What is The Native School?
The Native School is a fully outdoor, place-based forest school offering preschool and kindergarten programs that draw inspiration from the Scandinavian Forest School model and the Reggio Emilia approach. Our educational philosophy emphasizes inquiry, exploration, and student self-determination, allowing children to thrive in a dynamic learning environment. By integrating California State Standards of Education and the Creative Curriculum, we ensure that our students receive a comprehensive foundation for their educational journey.
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At The Native School, the natural environment is considered the third teacher, providing countless opportunities for discovery and hands-on learning. Our dedicated teachers serve as facilitators and supporters, guiding children through engaging experiences that spark curiosity and foster a love for learning. Students engage with the world around them, developing essential skills in math, language, literacy, science, and social-emotional learning while navigating the rich tapestry of their outdoor classroom.
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Our diverse team goes beyond traditional outdoor activities, creating emergent learning opportunities tailored to each child's interests and discoveries. This approach ignites participation and enthusiasm, empowering students to become confident explorers and experts in their own world. As they build connections with their environment, children cultivate a lifelong passion for education and a deep appreciation for nature.
Our Program Ethos
100% Outdoors
Emergent Curriculum
Reggio Inspired
Our school was founded on a strong passion for outdoor learning and the Reggio Emilia inspired belief that children possess a hundred languages, meaning countless ways of thinking, expressing, comprehending, and witnessing through their environment and observations. Our students actively engage in the balance of autonomy, self-determination, and empowerment as they learn from their own powerful inquiries. Student interests become the vehicle for developmental and educational standards to be embedded and integrated as teachers facilitate deeper understanding, becoming the catalyst to a genuine love for learning. Teachers utilize their roles as scaffolders, offering guidance and assistance while also honoring each students’ emergent learning process. Students are challenged to problem solve beyond their current abilities, fostering confidence in their emerging skills and honoring the extraordinary potentials of their hundred languages.
