LumiaR
SÃo Paulo, Brazil
About LUMIAR
Lumiar has been called one of the most innovative schools in the world. It describes itself as “future-oriented” and emphasizes the importance of learning English for the purpose of its students being able to share experiences, learnings and projects with children from other countries via technology.
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Physical Composition & Location
Lumiar has three locations in or near São Paulo, Brazil. One location is in the rural neighbourhood of Lageado in Santo Antônio do Pinhal. Teachers and students share a large house for all their learning activities. The house contains an interactive research room where students have access to books and technology. Moveable walls enable the expansion and reduction of classrooms to suit activities. The school’s walls feature colourful murals depicting themed scenes such as “Bottom of the Sea,” “Farm Animals” and “Forest.”
The school’s outdoor spaces include both covered (“playground”) and open areas (“the lawn”). There is also a fully fenced lake on school property.
The school’s outdoor spaces include both covered (“playground”) and open areas (“the lawn”). There is also a fully fenced lake on school property.
Demographics and Staff
Lumiar houses a daycare as well as classes of students aged 4 to 14. Teachers are called “masters.” The students are divided into four age groups (4–5, 6–8, etc.) with a different master taking on each group.
Holistic Curriculum
Lumiar reflects upon and transforms its approaches to teaching and learning constantly. For Lumiar:
Educating is an ongoing, permanent process of human development comprising not only the cognitive aspects of such development, but also its emotional and social elements materialized by means of a number of interactions of the individuals with their human and natural environments, both in and out of school.
Lumiar’s educational philosophy contains four components:
1. Learning modules
2. Workshops
3. Circles
4. Cycles
Curriculum is based upon obtaining knowledge and understanding and developing skills through learning modules and then students take on workshops, circles and cycles based upon their personal interests or the interests of the group. Cooperative and project-based learning is emphasized heavily.
Educating is an ongoing, permanent process of human development comprising not only the cognitive aspects of such development, but also its emotional and social elements materialized by means of a number of interactions of the individuals with their human and natural environments, both in and out of school.
Lumiar’s educational philosophy contains four components:
1. Learning modules
2. Workshops
3. Circles
4. Cycles
Curriculum is based upon obtaining knowledge and understanding and developing skills through learning modules and then students take on workshops, circles and cycles based upon their personal interests or the interests of the group. Cooperative and project-based learning is emphasized heavily.
Personal and Leadership Development
Lumiar strives to provide the most innovative and transformative development for both faculty and students. One way that Lumiar achieves this goal is through the Ralston-Semler Foundation.
“The Ralston-Semler Foundation was established in 1990 by Ricardo Semler, businessman internationally recognized for its activities in the areas of business and social. Its initial goal was to create a non-profit school - focused on early childhood education and all basic education - that led to the formal education democratic principles. Over the years, the Ralston-Semler Foundation opened other lines of action in addition to education, always based on democratic participation and worried about economic progress, social, cultural and environmental development of the country” (http://www.ralstonsemler.org.br/Fundacao/2010/?page_id=21