WALDEN CENTER AND SCHOOL IS AN INDEPENDENT , K-6 SCHOOL WHERE DRAMA, MUSIC AND ART SIT ALONGSIDE TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC SUBJECTS AS OUR CORE CURRICULUM. WALDEN'S PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION INCORPORATES THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES (SCH O):INTEGRATING ARTS AND ACADEMICS-ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF EVERY CHILD'S EDUCATION. ENCOURAGING THE WHOLE CHILD- CHILDREN LEARN BEST WHEN THEIR ACADEMIC, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED CONCURRENTLY. SEEING CHILDREN AS INDIVIDUALS- IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING CURRICULA, WE TAKE AN INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH IN ORDER TO MEET EACH CHILD WHERE HE OR SHE IS DEVELOPMENTALLY. TEACHING AS A COLLECTIVE- THE TEACHERS RUN THE SCHOOL, WHICH PROVIDES THEM WITH AUTONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY IN THE CLASSROOM AND DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL-WIDE DECISION MAKING. OUR APPROACH TO LEARNING ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND CRITICAL THINKING AS MEANS TO HELP CHILDREN DEVELOP A LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING, A STRONG SENSE OF COMMMUNITY.