The Human Flourishing Curriculum
We believe that schools are about more than academics—they should offer the knowledge, skills, and experiences that support human flourishing.
When we are fundamentally well, we are ready to learn at our fullest capacity.
The Human Flourishing Curriculum is an evolving design using research and ideas from the Compassionate Systems Framework at MIT, the Center for Healthy Minds, the World Economic Forum, and others.
It is also a university preparatory curriculum, containing all the academic content expected for admissions to selective universities around the world. By building the skills to understand ourselves, collaborate well with others, and take care of the environment around us, we believe HIS students will access both deeper academic insights and the leadership abilities needed to improve our world.
The Human Flourishing Curriculum in Practice
The Human Flourishing Curriculum is based on our driving question as a school: what kind of education enables people and planet to flourish?
The first response to this question, we believe, is about the design and values of our community. We aspire to create a developmental community, one which models our values daily in how we communicate, live, learn, and make decisions together.
Within this community, we organize our curriculum into three areas of learning:
Foundational Literacies: Including a sequence of development in Literacy, Numeracy, Scientific Literacy, ICT Literacy, Financial Literacy, Cultural & Civic Literacy, Physical (Body) Literacy, and Artistic Literacy.
Competencies: These include Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Systems Thinking.
Mindsets: These include Curiosity, Initiative, Adaptability, Social & Cultural Awareness, Resilience, Outlook, Focused Attention, and Generosity.
These areas of learning are presented through innovative, research-supported learning methods, including project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and a strong outdoor education program.
Finally, we use the HIS Learning Passport for students to document their progress and the feedback received as they grow in each of these areas.