From "What If?" to "What's Next?"

Todd Nelson, Director of Lower School
Children are naturally curious. When they see something new, they want to know what it is and how it works, or they simply wonder, “What if?” In Barstow’s lower school, passionate instructors take “what if” moments and turn them into “what’s next” opportunities.
What if a trip to the Barstow garden sparked a child’s passion for environmental science? What if starting Writer’s Workshop in kindergarten brought out a child’s inner author? What if STEAM class gave a child the confidence to become a computer coder?

Our students are makers, doers and confident leaders. That begins in lower school, where it’s not only about what a child learns, but how they learn it: through critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity. We also introduce character education, global citizenship, service and social-emotional learning that continues through upper school.

When a child’s curiosity and interests guide their learning — with a team of teachers and administrators who know their strengths and cheer them on — they want to continue exploring and reaching to see “what’s next.”
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