In many ways, at LWS we simply continue the kind of care that parents offer their children in a loving household. Our size allows us to function as an extended family.
To give just one example: the yearly children’s theater production, an elaborate, multimedia extravaganza that involves every student working hand-in-hand with the school staff and many parents and volunteers.
The experience of working on a large-scale project together with people of diverse ages gives every student a potentially life-changing experience. Every year, the children look forward to it eagerly.
Parent to Parent
“When she comes home from school, my daughter is so peaceful, calm, and happy. The children at Living Wisdom School are very much like her — the same sensitivity, the same values at home. I feel great, too, just being around the school. There is good energy there. The Living Wisdom School feels like family in a way I haven’t seen at other schools.”
“I love the way the families are involved. This helps make it one big secure environment for the children.”
“My daughter’s teachers spend as much time with her as I do. I know all the teachers and directors. They are people I trust to take care of my child the way I would. The school reinforces the values we try to instill in our children at home.”
“Theater is one of the things that makes this school unique. It’s an annual benchmark. Year by year, they can chart their progress from non-speaking parts, to having their first line, to having several lines, and so on. They feel so much satisfaction to see how far they’ve come, and to be part of such a big production together with all the different grade levels.”
“The theater productions are really wonderful. The whole experience: how they learn to work as a group, how challenging it is for them, the excitement of it all. And how they rise to the occasion and show themselves how much they can do when they set their minds to it.”
“The theater production really tells the whole story. I’ve seen other children’s plays, and usually the kids are squirming and looking at their parents. But the Living Wisdom School play is different. Even the youngest children stand in front of a room full of people and deliver their lines and stay in character with poise, concentration, and self-confidence that is exceptional. They must feel very good about themselves, or else they wouldn’t be able to do it.”
“When I first heard about the kind of plays they do, I thought it was way too much for the kids. I don’t just mean how elaborate it is; I’m talking about the plot: “The Story of St. Francis,” “The Life of Buddha,” “Krishna the Beloved.” I mean, we’re talking elementary school! But as usual, the teachers know what they are doing. The kids are thrilled to be involved in something profound, rather than the kind of plays children often have to do. By acting it out, they really get the point of what makes a great person great: courage, dedication, selflessness, love. And they remember it. For years afterwards, I hear them talking about things they learned from the plays and using what they’ve learned as a standard for their own lives.”