ACE Programs

Academia & Arts infused education

“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us, and when you bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen."

Henry David Thoreau

Consciousness Development

The foundation of all life is Consciousness. We discover an understanding of life through wonder and a conscious quest of knowledge. This is also the fundamental foundation of life at PEACE School. We encourage children to consider the whole Universe from a holistic perspective, not from by myopic subjects, with no context. If a child experiences a dramatic moral and spiritual growth within, s/he will have no problems mastering any scholarly subject.

Each school day begins with some form of energy, vibrational frequency or movement, beyond the physical and intellect, to bring everyone into focus for the day … meditation, music (chanting, song, etc.) and dance (yoga, Pilates, martial arts, etc.). Special attention is given to exercising and healing the physical and mental vessel … our Earthly space suit, to remove obstacles and veils that obstruct our ability to reach the wholeness and fullness of our potentiality. This enables students and Facilitators to develop the dexterity to stretch beyond the limitations of the form and mind. This exercise also enables each child and Facilitator to deepen self-awareness, learning about their inner self – to trust their intuition, insight and instincts. A common area of focus, endeavour and discovery is created, as Mentors and students practice together. The practice also enhances the Mentor-student relationship, as both parties become sensitive to the need to enable time and space to consider, reflect and express their inner awareness. It allows both parties to conduct their learning journey in the present, with minds meeting in the here and now.

ACE Arts Programs

At ACE, Art is the key to advanced or enlightened development for all children. All Academia is infused with the Arts, to create a memorable engaging experience. These programs encompass Music, Theatre, Dance, Media, Fine and Visual Culinary Arts. Art studies begin with the introduction of creative tools, skills and concepts. In the early grades, students explore the fundamentals of art in the world around them to learn how to express and communicate their immediate environment, experiences and interests through visual imagery. Students engage in creative activities (drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpting) and experiment with a variety of tools and materials, while they observe, describe and appreciate how artists use the elements and principles of design in their works, to create art that tell stories that express thoughts, feelings and insights.

Language Arts

Language development is the key to communication and central to students’ intellectual, social and emotional growth. It incites curiosity and encourages them to explore and learn how to navigate through their world. Language Arts is the development of an ability to share and communication experiences with others. Students learn to define and refine their expression of feelings and opinions and, as they mature, use language in many expressive forms (prose, poetry, song, etc.) to expand, enhance and share their experience in a meaningful manner.

Students come to appreciate language both as an important medium for communicating ideas and information, and as a source of enjoyment. Language skills are necessary to comprehend ideas and information, to interact socially, to inquire into areas of interest and study, and to express themselves clearly and demonstrate understanding.

Students are provided a strong foundation in the language arts and literacy program with an emphasis on phonetics, grammar, spelling, vocabulary development and a movement through printing, cursive writing and writing – the keys to eloquent and fluid communication. They will have ample opportunity to develop, practice and hone their communications skills throughout the academics and arts programs.

Mathematics

Mathematics is the most misunderstood of the academics, primarily because it is actually an Art. It is the purest and most essential element evident in the art of all Creation. Math is in everything we encounter everyday. The only difference between math and the other arts, such as music, dance and painting, is that our society does not recognize or understand the relationship. The reason for this is the result of teaching mathematics without a context … This is comparable to learning music by showing children the scores and theory throughout the schooling journey, without ever playing a note or hearing the music.

Math is essential in design, several Math constructs are applied in architecture; In culinary arts, where would chefs be without measurement for balance; Musicians would be lost without math structure for notation, rhythm, intervals, chords; and even computer technicians, television directors and editors, who require mathematics to complete their productions, are considered to be working artists. Where would we be without Math.

At ACE, Mathematics is an artistic adventure… Students are provided an excellent foundation of all the basic and complex mathematical principles, elements and concepts, in addition to a context in which to apply their studies creatively.

Science

Science means ‘knowledge’, from the Greek root skhizein “to split, rend, cleave,” … Being scientific is an act of exploring the resultant whole by breaking it down into parts and studying how it works. This implies a living experience. What we learn in the classroom is not confined to a book. At PEACE School, a key focus is on environment and our interdependence on all life forms. Students engage Science studies by exploring their world and putting their hands in the dirt. They have an opportunity to learn about permaculture, grow their own food, while learning about renewable and sustainable energies and waste management

Just as classroom research extends to exploration and hands on experimentation, so do the online Science studies. They will be project based and may be combined with various art forms such as music, culinary arts, nutrition, sports, dance and so on.

Environmental, Life, Physical, Computer, Biology, Chemistry, Astronomy, Quantum Physics, Astronomy

Social Studies

Social Studies is a complete overview of our world from past to present, a quest to examine and understand communities, from the local to the global, their various heritages, physical systems and environments, and the nature of citizens within them. Through interactive Arts (music, drama, media, fine and culinary arts, students acquire first hand knowledge of humankind’s existence on Earth, including change, culture, environment, power and the dynamics of the marketplace. They learn about Canada and the role of citizens in a democratic society within a culturally diverse and interdependent world. The diversity, multiplicity and unique nature of world cultures are explored in relation to the students’ community.

Students acquire skills of inquiry and communication through field studies, research projects – with the use of internet, maps, globes and models; theatre arts – acting out historic events; media arts – use of design software in their plays; and through the consideration of various forms of historical evidence. Students apply these skills to develop an understanding of Canadian identity and democratic values, to evaluate different points of view, and to examine information critically in order to solve problems and make decisions on issues that are relevant to their lives.

Health

Good Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The PEACE Health program, is infused with Math (measurement, division, etc), Science (environmental – gardening/aquaponics, biology, eco-systems, chemistry), Language Arts (writing, presentation), Social Studies (world culture studies), Health (nutrition), Physical Education (gardening), Culinary Arts (nutrition) and other Art programs.

We are what we eat! The PEACE Culinary Arts program motivates and empowers students to make healthy food choices from nature’s food, which is nutritious and delicious when prepared with care and knowledge. Through hands-on nutrition education activities, students explore, prepare and enjoy fresh, affordable foods from around the globe. The heart of nutrition and meal preparation is positive experiences with healthy foods. Students learn how the body works and becomes what it ingests – just as we become what we think; food for thought! They will explore nature and discover the elements and nutrients that are required to grow healthy food and the impacts on their own bodies

In addition to food preparation lessons, students learn the nutritional value of food, the impact it has on their physical development, how to grow their own and where to find edible foods in the wilds.

Physical Education

A healthy body maintains a healthy mind… Physical Education plays an important role … particularly for children who spend big blocks of time on the computer. We must exercise our bodies in order to keep our minds sharp and be able to manoeuvre through the world freely. In the Physical Education program students learn the concepts of attaining and maintaining respect, responsibility and safety, while achieving individual and group success.