Our Vision

The Northstar vision is to transform education by creating a school ecosystem of caring learning communities that nurture the intimate connection between the process of actual experience and learning. Northstar education fosters a culture of collaboration and trust that supports each student’s cultivation of individual expression and pursuit of personally meaningful activities. Northstar education helps students strengthen their capacity for learning while encouraging them to develop a responsible and compassionate connection with themselves, other people, and the local and global communities they are part of. Students feel safe and supported in the exploration of their True North.

School is an enjoyable and enriching part of life
where students can safely explore their True North

Our Philosophy of Learning

At Northstar, students learn in different ways, in different places, and from different people, including the teacher, peers, community members, and themselves. Education is not about memorizing facts, but about nurturing the curiosity of learners and guiding the development of the skills needed to pursue and learn about any interest. Our job as educators is to help students ask questions and search for answers wherever they might be, rather than simply providing answers, and to ensure we do not deny students the opportunity to explore and reflect. Learning is a complex process that demands significant mental effort. It is also a fun and satisfying process, and healthy habits of learning are at the core of the Northstar Philosophy of Learning.

Healthy habits of learning are at the core
of the Northstar Philosophy of Learning

In traditional education, learning is often confined to the four walls of a classroom, and students struggle to transfer concepts to the context of their real lives. At Northstar, we understand that learning happens anywhere at any time. Success comes down to attention—students pay attention to their surroundings, ask questions to understand what is happening, and consciously make connections to deepen their understanding of the world. At Northstar, we help students pay attention to, and learn from, their surroundings by applying concepts in real contexts outside the classroom. Learning by doing or experiential learning increases student motivation to ask questions and reflect; it also bridges the gap between school and life. For education to be effective, it is meaningful, and learning is always relevant to students’ lives.

Traditional education places the teacher in the center of student learning, emphasizing a role as a transmitter of knowledge through lectures. While the teacher is absolutely imperative, educators at Northstar understand that the most effective ways of learning require a different setup. In order for students to understand and form new ideas, they explore them in conversation with others and reflect on them in groups and individually. Northstar alternates between lectures, group work, and individual reflection. Peer-to-peer group learning helps students deepen their understanding by sharing knowledge, discussing evidence, listening to perspectives, and demonstrating understanding by explaining concepts to others. In peer-to-peer learning, the educator’s role is that of a facilitator, nudging students in the right direction while allowing them to discover new insights and reach conclusions on their own.

Learn More About Northstar Learning Approaches

Our Vision

Our Philosophy of Learning

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