It is easy to recognize how children are different physically — tall or short, blue eyes or brown eyes, some with curly hair and some with straight hair. In the same manner, each child has a different social, emotional and academic profile.
Thus, in your search for a school, it is vitally important to find one that is the right match for your child. We too, are looking to make a match with families who share our understandings and whose children will flourish in our environment. When this connection is made, a relationship of trust between the home and school develops. This is essential. Your child will be in an elementary program for eight key learning years. Parents and school need to work as a team, sharing common beliefs and values.
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Our primary goal at The Mabin School is to know each child — their social, emotional, physical and academic profile — so as they grow over their years here, we can provide her or him with the best program. Our school experience is designed as an eight year process and during that time, students will develop and change. As a result, we have to be constantly reviewing and revising our methods and practices so that they best suit your child throughout their development.
Although our methods will vary, what remains constant is our focus on five
fundamental beliefs about the educational process.
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 A key tenet of the Mabin educational philosophy is that the world is interconnected. True understanding of topics, ideas, and skills cannot develop in isolation. By helping children to see patterns and connections, more complete and profound understandings are developed. This complex goal requires our teachers to be highly skilled in planning programs that grow from the children’s interests, that integrate knowledge across different strands of the curriculum, and consolidate the necessary literacy and organizational skills children need. The result is a carefully designed program where academic excellence, creativity and problem solving are fostered.
At Mabin we believe that the best learning environment is one which is diverse, in content and methodology. Children need to develop an appreciation and understanding of the complex nature of the world. This happens when they are introduced to a wide range of experiences, ideas and people in a safe and secure environment. Our community encourages variety and we value unique and different talents, opinions, interests and life styles. Children at The Mabin School learn about others and develop social skills that help them to interact with empathy and understanding.
In addition, children have varying learning needs and styles. Thus, Mabin teachers are like artists with an ever growing pallet of techniques to meet each students’ needs. We like to think of new children coming to Mabin as mysterious little packages. The longer that they are with us, the more we are able to unwrap the parcel and appreciate all aspects of what we find.
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Since we view the world as complex, diverse and interconnected, finding points of balance between these extremes is important. Life at Mabin provides children, teachers and parents with balancing opportunities. Each child’s day is filled with moments of experiential learning as well as teacher directed instruction. At times, children work in collaborative groups, at other times they will work independently. Often, the curriculum will sprout from the children’s interest. This is balanced by a teacher-designed curriculum that focuses on the skills and content students need to be competent and independent in their learning and to achieve high academic standards. Teachers at Mabin are skilled at choosing the best approach for a specific learning purpose.
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We believe that learning is a natural instinct. Children are born with an abundance of curiosity and desire to find out about the world. It is our duty to foster this internal motivation. Internal drive is more powerful and enduring than external motivation. Mabin teachers create an environment that fosters the development of motivated and self-directed learners who are committed to their own developmentm, as well as the growth and development of the larger community. Students at The Mabin School work hard to achieve personal academic excellence because they love to learn. With guidance from their teachers, they assess their learning and set goals for improvement.
Lastly, at Mabin we believe that life is enriched by having an optimistic and playful perspective. We strive to make the Mabin community a place where all members — children, parents and teachers, feel a part of a large and caring community, where they are able to learn in a joyful, creative, energetic, and dynamic way.
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