Ecole d’Humanité
– A new generation of creative critical thinkers
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tudents of today graduate into a fast-paced and ever-changing world. This presents a daunting task for educators, who must prepare the future generation to manage unknown challenges and opportunities. How do you equip students with the skills and knowledge to overcome problems that we – as yet – don’t know the scope and scale of ? Providing students with the fundamentals of how to think about these challenges at a strategic level is vital; pupils must be skilled in developing and applying their ideas to circumstances about which we have limited current knowledge or understanding. In addition, creativity and critical thinking are crucial elements of strategic thought – they help us visualise a path ahead, analyse it, and shape what success looks like. Ecole d’Humanité is one of the leading proponents of a progressive, holistic approach to schooling, which puts creativity, critical thinking, and self-determination at the centre of its philosophy. Established in 1934, the school takes its progressive educational ideas from its founding couple, Paul and INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2021 | 26
Edith Geheeb-Cassirer, who believed that every child is unique and their education should be tailored to their uniqueness. The school’s theoretical background also draws from the art of teaching through profound immersion in key subject areas (“Exemplarisches Lehren”) developed by Martin Wagenschein and the Method of Theme-Centered Interaction (TCI) developed by Ruth C. Cohn. The Ecole’s curriculum – accredited by Cognia for the American AP program and the Swiss Governing bodies for the Matura – focuses on developing creative strengths, readiness for engagement in society, and the assumption of responsibility. What does this holistic approach look like in practice? The best place to start is the school’s idea of self-determined learning. Even before classes start, Ecole students determine (with guidance from their academic advisor), when, how and what they will study, constructing an academic program that they will own, not just participate in. Choice and passion, negotiation and what-ifs – students are required to understand the consequences of
