Elementary Introduction
Introduction
When the Shambhala Elementary School (now Hydrostone Academy) began in 1999, the founding teachers were trained and mentored, for several years, in the principals and application of the Enki curriculum which the founding teachers selected as their core curriculum. They recognized it as being an ideal match for their vision of the Elementary School. The Enki approach was very much in line with the pillars of the school with its focus on: storytelling, arts education, contemplative approaches, culturally sustaining curriculum, fostering community, and outdoor and nature-based education. The Enki curriculum was founded by Beth Sutton, a former Waldorf teacher, who was inspired by Waldorf approaches in the design of her new curriculum; she also worked to ensure that a global approach to storytelling was at the core of Enki curriculum, and she gathered the brain research that demonstrated the measurable benefits of the type of education upon which the Enki curriculum was founded.
The ultimate goal of the Enki curriculum is to foster the students’ wisdom and vitality. This is achieved through:
- creating an uplifting school and classroom environment. Classrooms often contain plants and flowers and decor focuses on the use of natural materials, rather than plastics.
- noting, marking, and celebrating the rhythms of the school day, school week, the months, seasons, and school year
- presenting curriculum that mirrors the students’ developmental stage
- making storytelling and story recall a major part of the curriculum
- adult modeling of wisdom, vitality, and classroom expectations
- presenting a curriculum that serves the body, heart, and mind
- presenting a curriculum that promotes unity and diversity
- working with the students’ energy
- bringing learning ‘to life’, through hands-on activities and embodiment of the curriculum
- providing opportunities for creativity through fine art, drama, music, movement, cooking, and handwork in various aspects of the curriculum
Although none of the founding teachers now teach at Hydrostone Academy, we stay true to these goals. These goals, along with the Hydrostone Academy Framework document, and the Nova Scotia Public School Framework documents, form the basis of our curriculum.
