Our school is located in the heart of nature, in a small hamlet in the Drôme valley. We currently welcome 57 children aged between 3 and 11, divided into 2 classes.
THE PEDAGOGY
Our choice of Montessori pedagogy is based primarily on the idea that children should be the first actors in their own learning. Our aim is to give children back what has belonged to them since birth: the opportunity to engage in concrete experiences of their own choosing, at their own pace, according to their interests and sensibilities, enabling them to discover and build themselves, and to understand the world around them, in the most caring environment possible. Children can then live within a framework of precise rules, in which they can't do everything they want, but want what they do.
A SCHOOL THAT PROMOTES DEMOCRACY AT EVERY LEVEL
Tomorrow's world needs citizens capable of speaking, listening and growing together. At the "May Joy Abide" school, everyone - adults and children alike - participates in their own way:
- Children are guided towards open, constructive communication and collective, evolving decision-making processes (peace councils, NVC).
- Parents are invited to participate collectively.
- Educators open their doors wide so that everyone - parents, trainees or even the simply curious - can take part in the educational sphere.
A SCHOOL THAT INTEGRATES ECOLOGY INTO ITS DAILY LIFE
Ecology can't be learned within 4 walls... it has to be lived every day:
- Meals are prepared as far as possible with seasonal, local, organic and vegetarian produce.
- Children are introduced to permaculture in the vegetable garden.
- Frequent outings into the natural world enable them to make a wide range of discoveries, in real-life situations, in the school's immediate environment.
- They also rediscover their relationship with time, enabling them to live with the rhythm of the seasons, respect their biological clock and grow... at their own pace!
A SCHOOL OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
Our school's vocation is to radiate, to inspire, but also to be nourished and to grow through each new encounter. Here, parents are all invited to spend at least 1 day observing our classes. We also frequently welcome interns and observers curious to learn more about our practices.
Our prices are as low as possible, adapted to the financial resources of each family and to the geographical area of our school. This encourages a real social mix.