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The Six Core Competencies
Download a printable poster of the Six Core Competencies
Problem Solving Through Play
Children develop their critical thinking, creative imagination, and problem- solving abilities through free play, exploration, wonder, adventure, and inquiry. We honor childhood by allowing children to direct their own play as they develop different faculties, abilities, schemas, technologies, strategies and forms of agency. Through play children learn how to cooperate, collaborate, explore the world together, and discover the true joy and pleasure of being alive.
Nature-Based Learning
We nurture each child’s connection, love and understanding of the natural world. We help children explore their rootedness and belonging to the natural world. We mentor each child in a growing appreciation and understanding of the specific ecological relationships we have with the plants, animals and place where they live. We familiarize children with the recurrent cycles and events of the natural world and the interconnectedness of all things. We inspire children to grow up to be good stewards and caretakers of the land and the earth.
Expression and Communication
Children learn how to use oral language, art, print literacy, numeracy, and multiple sign systems to express themselves, communicate with others, represent the world and use language to learn. We teach every child the skills and strategies necessary to become successful readers and writers in school. Each child develops their own unique voice, and uses multiple sign systems and the "hundred languages of childhood" to participate in every domain of culture. Children move from being the object of other people's words to being liberated subjects who can speak for themselves.
Ethical Values and Emotional Intelligence
We support the growth of each child’s emotional intelligence (heart-mind), their ability to process difficult feelings, self-regulate their actions, and interact with others in socially constructive ways. We help children develop mindfulness and awareness of themselves, each other and the world. We cultivate the virtues of resilience, empathy for others, cooperation, generosity, gratitude, joyful appreciation of others, loving-kindness, courage, compassion, and peace.
Happy, Healthy, Bodily Sense of Self
Children cultivate a happy, healthy, powerful, dynamic sense of their own bodily selves. Through hands-on learning, an affirmation of the senses, the development of gross and fine motor skills, crawling, walking, running, climbing, jumping, gymnastics, dancing, sports and games, children develop a sense of physical autonomy and independence. We affirm each child’s intuitive sense of what is good and harmful to their bodies. Children learn how to navigate various places, spaces and physical challenges as their bodies grow and change. They learn how to affirm their own bodies and be comfortable in their own skin.
Cultural Dignity and Multicultural Literacy
We help each child develop an appreciation of both human diversity and their own cultural dignity and worth. We want each child to be conscious of who they are and to be proud of where they come from. We challenge children to question dehumanizing stereotypes and teach them to be curious about other peoples’ cultures. We encourage each child to develop a strong sense of social justice and human equality. We teach and celebrate multi-cultural literacies, and nurture each child’s ability to participate on equal footing, with others, in a multicultural world.
