Neighborhood Schoolhouse Overview

The Neighborhood Schoolhouse is a small, non-profit, independent school offering innovative programs for children ages three through eleven. It was founded in 1980 by a group of educators and parents committed to nurturing children's intellectual, emotional and physical growth. Although the school incorporates ideas from many educational perspectives, it has been most profoundly influenced by the teachings of John Dewey, the ideas of the Progressive Education Movement, and the Integrated Day approach from England.

Students at the Neighborhood Schoolhouse are grouped in mixed-age, non-graded classes. The school program includes a preschool for three- to five-year olds, a pre-kindergarten program for students who will be 4 1/2 by September 1, a kindergarten program for five- to six-year olds, a primary program for six- to eight-year olds, and an elementary program for eight- to eleven-year olds. We also offer a creative before- and after-school program. In all programs, we take a thematic approach to learning, and encourage students to become active participants in their education. Teachers and students develop close relationships that foster an acute understanding of each child as a learner and as a whole person. This allows children to learn and grow at a rate that is developmentally appropriate for them, and to get the support they need to meet the challenges of their daily lives.

At the core of our school's philosophy is the belief that children are naturally curious and driven to learn about the world around them. The curriculum, which emerges each year in response to students' needs and interests, emphasizes creativity, exploration, problem solving and cooperative learning. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their education, to work and play with children of all ages, and to learn through interaction with materials, people and ideas.

A typical day at the Neighborhood Schoolhouse involves students in large group circle times and activities, small group work, and individual choice times. Walking into the school, one might find a student working quietly on a favorite story, a small group measuring ingredients in a dish for their class restaurant, or a whole class exploring the mysteries of forest ecology behind the school. Teachers use their knowledge of child development, curriculum, attachment, and learning theory to weave together thematic units of study, rich with challenging, stimulating learning opportunities. The natural inquisitiveness and desire for learning created among students is apparent in the positive atmosphere and enthusiastic energy of all Neighborhood Schoolhouse classrooms.

An integral part of this child-centered approach to education is the role of individual student choice and personal responsibility. For younger students this may take the form of choosing learning centers that interest them during work times. Older students assume increasing responsibility for planning and organizing their weeks, from creating a Weekly Plan of Study to designing curriculum through their own questioning process. By taking responsibility for their own learning at an age-appropriate level, students acquire the self-discipline and love of learning that is so important to their later studies and life.

Interwoven throughout the curriculum is a key element in the Neighborhood Schoolhouse program – a strong, school-wide emphasis on the social curriculum. In the classroom students work cooperatively on many projects, learning to communicate their ideas, listening to others, making collective decisions and accomplishing goals together. Students thus have the opportunity to learn and practice important social skills, such as communicating, listening, and resolving conflict peaceably. All of this, when guided by teachers who are committed to a democratic, socially interconnected environment, offers students the valuable opportunity to experience themselves as an integral part of a community.

In sum, the Neighborhood Schoolhouse is a school in which children are nurtured and supported while being challenged to develop their own inner creativity and desire for learning. The school has a reputation in the local community for its progressive approach to education; its emphasis on the shared values of respect, cooperation and conflict resolution; its stress on the importance of attachment in the learning process; and its commitment to working with a wide and diverse spectrum of children and families in its school community.