Living Wisdom School

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The Living Wisdom School serves children from preschool through 8th grade through the lens of Education for Life, a holistic educational model dedicated to bringing out the best in each child through a balanced curriculum and supportive, nurturing environment.

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Our Students:

  • 46 students total, with 7 to 12 students maximum in each classroom
  • Ages range from Preschool (3 1/2 years) to 8th grade (14 years)
  • Students are arranged in five levels:
  • Pre-K (ages 3 1/2 - 5),
    Kindergarten, Primary (ages 6-8), Intermediate (ages 9-11),
    and Middle School (ages 11-14)

  • Students and their families form a diverse and vibrant school community

Our Teachers:
Living Wisdom School teachers are experienced, holistically-minded educators who see teaching as a spiritual practice. Dedicated to bringing out the best in each of their students, our teachers foster balanced learning and development, a strong sense of self and community, cooperation, patience, curiosity, and learning based on the interests and needs of their students. Teachers inspire children with their unique creativity and interests.

  • The preschool program has a lead teacher, and an assistant teacher with a maximum of 7 students in each class.
  • The elementary program has a lead teacher with maximum of 12 students in each class, and weekly specialty teachers in Music, Art, Dance, Spanish, and Physical Education. Classes are mixed ages.

Read more about our Teachers here.

"The very essence of love, nurturing, acceptance, caring, kindness and thoughtfulness seems to be imbued in each teacher's character and is in turn bestowed upon our children. Our children are truly blessed." -T.B., father of a 4th grader

Our Curriculum:
Our student-centered curriculum is experiential, holistic, flexible, and based on students' interests to bring traditional academic subjects alive. Often a unit of study is born out of a moment of inspiration when curiosity, interest, and enthusiasm are ignited.

Our main curriculum areas are:

  • Personal Development
  • Self-Expression and Communication
  • Understanding People, Cooperation, Our Earth/Our Universe
  • Wholeness

curriculum-areas

Our School Day:

Preschool for 3 1/2 year olds and early 4 year olds: Tuesday and Thursday, 9 am to 12 pm
Preschool for 4 to 5 year olds: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 am to 1 pm
Kindergarten Class: Tuesday - Friday, 9 am to 1 pm
Primary Class: Monday - Friday, 8:45 am to 2:45 pm
Intermediate and Upper Elementary Classes: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 3 pm


Our Philosophy-Education for Life
The goal of education is the same as the goal of life: to help children become, on every level - heart, mind, body, and spirit - more balanced, mature, effective, harmonious, and happy. Underlying all of our academic efforts is the understanding that relaxed, joyful children make the best learners.

Education for Life is a philosophy of holistic education that emphasizes experiential learning, spiritual development, and practical skills for living. These practical skills, such as concentration, self-discipline, and compassion, lead to achieving this goal of joyful and relaxed learners.

The fundamentals of the philosophy are described in the book Education for Life, by J. Donald Walters. One of the core principles of Education for Life is the understanding that there are four tools we have within us to explore, learn, grow, and experience the world. We work to cultivate these four tools in each child:

  • the physical body
  • the heart's feelings
  • our dynamic will power
  • and the intellect

Each tool should be developed and used in a balanced, harmonious way. Each is drawn on more strongly during different periods of childhood development and within each individual child. Education for Life has been used as the model for Living Wisdom Schools for over 30 years, and every school uniquely expresses the same proven principles. For more information visit: edforlife.org






Day Camp
July 23-27 is our Yoga Camp (ages 6 to 10 years) and our Joyful Heart Camp (ages 3 1/2 to 5 years).

Yoga Camp: 9:30 AM - 2 PM
Join our primary and intermediate teachers for days filled with yoga, games, creative handcrafts, cooking and swimming. This camp has a waitlist every year, so please register early.

Joyful Heart Camp: 10 AM - 1 PM
Through stories, songs, movement, art, yoga, and play children learn about their higher selves. We have fun while we practice loving kindness. Led by our pre-school and kindergarten staff.


Rose portrait
Rose Neal
Director
Rose has worked with children most of her life. After 18 years of working as a registered nurse, she changed careers to follow her dream of bringing spiritual principles into education and family life. In addition to nursing, she has a background in teaching both children and adults in community settings as well as running businesses related to health and healing. She has been with Living Wisdom School since 2007

office@livingwisdomportland.org

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