A Whole Child Approach

Humanity has four parts: heart, soul, mind, and body.  Together, these parts make a whole human being. As we consider the
development of children, we operate under one very simple idea: Develop the whole child—their emotional, spiritual,
intellectual, and physical well-being, nurturing each part at the right time and in the right season, not neglecting one part for
the sake of the other. When the whole child is cultivated, then, like a tree, they will blossom and bear good fruit. We achieve this by providing:

Goodness for their Heart
Beauty for their Soul
Truth for their Mind
Wellness for their Body
 

These are the pillars of our human existence, known through the experience of our daily lives. A whole education must
develop the whole child. 

A Picture of Human Flourishing 

* The heart requires goodness, which is the fruit of virtuous character. It encompasses all the benefits of love, joy, peace, patience, respect, compassion, gratitude, and generosity. Goodness is what our hearts yearn to experience from others; it is how we build and maintain healthy relationships. 

* The soul requires beauty, which is the experience of heaven on earth—a sense of the divine witnessed in reality. It not only makes life bearable, but worth living. Beauty is where we experience both awe and wonder and are inspired to create a world we long to see and be a part of.  

* The mind requires truth, which is factual knowledge about reality derived through the careful examination of life. Through the advancement of learning and the continual exercise of our intellect, we are able to understand ourselves and the world we live in, navigate and overcome obstacles, and derive our sense of meaning, purpose, and significance in life. 

* The body requires wellness, which encompasses all aspects of physical health and well-being, including nutrition, exercise, sleep, and other practices that build vitality and resilience. 

Through lived experience, we know that neglecting any aspect of our being—emotional, spiritual, intellectual, or physical—leads to problems. A neglected heart leads to broken relationships; a neglected soul leads to despair; a neglected mind struggles to overcome challenges; and a neglected body leads to disease. Only when our heart experiences the goodness of others can we build deep and meaningful relationships; only when our soul can experience beauty in the world do we find life worth living; only when our minds are knowledgeable and capable of discerning truth can we navigate the world and solve problems with both confidence and clarity; and only when our body is well are we free to live, move, and breathe. When all four parts are developed and working together, we will see a truly capable, firmly grounded individual who is ready and able to meet and transform the world—a strong and able body driven by goodness and beauty, guided by truth. This is a picture of human flourishing and what we aim to achieve.

Wondergarten

When I found the Wondergarten curriculum, I just fell in love. This curriculum was developed by another family child care provider and it just aligns with my personal views and values. If you would like to know more about Wondergarten, please visit their website at: wondergarten.net.


To learn more about what we do each month, please click the buttons in the left column.