Our MISSION
The ALL School provides students with the tools and opportunities to begin to unveil, realize, and actualize their true potential, as people and as students, through the pillars of RESPECT, EMPOWERMENT, MINDFULNESS, GRIT, and ACHIEVEMENT.
The Martha T Price Academic Life Laboratory is a place for young humans to research and experiment with Life. We offer a prepared environment for learning following the philosophy and pedagogy of Dr. Maria Montessori. Children are the center of their own educational experience. Using the core curriculum standards of education, we help scaffold academic and personal foundations upon which our students can build future success in and out of the classroom. Lessons are centered around the presentation of abstract concepts using concrete materials to solidify learning. Small groups, individualized practice, and group projects all contribute to the development of the whole child, while opportunities to explore passions and interests inspire lifelong learning. We are not an “alternative school”, we are ALLternative outcomes.
PILLARS
RESPECT
Inside and out, Respect is the driving force for how we encourage our students to interact with their environment. Starting with self-respect we build a foundation of strength and consideration which grows into respect for peers, adults, materials, and the external world. Our respect for the child is dynamic, both allowing and guiding experiences as valuable to a unique growth and maturation of each individual, as well as directly and indirectly to the group. As Dr. Montessori stated, “We must respect the child and he must understand that he is respected. He needs to be prepared for everything that is going to be done for him.”
EMPOWERMENT
A core outcome of the Montessori experience, our goal is for the students to be and feel empowered. Choices are made, paths are taken, and each comes with its own set of challenges, consequences, and rewards. There is nothing more important in the early stages of child development than giving each child a chance to feel like an expert, like a mentor, and like an accomplished contributing member of a community. Constant awareness of the responsibilities that come along with empowerment are key to these experiences, not only for personal growth but for the knowledge to pass along to others as well. Students are pushed to explore their interests and bring that wisdom back to the classroom. Speaking in front of the class, giving presentations, and even occasionally hearing that their effort may not have been their best are all aspects of the journey to becoming an empowered student and person. We are always encouraging our children to go above and beyond not only what is expected, but what they may think they are capable of.
MINDFULNESS
According to the Mayo Clinic, “mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.” We don’t want our students to miss the opportunities of Experience by not fully experiencing them. Creating an awareness of and developing tools to manage responses to stimuli is a key to performing above and beyond expectations as a person. Students are frequently asked to investigate their feelings, their choices, and their consequences to garner a better understanding of how every moment can work to their advantage. In a world of frequent unpredictability, we help foster a feeling of “calm in chaos” through everyday occurrences.
GRIT
More than just a part of self-help lexicon, Grit is a daily demand of ALL students. From challenging work to difficult conversations, both natural and contrived scenarios enhance experience and resilience to harden children with composure and confidence to handle whatever life may present. As the proverb goes, we “prepare the child for the road”; obstacles are expected, anticipated, and welcomed as an opportunity to test mettle. This is often the weakest pillar upon arrival. But with positive support from staff, peers, and family, Grit becomes one of the most valuable rewards of The ALL School experience.
ACHIEVEMENT
Following Montessori pedagogy is the key to building a successful foundation for all of our students. The Montessori Method is scientifically-based on the cognitive and physical development of children. Dr. Montessori scaffolded experiential learning specifically to defined stages, providing an environment full of opportunity. The personal abilities and interests contribute to Cosmic Learning, which weaves different aspects of the core curriculum together. At The ALL School, this sets the tone for learning while students are also faced with individualized demands to pursue their full potential. Achievement is defined differently for every child at every different stage of education, and frequently, differently from day-to-day. Students are constantly pushed to unlock new levels of achievement, personally and academically.