Taller Colibri Open House March 3

Taller Colibri school in Huayapam, Oaxaca is holding an open house Saturday, March 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
We will show student work and take a trip to the nearby river. Snacks and refreshments will be served. We are located at the intersection of Union (the main road into town) and Campo Santo in the house on the corner with the dark red fence. A map is reproduced below.

Here's a few pics from our recent field trip to the ruins at Yagul

 Taller Colibrí (Hummingbird´s Workshop) is currently located in Huayapan, a small town about 20 minutes from the center of Oaxaca City. Huayapan is rich with natural areas to explore, including rivers, mountains, and ponds. The school has a welcoming and home-like environment, with shared work areas, garden, a small library, kitchen, and garden. A mixed-age group of children between the ages of 6-10 spend their days Taller Colibrí, there is currently one lead teacher. The children have the opportunity to use both English and Spanish during school activities and in their interactions with each other and members of the community of Huayapan.

The mixed-aged group of students at Taller Colibrí participates in an active, experiential curriculum that integrates art, the natural and community resources of the local area, and the interests of the children.

The curriculum is based around interdisciplinary themes of study that incorporate language arts, history, social studies, math, and hands-on experience in the world. Theme investigations and projects are done in both English and Spanish.

Taller Colibri Philosophy

The parents and teacher at Taller Colibri have collaborated on creating this statement of our philosophy and intent at the school. We are just about to conclude a successful first year.

On Curriculum:
--A child-centered curriculum promotes motivation and self-determined challenges.
--A project-based curriculum helps to ensure a multimodal approach, addressing diverse learning styles.
--Find the teachable moments instead of pushing a prefabbed agenda - in each situation and with individual children
--Contact with Oaxaca's culture, natural attractions, language, traditions and historic places is an integral part of the school's identity.
--Real learning emerges comes from the freedom to explore (especially within the natural world, or with the help of interesting resources and materials.)

On structure:
--A multiage classroom promotes deeper learning and more open peer relationships.
--The day follows a rhythm that reflects the needs of the students, moving between outdoor, indoor, whole group and individual activities.
--The school is cooperative. Members make decisions together and share work and responsibilities.

Educational philosophy:
--Traditional academic knowledge is no more valuable than other types of knowledge and ways of interacting with the world
--ACTIVE learning and CURIOSITY about the world are the most important things to foster and help inspire.
--Learning is fun. We all learn from each other (teachers are students, students are teachers).
--The best way to 'teach' children to care for the natural environment is to give them time and space to enjoy it - children naturally love the world
--Trust the growing process of each child - do not push children to achieve outward measurements of success
--Let kids be kids
--Model kindness
--Learning can be messy