Our Vision, Our Purpose
A Lifetime of Curiosity
We are dedicated to a progressive, holistic approach to teaching, learning, and living. Our enthusiastic and supportive educators share a singular vision: to help our students to discover their passions, follow their curiosity, and carve their own path towards a lifetime of learning. We equip our students with the intellectual, emotional, and creative tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.
The Ecole Vision
Using the principles of progressive education, we set our students on the path of lifelong learning. We are convinced that young people do best when they are invested in and engaged with their own learning. We believe that students are motivated by the intrinsic reward of discovery. We understand that each person follows their own individual growth trajectory. We are committed to guiding learners on the path toward becoming who they are.
Our School
The Ecole d’Humanité is a small, progressive, holistic, international boarding school. We are a supportive and engaged community of lifelong learners committed to the values of cooperation, global-mindedness, and closeness to nature. We develop creative strengths, the readiness for engagement in society, and the assumption of responsibility. We are a Not-for-Profit Organization serving students from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Supporting A Lifetime of Learning
The Ecole is continually reimagining what education can be. Our Leadership Team and our Board of Directors support and guide our community on the journey of learning for a lifetime.
At the Ecole d’Humanité, we are dedicated to progressive education and the pursuit of life-long learning.
Nearly a century ago, the Ecole d’Humanité was born out of a desire to reshape the educational landscape and encourage young people to carve their own path towards becoming fully actualized individuals. Today, our purpose is to guide Ecolianers along a holistic path towards growth, setting the stage for a lifetime of learning, creativity, and discovery.
A Progressive Pedagogy
At the center of our school’s pedagogy is the insight that each person, and each person's individual development, are unique. No two students will follow the same path, and we are focused on supporting each individual student along their unique journey towards becoming who they are.
Our model of progressive education draws heavily from the early 20th works of thinkers such as Martin Wagenschein, Ruth Cohn, and Paul Geheeb, our founder. While our pedagogical origin is rooted in history, our approach to teaching is fundamentally modern, and in line with the latest developments in educational theory. Ecole teachers draw inspiration from Theme-Based Learning, Project-Based Learning, constructivism, and practices such as narrative feedback.
We understand that teenagers and children are motivated to learn when they are engaged with the subject matter and given agency to shape their learning journey. Deep learning comes when young people can follow their own curiosity and joy in discovery, when they experience themselves as valuable and important members of a community, and when they feel secure enough to let themselves unfold and fulfill their potential.
"Become who you are": Paul Geheeb founded our school upon this imperative. When young people recognize their own potential by seeing it mirrored back to them by teachers and peers, they come to understand who they are and who they could become.
The Ecole Mission
The Ecole d'Humanité delivers a holistic education for its students. We support and promote academic and social competencies. We develop creative strengths, the readiness for engagement in society, and the assumption of responsibility. In our international community the values of global mindedness and openness to others are lived out every day.
We Believe:
Diversity of background, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, viewpoints, and learning style enhance our community.
Learning by doing develops self-awareness and a feeling of self-worth, and leads to a deepening understanding of the subject.
Encouragement, positive relationships, and a trust in one’s own resourcefulness help overcome fears and enhance learning outcomes.
Cooperation, including fair and critical discussion, leads to more well-developed ideas and heightened effectiveness.
Closeness to nature brings humility and an awareness of one’s own strengths while instilling a sense of responsibility for our planet.
Sustainability
Sustainability influences all aspects of life at our school. We view sustainability at a personal, local, and global level. Our school community encourages a sustainable lifestyle, where creativity is valued over consumption. We teach our students about sustainability of both personal and planetary resources, and we remind ourselves that we are a part of a greater system that encompasses both human beings and the natural world.
