Philosophy and Historical Context

The educational foundations of the school are based on the Deweyian model of learning. This form of education allows students to take the lead in their lives by allowing them to explore their interests to the level of depth that suits them. This experiential, hands-on learning promotes the strongest connection for students to be able to know how to use what they learn in school to positively impact society. The traditional subject areas commonly found in schools are instead intertwined together in a more holistic approach. Students are not grouped together by age. Instead, they create their own schedules and approach subject matter aligned with their agency.

The promotion of critical thinking is at the forefront of student engagement, from the ideology of Paulo Freire. They are encouraged to question the ways of knowing. Students actively participate in the creation of knowledge by critically questioning and analyzing their social reality. This approach fosters creativity and a sense of agency. Educators are facilitators of knowledge at the school and aside from French language acquisition lessons, they only give lectures on topics suggested by students. Learning is student-empowered and can be student-led, with the importance of teachers and students engaging in a reciprocal learning process where both contribute to the creation of knowledge.

Principles associated with A.S. Neill's Summerhill school and the Wondering Schools in the Netherlands are at the core of the school's democratic nature. The school is treated like a community and anyone within the community (students, parents, teachers, administrators) can create a motion to be voted upon. This allows children to explore themselves, and gain a better understanding of who they are, while also being able to participate in an actual democratic setting. It combines the power of negative freedom by allowing students to be autonomous in their learning, while also experiencing positive freedom so that their experience isn’t hindering others at the school.