HOW WE Learn

We know the importance of fully engaging our young students in their learning, so their knowledge and experiences stick with them long after the lesson. At our Country Day School, senior pre-kindergarten teachers introduce topics and create a space that empowers students to wonder. Teachers then can design a project that feeds their curiosity and answers their most burning questions.

This process allows students to become partners in discovery with teachers and classmates and develops a community of learners who work together to explore as much as they can about a topic.

When learning about the Arctic, one class was most interested in the native animals and their ability to survive in such a harsh climate, so the teacher developed a class experiment that enabled students to learn how blubber keeps the animals warm. Another class wanted to learn more about the people who lived in the Arctic, resulting in a different project. In either case, students explore concepts around a similar theme, but they’re able to direct their focus more precisely on the details most interesting to them. Shady Side teachers ensure students develop the ability to think critically and engage in the learning process – skills that will prove beneficial throughout their lives.