Issue #2: Back to School! (Part 2 of 2)
the "new Sula" and Journey edition
In Part 1 of this Issue we said good bye to Casa Sula and looked at it’s history, now let’s look into the future. Two international schools are present in the Machuca Valley: “new Sula”(name pending) and Journey. Here we try to get a sense of these two schools and where they are at present moment.
The “New Sula”
In January of 2024, a new school will open in place of Casa Sula. It will be on the same grounds with partially same staff, but it will be under completely new leadership with a different learning model and likely a number of new teachers. The name of the new school is still pending and expected to be announced sometime in the New Year. As it is a new school, not a lot is known about it, but I sat down with Simon who is part of the new leadership team. Let’s start with his own description of this school:
This learning center is a place focused on the benefit of children. We trust how working with children can have an amazing impact in communities and in the world. The essence of our approach is: we want to honor the potential of each children and learner. We know that we have to nourish their own ability to connect with the best in themselves, but we know we have to complement that with the connection with community and we know that we have to nourish a sense of caring for themselves, for others and for the world. So for that, we have an approach that honors three different things:
The first one is Purpose-Driven learning. We have to make sure that we connect learning with something that’s really important for children. We have to connect to things that they’re really passionate about and that’s very powerful.
The second one is respect of uniqueness. We have to honor the beautiful uniqueness of each child here. Honoring that will make them really flow into their best potential and that connects us with the third one:
Potentiating talents and capacities. If we have the Purpose-Driven Learning, the respect of uniqueness, we really have the best settings for nourishing and really amplifying their natural talents and capacities so that they can really express themselves in the best way for their lives.
That sounds nice doesn’t it? But there is a challenge with this description, it doesn’t quite talk about the “how” and that’s been something that this new school has been struggling with, communicating exactly what the school would look like. Partially thats because it doesn’t yet exist, and partially because the usual labels of “Child-directed, projected based learning Montesorri inspired with Waldorf and Reggio Emilia influences” don’t quite apply here. That’s very intentional, the goal here is not to re-create “yet another alternative school”, the goal here is to try and create something truly unique and revolutionary. Yes, it will certainly have influences of those known alternative education modalities, but at the same time it will try to break out of those labels.
But let’s try to get some specifics that we do know. There will be no usual structure with hourly subject-based classes. There will be no “standard curriculum” that a teacher somehow teaches to the kids. Kids will be organized by mixed-age groups and will have a fluid structure in the day where they can play, work on individual and group projects and yes, study too. In fact the school is expected to be MEP certified which is the Costa Rican educational standard and implies that kids will have to pass an exam in order to graduate. In place of curriculum there will be “learning objectives” which will be unique per child and the approach of reaching those objectives will also vary from one child to another.
Perhaps the best way to get a feel for the new school is to outline an imaginary journey that a fictitious child would potentially go through:
Terra is a 10-year old girl, who is creative and likes drawing. One day, a companion notices that she is drawing house floor plans, probably inspired by her parents interest in building their dream home. Companion recognizes that this child seems to be interested in architecture, and decides to nurture that interest by engaging with her in that activity. Through that engagement, the adult learned what is it about this activity that interests her, and then started building a learning plan how to deepen that engagement.
First by identifying which learning objectives exist for Terra and how they could be tied to this activity of drawing floor plans. Second by providing inspiration to deepen her interest in this subject. Perhaps they look at inspiring architecture to see what has been built throughout the world, or they identify an expert who is passionate about architecture and bring that expert in. Eventually there might be a project that emerges out of this interest, from something simple like “lets design and build a chicken coop” to something more complicated like “lets design and build a school”(an actual activity children will participate in).
Throughout this journey the companion makes sure that this interest and resulting projects are a vehicle Terra is using to reach her learning objectives. At the same time, the companion will look for opportunities to marry Terra’s interest with other kids so that a group project may emerge that they can work on together.
This made-up example is limited in many ways, but it gives a sense of what the new school is trying to be. The natural question emerges is how is this different from traditional Project-Based Learning? Simon tries to answer:
We use project-based learning, but we avoid that expression as it normally doesn't honor the power of a project in the sense that a project is to achieve something that I connect with. And it's giving me the chance to use my own talents and my knowledge to achieve that. So we're trying to avoid that specific expression. We're using more purpose-driven learning. Community-nourished learning, curiosity-fueled learning, and that uses the format of projects to give a line of action in that sense. So from the purest, from the original definition of project-based learning, we could say yes, but it is so wrongly used that we don't want to fall into that perception.
