As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, the greatest benefit of the ateliers for La Scuola students is that they provide them ample space to develop their ideas and become confident in tackling the unknown.  What is the Atelier? The atelier is a laboratory of sorts; a place full of a variety of materials, mediums and tools that allow students to further their inquiries, explore new ideas, and express themselves. “I making an ice cream” – Paris, age 3Painting with watered down clay The atelierista plays a key and unique role in the overall curriculum, collaborating with our teachers to ..read more

On February 21st, over 70 educators from around California visited our campus to participate in our Innovative Teacher Project Roundtable, and learn how our teachers use technology in the classroom with different age groups. It was a wonderful day and a very successful educational event. We are very proud of our team of faculty and staff! Heather Morado, Director of the ITP, said that this was the best roundtable she had attended. Other educators in attendance said that they were inspired, surprised and were very complimentary of the competence, enthusiasm and presentation skills o ..read more

As a parent with a newly enrolled child at La Scuola, I’ve wholeheartedly embraced the concept and ideals of student-led project-based learning, but admittedly have struggled to fully understand exactly how that translates into a real-world education. These recent Notes from the Atelier are an excellent example of how a project begins, develops and manifests into the kind of thoughtful observation, inquiry and hands-on problem-solving that creates independent thinkers. The post Notes from the Atelier: Bringing the Past to Life appeared first on La Scuola SF ..read more

The greatest benefit of the Ateliers for La Scuola students is that they provide them ample space to develop their ideas and become confident in tackling the unknown. Our students speak the language of art – it is one more tool they have to express themselves. The Reggio Emilia pedagogy considers a student’s environment to be a principal factor in how they learn. It is often referred to as ‘the third teacher’, because it is designed intentionally to inspire curiosity, creativity, and joy. If a space is beautiful and engaging, students and teachers are more engaged in the process of constructi ..read more

Summer Camp fun at La Scuola International San Francisco Let me introduce you to Alice Zini, who just happens to be one of our Summer Camp instructors this week at La Scuola International School’s Mission campus. I was able to sit down with her for an impromptu interview and learn what brought her to San Francisco and to our school, and what motivates and inspires her!  And, quite frankly . . . how does a young woman from Modena, Italy, even go about getting a job at an International IB World School in San Francisco for only a few weeks in the summer! When first meeting Alice, I immediate ..read more

The hundred languages are the endless number of children’s potentials, their ability to wonder and to inquire. The hundred languages remind us that there are multiple ways of seeing and multiple ways of being. The internationally acclaimed educational excellence of the preschools and infant-toddler centers of Reggio Emilia now shares with the city some of its distinctive features: an aptitude for inquiry, a warmth of welcome, care for spaces and the relationships that form within them. The post The 100 Languages of Children appeared first on La Scuola SF ..read more

Something that strikes me each time I walk into a classroom at La Scuola is the beautiful natural light that streams through the windows. It connects me to the life and nature that is intentionally brought into the spaces of our school to remind students, teachers and staff the importance of nature, and of being open and connected to our environment that is always informing us. This natural light is reflective of the essence at the heart of our teaching style with the Reggio Approach. Through an approach of inquiry, wonder and discovery, we set out to lead children through an experience that ..read more

The Reggio Emilia approach to learning believes that children deserve to have beautiful environments in which to explore and learn. The Reggio Emilia approach has at its core a belief that children are born curious and competent and should be respected and celebrated; they are protagonists in their learning and are “co-constructors” of knowledge with peers, teachers, and parents serving as collaborators. Children deserve to have beautiful environments in which to explore and learn. Reggio Emilia philosophy evolved from the methods practiced in schools in Reggio Emilia, a town in northern Italy ..read more

Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, visits La Scuola International School. In September, on the first day of school in Italy, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his ministers fanned out all over Italy to open the school day to reinforce his commitment to education reform in Italy.  On Monday, September 22, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made a very important stop during his brief visit to San Francisco and Silicon Valley — he went to school at La Scuola Internazionale di San Francisco! Accompanied by Italian Ambassador to U.S. H.D. Claudio Bisogniero and SF Italian Consul General Maur ..read more