Fear is part of human nature. It is instinctual, and so deeply woven into the human experience that even Jesus felt it. But, just because we are born with this feeling, doesn’t mean we are meant to serve it. We would argue, that the only way to live a TRUE life experience, would be to stand up to our fears and overcome them. This is an action called courage, and unlike fear, it must be trained and practiced.

Besides providing opportunity in life, courage also serves as the tipping point into positive emotion. This is a profound statement, and a lot goes into it, but it essentially means courage is the foundation for a meaningful and joyful life.

We believe every young child should practice courage to learn to overcome fear as early as possible. We are creatures of habit, after all. When you build courageous habit early, they stick with you in life. It’s even better when developed as a group, which is why we call this a courage culture.

In the classroom, every moment, big and small, becomes an opportunity to build confidence and cultivate bravery. This is a personalized approach; we meet each student where they are, guiding their growth at a rate tailored to their individual readiness. From empowering a shy whisper to become a clear voice during group time, to encouraging a brave bite of a new food, we create safe, nurturing spaces for children to take those crucial first steps outside their comfort zones.

We understand that learning begins at the threshold of perceived difficulty. That's why we utilize the power of play and guided decision-making to help our students develop an unshakeable, resilient mindset. Learning is always fun when you are ready for the challenge. We focus on reframing difficult challenges so that simple mistakes become stepping stones for improvement. We use the power of language to change I can’t do it to I need to do this differently. We also foster courage in social interactions, guiding students to use their voice to resolve a toy dispute with a friend, rather than retreating or acting out. It is very important that our students learn to embrace doing difficult things, but always when they are ready to step up to the challenge.

We don't just acknowledge bravery and willingness to try; we celebrate it. We also reward failure as often as we can, since failure is a powerful sign of growth and a step toward mastery. We will often ask, “What did we learn from this?” to make sure no failure goes wasted. This strategy, woven into daily interactions, guided play, and group activities, is designed to instill in every child a can-do attitude for all things in life, preparing them not just for the next academic step, but for a lifetime of courageous living.