The other morning, at 7:30, the double doors of Self Development Academy’s (SDA) multipurpose room flung open, welcoming a throng of jubilant students of elementary grades beaming from ear to ear. With them, the exuberant students brought enthusiasm and joy to the event. The event was sponsored by the school’s Parent Advisory Committee and was called “Doughnuts with Dr. Majeed.” The joy permeated throughout the multipurpose room and extended to the remaining campus for the rest of the day.
JOY IS IMPORTANT
Educational leaders are well aware that the presence of “joy” is critical to teaching and learning. Creating a culture of joyful experiences is necessary for learning to take place. Researchers describe joy as having “an enduring and underlying sense of something deeper than the emotion of happiness.” This joy of learning is something one can practice, cultivate, or make a habit, inspiring and motivating both educators and parents.
This enduring joy affects our thoughts, emotions, and actions and drives us to identify our passions. For young children, the delight in knowing what is essential, their wants and needs, and the unquenching thirst for knowledge propels them to discover their talents and reach their potential.
Educators and the school community recognize the role of joy in a school environment. Incorporating specifically designed activities into the school calendar brings joy and cultivates a culture of developing cherished memories. Happy children mature into mentally healthy adults who are aware of their own potential and contribute to society. Parents and teachers work together to bring joy to children’s lives.
JOY IS MORE THAN CELEBRATING EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Joy in school is about celebrating friendships and flourishing under the guidance of nurturing teachers. The presence of friends is a necessary aspect of experiencing joy in school. Students at SDA continue their schooling with friendships they developed as toddlers at Self Development Preschool next door. These friendships continue through grade school, middle school, and beyond. Some have even become lifelong friends.
Students are excited to see the same familiar faces not only of their friends but also of teachers. Our nurturing, caring, and compassionate teachers bring joy to our students at SDA. Teachers’ trust in their students encourages learning and enthusiasm and develops them into responsible citizens. Many of our extraordinary teachers have been with us for nearly 20 years and have developed nurturing and positive relationships with students and their families. Using Seligman’s theory on positive psychology, we at SDA believe that childhood is a time of joy. Schools must focus on creating an environment conducive to creating “positive emotions, character strengths, and building a flourishing life.”
SDA cultivates a culture that considers several critical elements of individuals’ basic emotional needs. The first is to feel positive emotions. The second is to engage in activities that give meaning and purpose. The last is to have positive relationships with others. SDA’s curriculum provides a challenging and satisfying experience for students to feel joy for their successes.
JOY AND RIGOR
Imagine the joy on the face of the kindergarten student who finishes reading a book in front of an audience of parents and grandparents. Joy is experienced when a fifth-grade math student solves a complicated problem. Joy is experienced when the hypothesis is validated during the science experiment.
Parents equate Self Development Academy’s curriculum with rigor that helps students maximize their potential. Rigor is more than the tests students take, the scores they earn, or the homework they receive. The rigor in education is that difficult-to-define quality that is discovered in the class discussions that take place in Ms. Tici Smith’s 8th-grade literature class or the emphasis on the process of thinking to solve a math problem in Ms. Graville’s class or “learning how to learn” in Ms. Rivera’s third-grade class.
When students immerse in their “What if ” pursuit of endless questions while investigating material at higher than grade levels, they are experiencing not only the rigor but also the joy of learning. Rigor with joy stretches students’ thinking, maximizes their potential, and widens their worldview.
It is the balance of joy and rigor we need in schools. At SDA-Mesa, we offer a rigorous curriculum and elevate the levels of joy to help develop the emotional intelligence of our students and school community. Joy is having recess with friends and playing in the playground. Joy is attending many activities, including book fairs, movie nights, fall festivals, and even devouring “Doughnuts with Dr. Majeed.”
To learn more about Self Development Preschool, please contact (480) 396-3522, and for the accelerated K-8 program, Self Development Academy, call Self Development Academy at (480) 641-2640.