Why & What We Do | Savage Learning Environment

We Support the Natural Flow of Learning

We believe that every human naturally possesses a wealth of mathematical knowledge and literacy skills, and that every learner is capable of extending their ideas. We are flexible with meeting them where they are and nudging them along in their flow. We honor the different ways that children participate in learning, and we take great responsibility and joy in positioning each of them as brilliant.

Unlike traditional teaching, we take the roles of facilitator, observer, guide, and thought partner. We give learners space, time, and respectful attention as we connect them with learning experiences that meet their interests and strengths. The learners lead the curriculum, we are the facilitators, and all of us are students and teachers.

Power With, Not Power Over

We know that powerful growth happens when learners listen and talk with each other. Our safe community structures allow us to enjoy:

Seeing ourselves and each other as intelligent thinkers, righteous community members, creative innovators and critical truth-seekers

Sharing and building upon each other's own rich knowledge in mathematics, literacy, geography, science, etc.

Digging into thought provoking tasks, ideas and conversations

Attending to our emotions and well-being

Connecting to the stories and the power of our people

We Let Learning Happen

Everything can be learned from anything. In each meeting, our facilitators offer invitations for deep learning (such as a particular piece of text or a mathematical task or a game), and then we pay close attention to the way that our learners think, the way they make connections and decisions, and the way they communicate through the task and the conversation.

From an art study, we might branch out into ourstory, mathematics, or journal writing. From a novel, we might be inspired to investigate the author's literary devices and vocabulary, or the history of a particular region, or the connections to song lyrics by an amazing artist, or the mathematics behind a character’s financial decision.

As facilitators, we observe and learn with the group, and we make intentional decisions about the questions and tasks that we offer next. As our meetings continue over time, our learners create unique webs of profound thinking and learning.