Enthusiastic parents, ever evolving
Alexa, Victoire’s mom
« Victoire has made tremendous progress since she started at Living School! In her self-expression, her autonomy, her self-confidence…she is growing in peace, mainly thanks to this incredible scholastic environment. The team is smiling, dynamic, open, it’s a true joy, as much for Victoire (who says, “Yes!” every morning when it’s time to leave for school!) as for me, when I need an external viewpoint, a bit of coaching (for a single mom, it’s important!) – which is always available to me. I know that I have found the school that Victoire needed…thank you to all of you, for your personal investment, generosity and great sense of humor! »
Stéphanie, Léonard and Oscar’s mom
« A true teaching of life in a positive society, a teaching of empathy, of the recognizing one’s self. A true transmission of values to which we ourselves adhere, including tolerance, generosity, altruism, ecology, sensitivity, etc. Plus, the teachers exhibit such enthusiasm, such a communicative joy, that this school embodies for us the exactly ideal image of happiness that we wish for our child! »
Caroline, Gabriel’s mom
« You really make the difference, you have made the difference in the lives of 23 children this year an din the lives of the parents who were open to the vision of Living School (through parent workshops, parent workshops, and more parent workshops!). You know, the times in my life when I listened to my heart were always the best. Living School was a choice of the heart without hesitation and it has been, most evidently, the right one: you know the past year was very positive for Gabriel: he has rediscovered the joy in learning, because you gave him the desire to; Gabriel wanted to go to school in the morning, because you were there; Gabriel opened up and talked to me about his days at school, even those that were a bit tougher, because he felt that he could talk about them in security…For me, I took a moment for each parent workshop and I became aware of so many things in my life! Thank you.” »
Camille, Serena’s mom
« During the parent workshops, I truly felt the love that can exist when setting boundaries. This allowed me to clarify so much for myself, and to feel at ease with my tone of voice, and this works amazingly with Serena! It’s a true pleasure, daily, she listens to me like never before, and there is something truly peaceful in our relationship. I see that this helps her to grow. A real bonus! I feel so good with my “new authority,” I don’t feel that I am fumbling around anymore—it works. And yesterday, I had the surprise of seeing Serena put these techniques into practice with her own doll, in an improvised game, and I thought, “Wow! What justice in the tone she uses with her own doll, what fair authority!” It was an amazingly positive feedback to experience. »
Cristina, Mathias’s mom
« With my son, I had the tendency to evoke the famous, “you can do better,” without properly valorizing him for where he was at his tender age of 4. The success notebook that I learned about with Living School illuminated how just 5 minutes of attention can change the relationship between you and your child. At night, once home from work, always very speedy, I didn’t have time to talk with him. The first time that I did the success notebook with him, he was changed in 1 minute, and we spent a very calm evening together. Two things reassured him: the time and attention spent with his mom, and for the valorization of his success. Since then, often during the day, in the garden or elsewhere, he tells me, “Mom, we can put this with my successes!” »
Sabrina et Conan, Tiber and Sapphire’s parents :
« Hardly a day goes by that we do not reflect on some aspect of Living School, and think how fortunate we are that our son Tiber is in the school. The school cultivates a love of learning: learning is neither a chore nor an obligation, it’s something that happens naturally and joyfully as a side-effect of the children’s activities. For example, science experiments (such as those with worms) allow the children pursue their own hunger for knowledge: instead of being led by a teacher, the children ask their own questions and devise their own experiments to answer them.
We appreciate the holistic education our son Tiber is receiving: the yoga to tone body and mind, the emphasis on sustainable development and on being active citizens of our planet, the songs… and we love the fact that it’s the kids themselves who come up with the classroom rules – how empowering!That’s really treating the kids with respect!
We value the confidence and peace of mind that comes from knowing that the inevitable conflicts that will arise among the children will be handled in a way that helps children learn to express their feelings, develop self-confidence and communicate effectively. This savoir etre is at the core of the Living School philosophy, and rightly so: only if we are ease with ourselves and with others can we reach our full potential.
The teachers welcome our children with love, patience, and enthusiasm. For example, when Tiber was having difficulties, rather than labeling him “difficult” and dismissing him as such, his teachers shared with us their thoughts about his behavior, and we worked together to find solutions.
We are relieved to know that that no child at Living School will ever be insulted by his teachers (I wish this were the case in all schools!).
As parents, we feel like full partners in our son’s education. The sense of partnership comes from formal aspects of the school’s vision, such as the periodic meetings with teachers, and the workshops held for parents. It’s also reflected informally; parents can enter the classroom, accompany the class on outings, or offer creative workshops for the class.
Now, at the start of Tiber’s second year at Living School, we see a child who loves his school, his teachers, and his classmates and who is very excited about everything he is learning. Perhaps the simplest but most eloquent testimony to Living School is this: when Tiber sees a classmate of his fall or get hurt, he goes over to help them, and gives them the Living School special “loving backrub”. Knowing the importance of helping neighbour gives meaning and purpose to academic skills, and is probably the greatest treasure a school can impart.»
