As an educator and child development specialist, I deeply appreciate the approach to education that PSII offers, as it aligns with principles of optimal child development and growth. I’m incredibly grateful that my own daughter had the opportunity to attend—her experience there helped shape her into a well-rounded, confident young woman who understands how to set and achieve her goals.
– Elinor Taylor
As a former teacher who left the system in disillusionment due to the relentless focus on delivering curriculum that wasn’t particularly relevant to the developmental needs of the children whose lives I was stewarding 6h/day, I had heard that PSII offered a different approach to learning. I was thankful and elated to secure a spot for my oldest child, a gifted and voracious learner who nonetheless had a chip on his shoulder when it came to learning things that seemingly had no relevance to his life or to the world he could see around him. He flourished at PSII over the three years he was there.
Shaped on the model for early education (i.e. learning that’s based in exploration and following one’s interests), PSII totally breaks the mold, allowing a learner’s curiosity to guide their path. This is very much how we’re wired to learn, and it stands in stark contrast to the way we shoehorn curriculum into children in the mainstream school system.
My youngest child followed in his brother’s footsteps, completing all four of his high school years at PSII. Both of my sons are completely satisfied with the calibre of education they’ve been able to experience at PSII, and they’ve benefited from the unstinting love and generosity of their teachers, who have been constant companions along their journey. PSII has equipped these two humans with the skills necessary to face and make sense of real-world challenges, and it’s given them the self-trust to feel into their truth, find their path when there’s no one telling them where to go, and walk forward with strength and anticipation despite a constantly shifting sociopolitical and economic landscape. I recommend this model of learning for every child. It’s the only one that doesn’t extinguish their light.
– Parent of learner
I often tell our story to families looking at PSII, some of whom now have learners at PSII. My son, who graduated 2 years ago, had a very positive experience at PSII. He is an asynchronous learner, being highly gifted, and having home-schooled much of his early years until middle school. At PSII, he was supported to be at the center of his learning, to work through initial struggles and create a learning path uniquely his own. He learned how to navigate his social world with confidence and leadership skills, which he took with him to University. He was expertly prepared to meet goals he set for himself and has a lasting connection to his teachers at PSII. My daughter now attends the school and is a very different learner than her brother. Her interests are supported with writing, performing and creating opportunities, and ongoing communication with her Org teacher. We have found that PSII is for all students regardless of their interests or learning style. What stands out is how inclusive and caring the community is.
– Laura Hinton
Our son is so much more relaxed and comfortable in his own skin since being at PSII – as though he has stepped into an ease of being himself more fully and happily. Only when a weight is lifted do you realize just how heavy it was: the whole family is benefitting from this new-found lightness.
– Parent of learner
Our daughter spent 4 years at PSII, and we are beyond grateful that she had that opportunity. Having learning disabilities, some of which we didn’t even know about, she thrived at PSII, whereas her time at public Middle School can only be described as floundering and soul-destroying. The wonderful staff at PSII really are ‘teachers’ in every sense of the word. The inquiry system allows each student to learn in a way best for them. Instead of fitting them all into a box, each pupil builds their own box, filled with a love of learning, a strong sense of self, and a well-rounded education.