Our Philosophy

Our Philosophy

We looked at the traits our children will need in the 21st Century.

Adaptability.

Creativity.

Critical Thinking.

A Love of Learning.

The unique and defining characteristics of Alithia are Positive Communication and Freedom to Innovate

Alithia Learning will provide a creative, communal space for nurturing innovation, developing holistically and connecting to one-another, building a sense of belonging through culture;  Our foundation begins with 21st Century knowledge of child development, neuroscience and communication. With an understanding of the how the brain is wired we can begin to support a learning experience that equips children with the tools, skills and abilities to think creatively, problem solve, adapt, continuously learn and to contribute to a rapidly changing world.

The culture of Alithia Learning is formed by specialised communication tools that create the ideal trusting and nurturing environment where children can develop socially, emotionally, creatively academically. A main focus of Alithia Learning is that children feel valued and self-assured.

Alithia provides a supportive space, where children can access collaborative projects, peer-to-peer learning and a multitude of hands-on activities. To ensure children are engaged and have a love of learning, we are creating a space for them to instigate projects, develop in mixed-aged groups, move and create outdoors, explore their unique approach to learning and see the educational value in play and inquiry-based learning. We support children to develop as confident, competent, caring individuals, who have a sense of belonging in their community and the world.

Dynamic, Flexible and Adaptive, Freedom in Learning

Learning in Nature

Workshops mostly takes place outside on acreage. We encourage knowledge and respect for the eco-systems, sustainable practices, learning from nature and cultural connection to country.

Move to Learn

Drawing on the latest brain-development research, learning takes place through movement, play, and activities.

Children Feel Valued

We draw on communication tools to build a trusting environment.

Holistic Development

We incorporate therapeutic activities and self-reflective tools into workshops

Building the Soil

Our focus is on happy children, who connect on a respectful and compassionate level.

Freedom to Innovate and flourish for all children

This supportive, democratic, collaborative environment supports innovation and enables all children to reach their full potential: 

 

When we nurture a love of learning through ownership and keep alive a child's curiosity, they remain open, engaged and eager to learn. This works as prevention for the issues that often occur in low-socio economic areas such as: high rate of school drop-out, unemployment, self-destructive behaviours and a sense of feeling “lost”.

 

A high level of self-assurance, connection, and emotional / social intelligence will assist with creating positive social change. 

 

This environment caters for neuro-diversity (both children that are neuro-typical and neuro-divergent) by giving freedom of choice and allowing children to learn in a way that best suits them. 

 

Innovation is considered the most vital skill for success.

We believe in Prevention

Alithia Learning was formed in response to research on anxiety and behaviours that underlie many social issues. Major factors lie in the way we interact and the way we approach education. Our communication techniques and unique space equips children with the capacity to problem-solve through challenges, engage in further education and the workforce, and ultimately helps to create social change. With our support families can raise children who communicate and collaborate with others on a respectful and compassionate level.

Alithia Learning caters for children aged 5-12 years old, with the aim of keeping alive the enthusiasm that children often have as they enter the schooling years. These are the years when an individual's perception of themselves in an academic and social setting is formed. Their internal voice is developing, creating the scaffolding for future learning.

We're about building the soil in which learning occurs.

We focus on creating the environment in which a child's development can flourish.

These global philosophies are integrated into our entirely new approach.

Montessori

  • independence
  • help each other
  • problem solving
  • put things away
  • kindness to benefit the group
  • mixed age group
  • unfettered time is essential
  • work at own pace
  • develop own work rhythm

About Montessori

In a true Montessori school you will find independent children who are encouraged not only to do things for themselves but also to think for themselves. You will find children who have learnt how to explore and solve problems for themselves. Most importantly you will see small children helping each other and who, without being asked to, will put things away and perform acts of kindness purely to benefit the group as a whole.

The Montessori approach is based upon the natural laws of human development. The younger children learn from watching the older children and the older ones benefit by helping the younger children. The mixed age group allows the children to develop socially, intellectually and emotionally.

In a Montessori school you will see children choosing their activities independently and moving from one activity to the next. You will experience an atmosphere of calm and see young children concentrating for surprising periods of time. Children work individually, in a group or with a friend. 

Maria Montessori observed that unfettered period of time was essential for the children to develop the kind of concentration that you see when a child becomes involved with something that is essential for his development. The adult observes the child and will not interfere so long as the child is working with the material productively. When a difficulty arises she is able to step in and give help but is always careful never to give more help than is needed. Children work at their own individual pace and naturally develop their own rhythm and work pattern.

Each child’s individual needs are assessed through observation so that he is shown new things when he is developmentally ready and new knowledge is always built on what he already knows.

Montessori

International Baccalaureate

  • works with schools, governments, organisations to develop programmes that encourage students to:
    • become active
    • become compassionate
    • become lifelong learners
    • understand that other people can also be right

About the International Baccalaureate

Aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end, the IB works with schools, governments, and international organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. For more information: The ‘Learner Profile’ and ‘Transdiscpliary Themes’ outlines important elements and how to achieve these.

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Reggio Emilia

  • children have rights
  • children have the active role of apprentice / researcher
  • learn through touch, movement, listening, and observation
  • child is viewed as an active constructor of knowledge, powerful, competent, full of potential
  • most work is in the form of projects with opportunities to explore and question
  • organisation of the physical environment is crucial rhythm

About Reggio Emilia

The Reggio Emilia philosophy is based upon the following set of principles:

  • Children must have some control over the direction of their learning;
  • Children must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, and observing;
  • Children have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world that children must be allowed to explore;
  • Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.

