Trusting the Natural Intelligence of Children
“Let’s Begin with a Moment of Silence.”
At Oak Grove School in Ojai, California, we often share moments of silence with our students, from preschool through 12th grade, as a whole community, in small groups, and individually. We begin, and sometimes end, assemblies, events, and meetings with silence. Silence is weaved through our learning and teaching practices, including academics, arts, and outdoor education. We trust children’s natural intelligence and believe that self-understanding is essential to the full expression of that intelligence. These things are at the core of our ethos as a school.
What is a Moment of Silence?
A moment of silence can be an act of remembrance, tribute, prayer, or compassion; it may be a form of meditation and mindfulness. Often, silence is found in relationship with nature, in deep academic attention, and in complex problem-solving.
A Practical & Important Practice
According to scientific research, silence can assist us to concentrate, be more creative, achieve a higher level of awareness, cultivate more patience, provide a sense of calm, and encourage a higher level of learning and productivity.
“…if I think back to my schooling at Oak Grove, silence speaks loudly to what Oak Grove tries to foster in its students. We were never really instructed on what to do with the silence. It was not time for prayer, although maybe some use it that way. It was not a time to “think about what you did.” Actually, it was more like ninja training than either of those. It cultivated our long-forgotten attention spans. The silence we held together worked. You didn’t have to believe anything for it to work, it still worked, in the sense that it honed our abilities to sit with ourselves, in a very practical way.”
— Juna Rosales Muller ’06
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The Mirror of Relationship
J. Krishnamurti, world-renowned teacher on the entire field of human consciousness and founder of Oak Grove and schools in India and England, wrote many letters during 1978-1980 to stay in touch and convey his philosophy “that these schools are not only to be excellent academically but much more.”
In this short video from 2019, students read excerpts from his 1978 Letter to the Schools emphasizing the meaning of relationship and intelligence.
High School Mini Projects 2024
Arts, Blog, NewsWhile the high school senior class is visiting our sister schools in India each year, the High School at Oak Grove dedicates two weeks to our “Mini Projects.” Teachers lead small groups of students through an in-depth learning experiment into a craft, skill, or concept that piques the curiosities of both teachers and students.
Poco Farm Persimmons
Arts, Blog, NewsMiddle shool students picked persimmons during a Fall visit to Poco Farm and learned about Hoshigaki, a Japanese method for drying them.
Alumni Profile: Aimee Kelley ’96
Alum, BlogAimee Kelley graduated from Oak Grove in 1996 and now lives in Paris, France, with her husband and two children. She shares her Oak Grove memories.