APITA ESCUELA ACTIVA is the first foreign educational center for preschool and primary school (from 3 to 12 years old), authorized by the Ministry of Education of Castilla-La Mancha with center number 19009804. We are accredited by the North American agency NEASC, which establishes standards of excellence, synonymous with quality and educational integrity and accredits a multitude of centers in more than 70 countries around the world.
The school is located at the entrance of Urb Montecalderón, in El Casar. It has a building of about 250 m2 on an urban plot of 2,500 m2 with many open and landscaped areas, essential for the type of education we provide. It is a school with a small educational community in a rural environment surrounded by nature.
Our schedule is from 9:00 to 14:00. We also offer the possibility of extended hours from 8:30 to 16:00.
The methodology we use at APITA ESCUELA ACTIVA is based on different active and alternative pedagogies that place the student at the center of learning, making him/her the protagonist of the learning process, respecting his/her interests and rhythms, developing his/her personal abilities to the maximum, in order to integrate into society and contribute the value of his/her individuality to transform it. We are inspired by several personalities who are references in the field of active schools (Montessori, Pikler, Steiner, Freire, Freinet, Dewey, Arno Stern, Rebeca and Mauricio Wild, Acouturier, Antonio Guijarro, Maturana, etc.).
The main characteristics of our school are:
- Respect, recognition, and acceptance of individual differences.
- Individualized education thanks to a very low ratio: Preschool: 6 - 8 children per teacher; Primary: 8 - 12 students.
- The development of creativity and free expression will give the child satisfaction and security.
- Freedom and responsibility.
How do we develop the curriculum and how do we teach at school?
The main methodologies on which we are based are :
- Free and spontaneous play as an essential engine of learning: from neurobiology, it is known that learning and assimilation of knowledge are related to the pleasure we experience in the face of new discoveries and meaningful experiences of our own.
- One specific day a week of Bosque Escuela, going on an excursion to the natural areas in the towns surrounding our school to continue learning outside the classroom.
- We encourage cooperative learning also known as 'peer learning'.
- We include project-based learning (or workshops of interest) in our proposal.
- We work in a transversal way on 21st-century skills, which are key for a more holistic human development. Society is constantly evolving and we know that our sons and daughters will have jobs that do not exist today. The way learning takes place in schools and the approach to education must adapt to this scenario. For that reason, at Apita we foster skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation, media education, information, and communication technology (ICT) literacy, flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-governance, etc.
- Self-regulation is another pillar of the school in the social, emotional, and physiological development of students, as well as in conflict resolution and decision-making.
- In addition, emotional support is one of the fundamental pillars of our school. To this end, we validate all emotions using tools such as active listening, non-violent communication, and respectful accompaniment.
The ultimate goal of our school is to offer a place where students can unfold their true selves in an authentic way and where they can forge an awareness of future generations based on Human Rights, on a deep respect for the diversity and natural and human wealth existing on Earth, and to bequeath to these generations a space of solidarity, encounter, and well-being where they can grow following their own rhythm, their impulses, and their interests.
For more information, please visit our website www.apitaescuelaactiva.com or write to us at espaciolibreapita@gmail.com.
