Educational Philosophy

The following represents the principles that serve as the philosophical foundation for the Susan Odell Taylor School. In embracing these ideas, those affiliated with the Taylor School form a community that supports and enriches children’s lives.


  1. The development of a steadfast sense of self is paramount to each child’s educational experience. Through their experiences, the children will come to know and understand themselves in a way that is personal and unique. Each child will be encouraged to develop a sense of trust, a sense of competence, and a sense of initiative. Positive self-esteem and self-confidence will be nurtured within each student.

  2. How the children learn is as important as what they learn. The process of learning holds as much value as the specific content being learned. It is through the learning process that children develop strategies and skills that can be applied to understanding new content and gaining new knowledge.

  3. Knowing the children we teach individually, culturally and developmentally is as important as knowing the content we teach. We will strive to understand the children individually, recognizing that each has personal strengths, challenges, and circumstances that affect who they are and how they learn. The better we know the children, the more we can do to support them in their daily lives.

  4. Each child will have the opportunity to reach his/her highest potential within a safe and nurturing environment. Each child will be guided socially, emotionally and academically toward greater accomplishments. The learning environment will be such that children feel secure and supported as they take the risks necessary for the development of new understandings about themselves and the world they live in.

  5. The learning environment will be experiential, fostering curiosity and creativity, while instilling a love of learning in the children. Children will be actively engaged in their learning, with an emphasis on hands-on experiences, mentally stimulating situations and collaborative learning. Learning will be purposeful, exciting, enjoyable and satisfying.

  6. Emphasis will be placed on academic rigor within the friendly atmosphere of a caring community of learners. Our emphasis is on fostering children’s creativity and curiosity while enabling them to become highly literate students with strong mathematical, scientific, and social understandings that will in turn give them the ability to pursue any future course of study. An important goal of our curriculum is to work on deeper understandings within the subject areas rather than attempting to cover a large amount of content in a superficial manner.

  7. Parental and community interaction will be an integral part of the school’s success. The school will value parents and the community, recognizing that cultivating partnerships with each will serve to enrich our students’ lives. We will welcome parents and community members into our school environment and strive to reach out and be a part of the community at large. Because learning can and should occur beyond the academic walls, we believe the children will benefit in many ways from their experiences outside the school environment.



To challenge students in a nurturing and joyful educational environment empowering all to succeed as critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and citizens of a diverse and changing world.



To be known for excellence in education, achieved through a unique and innovative approach to educating children. Our students will build strong learning fundamentals, self-confidence, collaborative skills, and community responsibility through:

  • An academically rich environment which challenges each child as an individual and instills a passion for learning,
  • A rigorous curriculum that prepares students to thrive in today’s interconnected world,
  • Respect for each child as a valued person, and as a contributing member of the school and the greater community.


Diversity Statement

The Susan Odell Taylor School for Children values diversity. We are committed to reflecting the diversity of our community. We believe a culturally diverse community of people displays a range of origins, thought processes, talents, experiences, and abilities that, like diversity itself, is always changing.