SYCAMORE
SCHOOL
elementary education for
a connected and evolving world
OUr pillars
To what do we hold ourselves accountable?
It started with a simple question: What is the goal of education?
Our answer: to develop self-driven, autonomous, ethical thinkers and problem solvers.
With that focus in mind, we combined our decades of experience in education, the latest research, science, theory, and evidence, and a wall of Post-It notes. From there, we began to distill our belief that thinking and learning must be many things if it is to be lasting and deep. Through a rigorous process of taxonomy and brainstorming, we arrived at the three pillars which guide our approach each day.
Every learner is emotionally, intellectually, and physically engaged in her education and intellectual development. Learning is playful, relevant, project/problem based, and appropriately challenging. These approaches produce active learners who are intrinsically motivated and see themselves as having autonomy and voice in their education.
ENGAGING
Every learner understands that scholarship is not limited to school contexts. Opportunities for observing, questioning, and synthesizing are ever-present. Recognizing these moments is crucial. Continuous education seeks to validate the individuality and ubiquity of learning.
CONTINUOUS
future
focused
Every learner acquires skills to navigate a dynamic world. Learners develop teamwork & collaboration; critical thinking & problem solving; agency & autonomy. Being observant, skeptical, curious, persistent, and creative are essential. Learners must be empowered to become the architects of their futures.