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OUR PILLARS

Escola Concept has four main pillars that guide the teaching and learning practices within the community.

COLLABORATION

Escola Concept developed its curriculum with the partnership of many remarkable people and institutions from the U.S., Finland, Corea, and Switzerland. They helped to evolve the Reading and Writing Workshop and Illustrative Maths programs, as well as the Innovation Diploma. 

As the only affiliated school for the Habits of Mind Institute (U.S.) in Latin America, Escola Concept uses the "habits of mind" to support the development of learners' socio-emotional skills. 

The consultancy of Mark Church (Harvard/ Project Zero) framed the Escola Concept Culture of Thinking. Learners are encouraged to make questions and connections to extend their thinking.

SUSTAINABILITY

100% of the projects are connected to one of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals, also known as Global Goals. Learners explore local and global challenges.

50% of the projects result in a prototype or final product to be presented at the Festival of Learning.

Our Honor Code has a sustainable approach and is very simple yet powerful: Respect for Yourself, Respect for Others, Respect for the Environment. 
 

DIGITAL FLUENCY

Learners visit our Maker Space every week, where they search for solutions to challenges, use a great variety of digital platforms, and prototype with physical materials and tools.  The Maker Space is part of the FAB LAB Network, led by MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Escola Concept is the only international partner for d.tech high, California, one of the most innovative schools in the world, founded by Stanford Alumni. Their design thinking methodology inspired the Innovation Diploma we offer.

Our three Escola Concept schools are among the 17 Brazilian Apple Distinguished Schools. That means in practice to train educators and exchange experience with a network of 535 schools in 32 countries. 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

All age groups have weekly Design Thinking classes that bring a problem-solving and hands-on perspective to learning. To find project and "final products" examples, search the Festival of Learning website. 

Starting in Middle School, the program includes moments named TED-Ed Clubs, Build Your Own Start-up  and Pathways/ Service Learning.

During High School, learners can document their projects to get the Global Citizen Diploma and will complete the AP Capstone Diploma, valued by colleges across the United States and around the world. This combination of opportunities is offered in less than 10 schools worldwide.

16 HABITS OF MIND

At Escola Concept we strive to develop mindful, caring, and joyful citizens who are committed to their personal growth, the growth of others, and the growth of their community.

The set of 16 problem-solving strategies called the "Habits of Mind" are used as a foundation to support this positive mindset that permeates our community of learners.

1. PERSISTING
Stick to the task at hand;
Persevere through to completion;
Remain focused.
2. Managing Impulsivity

Take time to consider available options;
Think before speaking or acting;
Remain calm when stressed or challenged;
Thoughtful and considerate of others;
Proceed carefully.

3. LISTENING WITH UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY

Pay attention to and do not dismiss another person's thoughts, feelings, and ideas;
Make an effort to perceive another's point of view and emotions;
Tell others when you can relate to what they are expressing;
Hold thoughts at a distance in order to respect another's point of view and feelings.

4. THINKING FLEXIBLY

Be able to change perspective;
Consider another's input;
Generate alternatives;
Consider options.

5. THINKING ABOUT YOUR THINKING (METACOGNITION)

Be aware of own thoughts, feelings, intentions, and actions;
Know what you do and say affects others;
Be willing to consider the impact of choices on yourself and others.

6. STRIVING FOR ACCURACY

Check for errors;
Measure at least twice;
Nurture a desire for exactness, fidelity & craftsmanship.

7. QUESTIONING AND PROBLEM POSING

Ask yourself: “How do I know?”;
Develop a questioning attitude;
Consider what information is needed, choose strategies to get that information;
Consider the obstacles needed to resolve.

8. APPLYING PAST KNOWLEDGE TO NEW SITUATIONS

Use what you learn;
Consider prior knowledge and experience;
Apply knowledge beyond the situation in which it was learned.

9. THINKING AND COMMUNICATING WITH CLARITY AND PRECISION

Strive to be clear when speaking and writing;
Strive to be accurate when speaking and writing;
Avoid over-generalizations, distortions, minimizations and deletions when speaking, and writing.

10.GATHERING DATA THROUGH ALL SENSES

Stop to observe what you see;
Listen to what you hear;
Take note of what you smell;
Taste what you are eating;
Feel what you are touching.

11.CREATING, IMAGINING, INNOVATING

Think about how something might be done differently from the “norm”;
Propose new ideas;
Strive for originality;
Consider novel suggestions others might make.

12.RESPONDING WITH WONDERMENT AND AWE

Be intrigued by the world's beauty, nature's power and vastness of the universe;
Have regard for what is awe-inspiring and can touch your heart;
Be open to the little and big surprises in life; see others and yourself.

13.TAKING RESPONSIBLE RISKS

Be willing to try something new and different;
Consider doing things that are safe and sane even though new to you;
Face the fear of making mistakes or of coming up short and don’t let this stop me.

14.Finding Humor

Be willing to laugh appropriately;
Look for the whimsical, absurd, ironic and unexpected in life;
Laugh at yourself when you can.

15.THINKING INTERDEPENDENTLY

Be willing to work with others and welcome their input and perspective;
Abide by decisions the workgroup makes even if you disagree somewhat;
Be willing to learn from others in reciprocal situations.

16.REMAINING OPEN TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Be open to new experiences to learn from;
Be proud and humble enough to admit when you don't know;
Welcome new information on all subjects.

 

 

THINKING CULTURE

At Escola Concept, the slogan "Learning the meaning of learning" comes to life through the Thinking Culture. Learners are continuously stimulated to pose questions, develop their curiosities and share impressions.   

The approaches and techniques for teaching these skills are called Visible Thinking Routines. They began to be researched at Harvard's Project Zero and are taught to Concept's educators by one reference in the subject, Mark Church, the co-author of "Making Thinking Visible" (Harvard).

FIELDWORK EDUCATION

Escola Concept selected the most integrated, relevant, meaningful, and purposeful international curriculum that aligns with who we want our learners to be: happy, action-oriented, and inspired individuals who seek to better the world we live in.

Fieldwork Education provides our thinking and learning environments with three different curricula appropriate for the grade levels we serve: the International Early Years Curriculum (ages 2 to 5), the International Primary Curriculum (ages 5 to 11), and the International Middle Years Curriculum (ages 11 to 14). Fieldwork Education currently has an international presence in over 2,000 schools, distributed among 98 countries, with over 15,000 teachers.

 

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