OUR SPIRIT OF RELATIONSHIP AND CARE
What is so truly special about Mandala? It’s what we call the “Spirit of Mandala.” It’s that elusive “special something” that no one can quite find the right word for but defines our culture. It’s the spirit of relationship and connection and the feeling of community that binds us together.
RELATIONSHIP: The Spirit of Mandala has many facets but it all starts with the magic of RELATIONSHIP. Young children learn best in relationship, and that’s what we do so well at Mandala. Connection with a nurturing adult is what makes real learning possible. It also creates the foundation for strong character and interpersonal life skills. We also value building strong relationships with our families and our staff. We believe in working collaboratively.
COMPASSION: One of the most obvious ways we see the Spirit of Mandala reflected is in the modeling of kindness and care for others. Our teachers take the time to listen “with heart” and attune to children’s feelings and perspective. This is the core of who we are and what we do.
PEACEFULNESS: The Spirit of Mandala is also the sense of peace we aim to preserve in our classrooms. It’s our commitment to offering young children a protected space with time to learn at a slower pace on their own developmental timetable. We want to give children time to wonder, time to imagine, and time to make their own discoveries without distractions from a dizzying outside world.
RESPECT: We believe we can teach nonviolence and respect for others at every level, even in our smallest daily interactions. Beginning at the preschool level, we help each child to appreciate his or her own uniqueness. We encourage children to learn about and value their history, their family heritage, their faith, and their cultural traditions. Our belief is that by working together, we can build a new culture of nonviolence which gives hope to our world.
EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF
We invite you to visit our school. Meet our teachers and watch how they interact with children. See if you can see the Spirit of Mandala at work.