Teacher’s Role

"We provide the frame and the child paints the picture"

Many of the teachers at Meraki hold upper level degrees in education as well as special education. Our passionate and dedicated teachers have an understanding of  developmentally appropriate practices that examine the “whole child” . They do this by incorporating the six C’s of being successful today: Collaboration, Strong Communication, Knowledge of Content, Critical Thinking, Creative Innovation and Confidence to fail and try again. Teachers do all this while focusing on their sense of belonging within our Community.

 Our Teachers get to know our students so we can present projects that keep and expand their interests. They provide provocations that help them become researchers and discover on their own and with each other. Students learn about how their brain works, their strengths and their weaknesses as well as their peers ways of thinking. The teachers guide, support and scaffold the work through their well thought out questions. They help children know what  they need to thrive and uncover their desired future experiences by creating to-do lists and helping the children  understand the haves tos that get you to the want tos. Teachers help our students focus on what they want and why they want it, understanding their processes and effective evaluation which leads to accomplishment. Students are taught how to advocate for their ideas how to deal with frustrations, how to work together and how to respond in socially appropriate ways. 

We focus on multiple intelligences: moral, kinesthetic, aesthetic, musical, cognitive and interpersonal which enrich the possibilities for success because there are lots of areas to achieve. Teachers work individually and  in small and larger groups in both academic subjects as well as on projects.

 We offer core classes in ELA, Math, Social Studies and Science as well as maker studio, art, music, technology and passion projects.  We also offer language immersion programs.

We tailor our academic learning to meet the needs of each individual child and use a multitude of curriculums to support their individual needs, interests and learning styles.

We follow basic nationwide standards in order to create a fluid and meaningful curriculum that will help mold and prepare students for whichever tract they choose to follow. We believe that creative inquiry is essential to learning. We are devoted to cultivating our students imagination and helping them discover their unique talents. Students examine ideas from multiple perspectives and generate innovative solutions to problems. They learn that every individual voice is important. Creativity is not restricted to the arts it is an integral part of every discipline. The creative process is central to our teaching and we embrace curricular innovation. This energizes our program and leads us to new insight. 

This doesn’t stop at the center. Part of our program includes experiential learning which takes place outside of the classroom. Meraki teachers partner with various experts in their respective fields and local organizations to create unique learning opportunities. The emphasis is on fostering curiosity about the world by creating learning situations that provide contemplative and hands-on experiences that apply their learning to meaningful tasks that help synthesize what they observe. Children discover their abilities, values, passions and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. They see the implications and value in what they are doing. These outings are often tied into the curriculum or their passion projects and also place an emphasis on joyful relating through acts of consequential service to others and nature. We find that direct and respectful relationships within the child’s natural world as well as real hands -on experiences helps refresh the human spirit. Then they write, speak about and present these ideas effectively as part of the curriculum.