THE ELYSIAN PHILOSOPHY

The Elysian Charter School is based on many of the philosophies taught at the Bank Street College Graduate School of Education (in New York City). We are child-centered, holistic, and progressive.

In the forward of Progressive Education for the 1990s: Transforming Practice, Joseph Featherstone writes about the challenge of progressive education: "...making live experience count for more in learning, making schools and classrooms into communities of learning, helping children learn how to make and remake knowledge, creating a culture commensurate with the dream of democracy, developing schools that can embrace cultural difference instead of smothering it....". The staff at Elysian Charter School is open to new ideas, to creating new curriculum, to having the children become active and responsible for their own learning.

In a progressive setting, language, conversation and discussion are seen as very important parts of the learning process that leads to the development of critical thinking skills. Elysian's curriculum meets the required New Jersey State Standards and grows directly out of the work created by teachers who collaborate on a regular basis. We always keep our focus on the whole child who always has strengths on which he or she can learn and grow. Our goal is to educate children to become curious lifelong learners with an appreciation of the arts, the diversity of all peoples in the world, and the self-confidence to fulfill his or her life's dreams

Alternate Website: http://www.ecsnj.org