Aside from Academics, there is of course a big social/emotional component as well. For those familiar with Sula will no doubt remember their conflict-resolution philosophy, here is Simon’s take on the general principle of conflicts management:
The key there is awareness in the key moment. If you wait and you just let things happen, When there's a big conflict, it's much more challenging. But when you help the kids to recognize when things are starting, like stop for a moment and pay attention to what's happening here, what are you feeling in regard to this? What do you think it's happening there in this person with what's happening at the moment? It's very natural, because we human beings at the end, I do feel that we human beings are good people at the end.
Honoring that moment with attention, not with drama, not with, but like, okay, let's just pay attention to this and let's together reflect on what would be the best way to go through this. What I have seen is that that empowers a lot kids and children. To really manage conflictive situations. It's not that you move away from them, like you escape, like, oh, there's gonna be a conflict, I'm gonna run away. No, no, no, it's like, okay, let's see what's happening. That's what's the best way to go through this.
That implies a lot of self-connection. A lot of development of understanding your emotions, the needs behind the emotions, both in yourself and in others. And learning and helping them to expand their emotional language. This feels good, this feels bad. No, what are you really feeling? So when you recognize that there's a feeling that's showing you that there's a need behind, then you work in the strategy to solve that.
Talking to Simon, one gets a sense that he has a deep understanding of the human condition and a real passion for this project which he ultimately sees as a vehicle for betterment of humanity.
The Bottom Line
There is a lot of promise in the new school, in addition to the above, it is well resourced with very serious investors behind it, which means they can afford to bring in the best staff that they can find, even if that means financial losses in the early days. In some ways “failure is not an option”, because the ultimate success of ESM and the broader EcoVilla network initiative rests on there being a viable and successful alternative school as that is a key requirements for those with children. In the near-term, for those that were attending Casa Sula, that either means “trusting the process”, a phrase thrown around quite a bit here and continuing with the new school even though everyone recognizes that early days will be challenging and not a lot is known, or alternatively, a number of families are choosing another option which either means going to Journey or Green Valley(a more traditional bi-lingual school in Atenas), going out of the area to some other school(there are a number of options in the country), forming a home-based school pod or just plain old homeschooling. The broad consensus however is that the new school will likely be successful and unique in its own way, but it will take some time to emerge.
Journey - a viable alternative
First lets pause for a second and consider how lucky we are to not only live in this beautiful valley but to have not one, but two great options of where to send our kids to for schooling. With a relatively modest population of under 100 or so families with children in the Valley, having 2 schools is a blessing.
In January 2022, Cristina was looking for a viable schooling option for her children and Sula was not a good fit. She gathered a group of about 8 parents for an exploratory trip to Tamarindo to visit Journey School of Costa Rica there. I was on that trip. We visited a successful school there which was established in 2018 by Christa Niven with a vision to provide a unique educational experience rooted in project-based and social emotional learning. Christa is no stranger to educational world, having previously owned and operated schools in the States. We toured the school, seen some classes in action and even spoke to a few parents. The school felt fairly American / traditional in nature with classes and worksheets and teachers teaching materials with quite a bit use of technology. This was something that resonated with many parents on that trip and decision was made to open up Journey School in San Mateo as a franchise of the main Tamarindo location.
From here, I’ll let the school introduce itself:
The franchise officially opened its doors in September 2022, offering a comprehensive education for students ranging from 3 to 18 years old.
The franchise in San Mateo aimed to replicate the success of the original school, fostering a project-based and social emotional learning environment that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and holistic development in students.
To further enhance the credibility and quality of education offered, Journey School of Costa Rica pursued accreditations from multiple organizations. The school was accredited by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and Cognia, demonstrating its commitment to meeting rigorous educational standards. Additionally, the acquisition of the International Baccalaureate (IB) accreditation in December of 2023 reflects the school's dedication to providing a globally recognized and well-rounded educational experience.
The origin and expansion of Journey School of Costa Rica exemplify a vision for progressive education that transcends borders and responds to the needs of different communities. The franchise in San Mateo, founded in 2022, continues the legacy of its predecessor, offering quality education and contributing to the growth of a diverse and vibrant learning community.
The San Mateo campus of Journey School of Costa Rica not only brought a unique educational experience to the community but also embraced diversity in its student body. Approximately 40% of the San Mateo campus is composed of Costa Rican nationals, reflecting the school's commitment to inclusivity and cultural integration.
This demographic composition highlights the school's success in establishing itself as an educational institution that caters to both local and international students. The intentional inclusion of Costa Rican nationals further fosters a sense of community and collaboration, enriching the educational environment with a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.
