Seaside’s Wisdom for Life School
Where Children Learn of a Higher Power Beyond the Principal’s Office
When we send our kids off to school we expect that they will learn reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic, and we hope that they will learn some life skills such as gratitude, respect, and integrity along the way. But the truth is, in most public school classrooms, there is little time for in-depth discussions of life-skills. And God forbid, our teachers should say anything that might imply there is a higher power beyond the principal's office. In an attempt to please everyone, school systems have all but sterilized the classroom of topics such as “higher purpose, higher power, or higher self.” It seems the heart and soul of a child's innocent connection to Spirit has been neutralized by our educational system from Kindergarten on. This is not acceptable to Kalli Sorensen, mother of a five-year old kindergartener and the wife of a church minister.
Answer to a Prayer
After a lot of research and prayer work, Sorensen discovered there were few choices in the San Diego area where a child could be given an academic education combined with lessons in self expression, spirituality, intuition, gratitude, and the full circle of elements that prepare one for all that life throws at us. Sorensen had always envisioned a spiritually based educational program that could be offered through the church that her and her husband, Christian Sorensen, had been nurturing and growing for the last fourteen years. Seaside Church was already bursting at the seams with people and activities, so where would they put a few more classrooms? And, who would have the educational expertise to develop a well-balanced professionally run curriculum? Sorensen's strong calling and personal need to provide a quality education for her son was just as important as the contribution a spiritually-based school would make for the church and the community.
Amanda Frye, a member of the congregation with a master's degree in education, had relocated to San Diego recently to find the perfect school for her to teach in. She was looking for an elementary school that understood the importance of academics and the power that a spiritual perspective could bring to the life of a child. She knew she had to be in a teaching environment that helped children learn of the oneness of humanity, the importance of relationship skills, and the beauty of diversity. She wouldn't settle for anything less than a learning environment rich with love, respect, and compassion. Sorensen was ready and willing to learn what it would take to get her dream school off the ground. And as they say, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Sorensen and Frye discovered their common goals at about the same time that a spacious piece of property adjacent to the church came up for sale. The teacher appeared; the facility appeared. The Wisdom for Life School now had its founders and its foundation.
The school opened in September with a goal of having one integrated class of 12 kindergarten and first grade students for the first year. They exceeded that goal and intend to add one grade level each subsequent year up through sixth grade. The school is adjacent to the church in a very beautiful, lush environment with a very home-like setting for the classroom. It is next to two public parks and the church's tropical meditation garden. The Wisdom for Life School follows an Education for Life model. This is more of a system of education than a black and white curriculum. It creates an environment where children learn academics as well as spiritual aspects of everyday living. It is not a religious but a spiritual environment where all faiths and religions are welcome and respected. “We teach our students how to use affirmations. We teach them to have compassion for people's differences. We demonstrate the many ways we can show gratitude for food, shelter, and each other,” says Sorensen. The mission of the school aptly describes this philosophy:
Wisdom for Life School Mission
Wisdom For Life School demonstrates universal values, respects diversity and honors a child's Inner Wisdom, encouraging conscious awareness and spiritual character development. Through a heart-centered approach, experiential learning, an integrated curriculum and life-long skills for living, students create their path to a happy, purpose-filled life.
Hands on Spiritual Learning
The school is big on hands-on experiences. When the Buddhist monks visited Seaside Church recently they stopped in to visit the children and teach them the meaning of their beautiful sand artwork or mandalas that these monks have become famous for. “The respect and reverence the kids showed for the Monks were a perfect example of how important our spiritual-based approach to teaching and learning is. We're impacting the whole child, the heart and the head with the experiences we give them,” says Frye. With trips to Quail Botanical Gardens, studies of the Native American way of life and an endless array of arts, activities, and discussions that engage the students at a heart level, there are learning opportunities at the deepest parts of these young students.
Frye believes that students must learn to love learning in order to get the most out of their education and to be fully prepared for life after school. Frye and Sorensen modeled the school after J. Donald Walters' Education for Life system which centers on experiential learning. Whether it's singing, dancing, painting, or a variety of field trips, combining information with activity is what makes the Wisdom for Life School so unique. Brenda Stevens, the administrator for the school, also has her daughter, Ariana, enrolled in the school. Here's how she describes the difference between public school and Ariana's new school: “When my daughter came home from school in the past, I would ask her, ‘What went well today and what didn't go so well?' Then my daughter would tell me what went well and what didn't. Now when she comes home from Wisdom for Life, she tells me what went well, but—she can't think of anything that didn't go so well. I love it!”
The school currently has a two-to-twelve student/teacher ratio and intends to maintain a small enough class size to keep the learning environment very close and intimate. Wisdom for Life parents often report that the discussions they have with their children have shifted from facts and figures to discussions of topics related to meaningful aspects of life. That is probably the most significant difference between Wisdom for Life School and others. It appears that Sorensen and Frye are raising the learning levels from rote memorization and downloading of data to the raising of consciousness and the integration of information through experiential learning.
Educational Principles
The Wisdom for Life School believes its educational approach will make a difference to the future of this world. When a student learns at a heart level and truly begins to know who she is, she is then capable of knowing how to change the world. As Sorensen says, “When you live from your heart, knowingness is the only way to change the world.” Here are a few of the principles the school is built on:
- A heart-centered system honoring all faiths, beliefs, and traditions creating a sense of unity through diversity.
- The demonstration of universally valued spiritual qualities and principles.
- Honoring a child's Inner Wisdom, encouraging conscious awareness and spiritual character development.
- The discovery of a child's strengths, with respect and encouragement for individuality and self expression.
- Experiential learning, an integrated curriculum and life-long skills for living.
- Educators and parents working together to establish education on a more humane and spiritual platform.
- An extraordinary learning environment and the joy of discovery.
Education's Future World
Wouldn't it be just marvelous if we could start raising children who love and appreciate others, who respect their elders, and have a high level of awareness for their importance in the world? Is this realistic? Can this work? Surprisingly, the Education for Life system has been around for over 35 years, proving that this view of our future may be possible. Cities like Palo Alto , Nevada City, Seattle , and Portland all have successful and thriving schools using this approach to education. These heart-centered schools are growing in popularity. They are often related to churches for their administrative and financial support but run independent of a specific religion's dogma or agenda. The Wisdom for Life School fits that mold. It is also built on a collaborative effort between parents, faculty and students. Volunteer parent participation is welcome and needed. The blend of character-based, spiritual-based learning may seem like it's slightly ahead of its time. But, if you look at the world around us, most would agree that that time has come. Frye says, “We want to teach children the love of learning.” If they love learning, they thrive, and that carries with them when they leave this school.”
The school, located on Lake Drive in Encinitas, is open Monday through Friday and is currently accepting applications for limited-enrollment opportunities. More information is available at www.wisdomforlifeschool.com, or call 760-753-5786 ext. 22, for more information.
Steve Dahl is a freelance writer and business strategist living in Carlsbad . He can be reached at www.wisdomcircles.com or at 760-804-6271.
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