The Kumara Approach

We value children's positive attitude toward learning and school. We know that children learn best when they feel intellectually stimulated, well cared for physically and loved by their peers and teachers. Good learning is built on relationships: the teachers' to children, the children's to each other, and both the children's and teachers' to the concepts and ideas that are their focus.

Kumara School's philosophy is socially focused and based on the constructivist style of education. Teachers support children constructing knowledge by presenting and encouraging opportunities for deep exploration of subjects, promoting questioning, teaching problem solving skills and nourishing expression, creativity and wonder. Teachers use children's interests and the ideas of developmentally appropriate practice to create play-based, meaningful curriculum that involves the whole child.

The Kumara approach is influenced by many important psychologists, educators, theorists and traditions. The work of Jean Piaget, John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Howard Gardener, Maria Montessori and Rudolph Steiner have helped form our understanding of developmental capabilities and how children learn. The educational styles that have inspired us include: Open Classroom, Montessori, Waldorf, Constructivism and the Reggio Emilia Approach. As a group of experienced educators, we bring our own styles to Kumara and influence each other with our ideas and our work.

At Kumara, learning is not just for the children. As teachers, we consider our job to be learning about children, learning about each individual child and learning about how children learn. It is our habit to study our work with the children and in so doing reveal our own process as teachers and question and improve our teaching. The physical space, materials and teaching style are all designed to promote and support the development of positive feelings and attitudes towards learning.