At Journey School, differentiation is more than just an educational strategy; it’s a heartfelt commitment to nurturing our vibrant learning community. We believe in tailoring instruction to honor the unique journey of each student, ensuring that everyone feels seen, valued, and engaged.
Our approach to differentiation revolves around four core dimensions, guided by a spirit of collaboration, continuous assessment, and a deep sense of community:
1. Content: At Journey School, we understand that learning is a personal adventure. That’s why we personalize what students need to learn and how they access this knowledge. We want our students to be excited about what they’re learning, and our teachers work tirelessly to make sure the material is not only relevant but also captivating for each student.
2. Process: Learning should be a joyous exploration. We embrace diverse learning styles and approaches, ensuring that the learning process is as unique as our students. Through creative and dynamic teaching methods, we inspire a love for learning in every student.
3. Products: At Journey School, we celebrate the creative spirit of our students. Culminating projects are more than just assessments; they are opportunities for our students to express themselves and apply what they’ve learned in ways that truly resonate with their interests and goals.
4. Learning Environment: Our classrooms are more than just physical spaces; they are nurturing environments where each student can thrive. We take great care in creating an atmosphere where students feel comfortable, motivated, and supported by their peers and teachers alike.
At the heart of our approach lies the concept of flexible grouping, which reflects our strong sense of community. We encourage students to collaborate, share, and learn from one another. Whether in homogeneous or heterogeneous groups, student or teacher-selected, we believe that working together enriches the learning experience. Flexible grouping also offers room for independent work, fostering independence and self-motivation.
However, what truly sets us apart at Journey School is our unwavering commitment to quality education. To ensure the success of differentiation, we take pride in:
1. Designing a curriculum that captures the essence of each discipline, focusing on what truly matters.
2. Crafting lessons, activities, and projects that challenge students, encouraging them to explore, apply, and understand essential concepts.
3. Providing materials and tasks that not only pique curiosity but also feel meaningful and relatable.
4. Creating an active and joyful learning environment where each student finds fulfillment in their educational journey.
Using project-based learning as our main teaching approach, our teachers provide opportunity for discovery and learning; and encourage active exploration and investigation; The “Gold Standard” is a comprehensive, research-informed model for PBL to help teachers, schools and organizations measure, calibrate and improve their practice. Our PBL learning is also supported by elective classes including music, art, woodshop, voice, robotics and physical education. After school clubs round out a full opportunity for kids to explore their passions both in and out of the classroom.
I visited Journey when they first opened and my family took another tour recently to see how they’ve progressed. With around 70 students enrolled in the school at the moment and two full time goat residents, they’ve come a long way! There are new structures, outside classrooms, great common areas and overall it feels like a “normal” alternative school, ie, not your traditional North American model, but something that took a few steps away from it with kids changing classrooms every period, project-based learning, frequent trips outside of school, active community engagement, good mix of local and ex-pat kids. The few parents I spoke to seem very happy with Journey. It was tricky to pin down the “soul” of the school, likely because I’m not close to it, but as we continue to explore the subject of education, perhaps one of the parents will volunteer and write about their experience as ultimately that’s what really matters.
So which school is right for you?
Hopefully above gave a bit of color on the two options, but important to note that this is a highly limited perspective. Ultimately, I would encourage any parent choosing a school to visit that school during normal hours of operation and observe. I say normal hours of operation because what you get from a website or from an open-house is very different from what actually happens in school. Not because the schools are dishonest, though sometimes the marketing is a bit too “optimistic”, but because there is a certain feeling you get from each school that is difficult to communicate in words, and that feeling can only be experienced by each individual family while they are in school’s regular environment.
Beyond the “new School” and Journey, some families are choosing Green Valley, a more traditional school in Atenas that is bi-lingual, in fact many of the older kids from La Ecovilla have been going there already. Closer to the area, there is also Santa Fe, a private school in Orotina that will have the most local-feeling. Others are choosing to homeschool or form small homeschool pods and on extremes moving further away, either towards Escazu with known successful alternatives such as True North and Bellelli, or further south towards Ojochal where Life Project Education has been blossoming over the last few years.
As the area continues to grow, there is easily room for 2 or even more schools in the area and each can easily be successful. I hope we can find opportunities to collaborate across schools and homeschooling families as that would truly bring out the best of what each has to offer.
Thanks for reading! Education, Schooling and Parenting are big topics for many in the valley, if you’re feeling called to do a deep dive on either education or parenting that is relevant to the broader Machuca Valley, we’d love to talk to you, reach out or submit an article below.