Curriculum

‘The faithful witness, like…Socrates, Voltaire, and Swift and Christ himself, is at his best when he is questioning and clarifying and avoiding the specialists obsession with solution. He betrays society when he is silent…He is true to himself and to people when his clarity causes disquiet.’ John Ralston Saul

Key Components of Running River’s Curriculum:

• Experiential, Meaningful curriculum
• Integrated Academics
• Mixed Ages/Collaborative Learning
• Responsibility/Integrity of engagement & work coming from the child
• Mastery (quality and excellence of work & skill acquisition)
• In-depth learning from every angle
  • Experimentation
  • Books
  • Internet
  • Experts
  • Collaborative Work
  • Questioning
  • Problem solving
• Learning how to learn and transference across subject areas
• Inner development and outer knowledge go hand in hand…a balanced education cultivates abilities beyond the verbal and conceptual to include matters of heart, character, creativity, self-knowledge, concentration, openness and mental flexibility.
• Life Skills
• Creativity
• The Arts
• Physical Fitness and development of capacities
• Outdoor Education
• Connection to Nature
• Communication/Harmonious Living
• Parent Education

 ’I imagine a school system that recognizes learning is natural, that a love of learning is normal, and that real learning is passionate learning. A school curriculum that values questions above answers…creativity above fact regurgitation…individuality above conformity.. and excellence above standardized performance…..Tom Peters

Classrooms:

Learning Pods are a mixed age group of 2^nd up to 8^th graders with one to two teachers, parents and interns.

The Daily Schedule includes:

• Yoga or other contemplative practices in the morning
• Opening Circle/Discussion
• Learning Pod Time/or individualized learning sessions
• Work Time (for life skills)
• Open Time
• Lunch
• Learning Pod Time/or individualized learning sessions
• Closing Discussion/Evaluation and Journaling of the Day

In this schedule will also be included:

• Group discussions and questioning
• Studying a subject through multiple modalities
• Projects
• Story telling and group reading
• Individualized Language Arts time (skills, reading, book clubs, writing)
• Small math groups to ensure the learning of all foundational skills
• Field Trips
• Weekly hiking, environmental and outdoor education
• Specials: P.E., Art, Music
• Student theater productions
• Collaboration with the CU Dance Department
• Life Skills
• Councils
• Stillness (Sitting practice)

‘All human beings are born with unique gifts. The healthy functioning of our community depends on its capacity to develop each gift.’ Peter Senge