The Reggio Emilia approach to teaching young children puts the natural development of children as well as the close relationships that they share with their environment at the center of its philosophy. The foundation of the Reggio Emilia approach lies in its unique view of the child. In this approach, there is a belief that children have rights and should be given opportunities to develop their potential. “Influenced by this belief, the child is beheld as beautiful, powerful, competent, creative, curious, and full of potential and ambitious desires."The child is also viewed as being an active constructor of knowledge. Rather than being seen as the target of instruction, children are seen as having the active role of an apprentice. This role also extends to that of a researcher. Much of the instruction at Reggio Emilia schools takes place in the form of projects where they have opportunities to explore, observe, hypothesize, question, and discuss to clarify their understanding.  Children are also viewed as social beings and a focus is made on the child in relation to other children, the family, the teachers, and the community rather than on each child in isolation. The organization of the physical environment is crucial.

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Centre for Inspired Teachers

  • rethink teachers role from information provider to ‘instigator of thought’
  • learn through play and movement

About the Centre for Inspired Teachers

A process that encourages teachers to rethink their role in the classroom, from information provider to ‘Instigator of Thought’. A focus on learning through play and movement.

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AnjiPlay

  • self determination
  • learning in play
  • time and freedom to express complex intentions in play
  • outdoor materials are key
  • allow for risk, imagination, discovery and teamwork
    rhythm

About AntjiPlay

AnjiPlay is the internationally-recognized early childhood curriculum developed and tested over the past 15 years. Self-determination in play, ownership of discovery, learning in play and the time and freedom to express complex intentions in play means that AnjiPlay is TruePlay. The outdoor materials are key, allowing for allow for risk, building, discovery, imagination and teamwork. Adults are there to support, but not interfere or direct play.

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Art of Learning

  • breaks down the ways in which we learn and how we can apply our unique way of learning so that children:
    • explore how they learn
    • take control of their learning
    • express themselves creatively
    • develop life-long love of learning

About the Art of Learning

Josh Waitzken is the author of "The Art of Learning" and has created a non-for-profit that brings these techniques to education. “When children explore how they learn they become empowered to take control of their learning, express themselves creatively, and develop a life-long love of learning.” He breaks down ways in which we learn and how we can then apply our unique way of learning to all areas in life. He trains adults at the top to reach their full potential in a way that is authentic to themselves; revealing how they learn and how to harness that.

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Alithia Learning is part of a greater movement for learning

Alithia 2019 Feedback

“Now they have finally found a place where they are thriving, they can call home, they’ve found a second family.” A special update & heart warming message from Talula Hughes (Founder | President Alithia)     A special thank you to:

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New learning facility set to re-imagine education

Alithia Learning will be a pilot for an entirely new approach to childhood learning when it launches in January 2019.   The learning hub, run by the not-for-profit organisation Alithia Inc., will be located in Valla on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and cater for children aged five to 12.  …

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How ‘friluftsliv’ can help you reconnect with nature

“Regular exposure to nature has well-known mental and physical health benefits, especially in kids. It’s linked to reduced ADHD, more creativity, better critical thinking, better behaviour, better test scores and even a stronger sense of purpose”   “Friluftsliv promotes direct experience in the natural world… It’s a philosophy that plays a vital role in Finland’s…

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The Education Paradigm & Creative Thinking

Sir Ken Robinson is an academic, author, speaker and international advisor on education. He opens our eyes to the outcomes of an out-dated political structure that no longer serves our society.     Robinson stresses the importance of allowing children to be WHO they are, think creatively and be prepared for the 21st Century.    …

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The Art of Learning

Josh Waitzken is the author of “The Art of Learning” and has created an organisation that brings these techniques to education. “When children explore how they learn they become empowered to take control of their learning, express themselves creatively, and develop a life-long love of learning.” He breaks down ways in which we learn and…

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Oberländer’s School, Berlin

No grades, no timetable… At Oberländer’s school, there are no grades until students turn 15, no timetables and no lecture-style instructions. The pupils decide which subjects they want to study for each lesson and when they want to take an exam. “The mission of a progressive school should be to prepare young people to cope…

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Forest Kindergartens, Denmark

Children running wild Children are running wild in the mud, climbing high into trees and playing with knives, but no one is telling them off. This is kindergarten… Danish-style. From the Blog About Us Alithia Learning runs a range of child-led programs designed for 5 to 12 year-olds. The defining characteristics of our programs are…

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Candlebark & Fitzroy Community School, Victoria

Happiness is playfulness “Take care, take risks”. The video below shows two inspirational schools in Victoria that have incorporated unique ways of doing things and have elements and aspects that will be drawn upon as Alithia Inc opens a first-of-its-kind Learning Facility in 2019. Children in Victoria have the option of part-time home schooling (as…

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This is what happens when children create their own curriculum

Every pupil is a teacher A boarding school in Russia shows how successful peer-to-peer learning is! It shifts the paradigm away from year levels and the concept of a person’s chronological age dictating curriculum. Children design their own curriculum based on their interests. Children are given responsibility for their own education, learning together and teaching…

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Teaching kids philosophy makes them smarter in math and English

Nine- and 10-year-old children in England who participated in a philosophy class once a week over the course of a year significantly boosted their math and literacy skills, with disadvantaged students showing the most significant gains, according to a large and well-designed study (pdf).   More than 3,000 kids in 48 schools across England participated…

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Our Aim:

About Us

Alithia is learning space for collaborative innovation, holistic development and a range of hands-on activities designed for children aged 6 to 12 in Valla, NSW.

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