Educational Philosophy

An Eclectic Philosophy

We choose to take the best ideas and practices from many schools of thought

  • We meet children where they are and base their education in experience, which is developmental.
  • We try to make it meaningful and relevant in the world, and want children to make some of their own educational decisions, which is progressive
  • We teach basic skills in a logical order, require drill and practice, and teach a fairly mainstream body of knowledge (though in our curriculum world history includes more than Europe and North America), which is traditional. 
  • We think that art, music, sports and games, and nature studies are valuable in making a whole person, which, today, is really radical. 
  • Finally, infusing everything we do with the humane values of integrity, equality, harmony, simplicity and community, and requiring the children to reflect on process as well as product make us a Quaker school.  We believe this sets us apart. 

    • Multiple Intelligences

    Our eclectic philosophy draws its fundamental inspiration from the multiple intelligence model.  Friends Western School's curricula and practices are based on the belief that all children are intelligent in a variety of ways. This idea has been articulated by Howard Gardner in Frames of Mind (1984) and Intelligence Reframed (1999). He identified the following areas of intelligence:

  • Language or verbal: the ability to understand and express ideas in oral and written languages.
  • Mathematical or logical: the ability to perform mathematical operations, think mathematically and organize information logically.
  • Spatial: the ability to work in space, build objects, manipulate tolls, think in three dimensions (and four).
  • Musical: the ability to receive and express meaning in the world of music-rhythm, melodies, sounds.
  • Physical: the ability to use one's body, both in large and small motor movements.
  • Interpersonal: the ability to navigate personal relationships, to lead, influence and reconcile others.
  • Intrapersonal: the ability to reflect on personal identity, meaning, and to construct meaning for others from personal experience.
  • Natural: the ability to be a part of and cultivate nature - both flora and fauna.

    • (Click to see the Multiple Intelligence Inventory for a more complete explanation.)

    A Spiritual Dimension

    Children have a natural spiritual curiosity that can be nurtured and brought forward as larger issues  -- peace, family, community, fairness -- arise in lived or mediated experience and in imagination.

    Core Values: Curiosity, Engagement, Compassion

    In discussion with parents, staff and board, we have identified three values that we share with the staff, students and supporters of our school: They are curiosity, engagement, and compassion.

  • Curiosity motivates the intellect, motivates discovery and experimentation, which in turn, lead to true education.
  • Engagement means that the children, teachers, and parents are all involved and interested in the learning going on in the classroom, and engaged with each other seeing it happen.
  • Compassion is how we see others as we grow in cooperation and collaboration-listening carefully, speaking truthfully, allowing time for reflection, and working together toward outcomes.