At every moment we are with the children, we aim to ask ourselves two questions, ‘What are we physically saying to the children?’ and ‘What psychological messages are we placing on the children?” The ethos of the Co-op is not based on academics, but rather
creating happy, healthy and confident children. We want the children to become aware that they have special gifts and instincts they need to follow, in order to develop the skills to contribute to the greater whole of society.
The Co-op is run by the children in a place that is governed by fair rules created to support the community. Each day, we connect as a group and everyone has the opportunity to put items on the agenda, and we get to talk about the topic and find solutions to any problems that may arise.
We are working with children to find and understand their own rhythms. The children snack and eat when they want as they listen to their bodies’ need for hunger rather than us. We believe understanding one’s own inner voices, ability to self regulate and knowing when to jump into academically challenging work or when to have a rest, will allow the children to know themselves. This will lead to a strong sense of self and acceptance in all areas of life, as they grow and develop.
At times, we switch into the work cycle. The children are encouraged to switch hats and become more serious learners. We are working on the children’s ability to make purposeful choices. They know they can choose what project they want to work on, what topic they want to research and have open discussions (as this is crucial to consolidating learning). The children are also gently encouraged to join other lessons or they can simply observe. It is amazing to see how children learn independently and start to develop when you give them an environment to do so.
We aim to create a space where children can maintain their natural tendencies as these are the important work humans do to grow, develop and connect. This includes fostering curiosity, caring for ourselves, others and the environment. Most of all we want to help the children be lovers of learning. With guidance and time, the children are helping to build the culture of the Co-op. We aim to build a culture of inclusivity, intrinsic learning, respect,
kindness, honesty, safety and fun.
