to listen to others, respect their thoughts and feelings without necessarily agreeing with them, and work cooperatively toward a shared goal by resolving our differences through mutually beneficial discussions. 

Our teachers work with both the individual, and the group, separately and together, understanding that the group is a powerful tool for learning. What makes our approach unique is that we are simultaneously mindful of the individual in the group, and the group as its own entity. By emphasizing the dynamic connection between these two distinct human experiences, a synergistic interaction takes place, which benefits everyone involved. Whether solving a math problem, reciting a poem to the class, conducting a science experiment, fielding a ball, painting a mural, singing in the chorus, or acting in a school play, students develop an appreciation of each other’s unique contributions to the whole, while discovering their own talents and skills.