At Willow Wind, our approach to education focuses on the fundamental belief that students should ‘buy in’ to their own learning. Students are capable of great things and all children should be active participants in their own education. As part of their instructional approach, teachers emphasize:

• Education for Sustainability is learning that links knowledge, inquiry, and action to help students build a healthy future for their communities and the planet. Students can use what they learn to make the world a better place.

• Outdoor Education: Teachers use the outdoors as part of their classroom and students can explore the natural world right on the campus. Integrated curriculum requires students to use their core academic skills (reading, writing, math) to learn about the outside world whether it is journaling by the creek, measuring in the garden or reading under the willow tree. Willow Wind’s property is a richly layered outdoor environment that strengthens local ecological systems while providing place-based, hands-on learning resources for children and youth.

• Growth Mindset is the understanding that talent and intelligence can grow with practice, effort, and experience. Students with a growth mindset embrace challenges. They view obstacles and even mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. They know they can develop their abilities through hard work, persistence, and asking for help when needed. Growth mindset empowers students to take risks and keep trying until they learn and improve.

• Collaborative Learning Groups: Learners work with each other on projects, where they must collaborate as a group to understand the concepts. Through defending their positions, reframing ideas and listening to others viewpoints, learners will gain a more complete understanding as a group than they could as individuals. This also supports viewing diversity as an asset and effective teamwork across differences.

• Inquiry-based learning emphasizes the student's role in the learning process. Rather than the teacher telling students what they need to know, students are encouraged to explore the material, ask questions, and share ideas.