What is Integral Education?
Integral Education is a philosophy and practice of education for the whole child: body, emotions, mind, soul, and spirit. The modern practice of education for utility or for productivity is not enough for the children of the 21st century. It ignores the highest and truest parts of their being. Too often it ignores the physical and emotional development of the child as well.

Integral Education unites the ancient educational goal of self-knowledge with the modern goal of world-knowledge. Both of these goals are admirable, and the two of them must go hand-in-hand in any educational system that is integral.

Integral Education assists the child to discover for himself/herself out of his/her own temperament and being the aim of life and the divine purpose that he or she has to play in it. If everyone truly has a spark of the Divine as the center of his being, a comprehensive education must do more than ignore it or passively acknowledge it.

Integral Education takes that spark, the soul, as the guiding principle for the education of each child. Practically speaking, then, Integral Education demands highly conscious and developed teachers. For "the role of the teacher is to put the child upon the right road to his own perfection and encourage him to follow it, watching, suggesting, helping, but not imposing or interfering." (Kireet Joshi)

This vision of integral education is based on the pioneering work in education of Sri Aurobindo and his collaborator, known as the Mother. Integral education already has a developed body of theory and more than half a century of refinement and practice at the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education in Pondicherry, India.


RAINBOW KIDS INTEGRAL SCHOOL

1. How large will the school be?
We can have up to 72 preschool and Kindergarten children in the school at any one time. Actual enrollment will be more since we offer half day and full day programs for 2 (Tues/Thurs), 3 Mon/Wed/Fri), or 5 days per week. We will maintain about a 10:1 student/teacher ratio.

2. What age groups to you serve?
Our preschool is licensed to serve children up to six years of age. New students must have attained the age of two and a half years by the time they begin at our preschool. Our elementary program will be located at the La Jolla campus (www.IntegralElementary.com) and supports Kindergarten through Sixth grade.

3. Where is the school located?
The school address is 11345 Zapata Ave. San Diego, CA 92126.

4. What is the tuition?
Part time and full time tuition rates available through contact with the office (phone: 858-271-6985).

5. What are the school hours?
9:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday with extended school hours available from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.

6. What is an Indigo Child?
"An Indigo Child is a boy or girl who displays a new and unusual set of psychological attributes, revealing a pattern of behavior generally undocumented before. This pattern has singularly unique factors that call for parents and teachers to change their treatment and upbringing of these kids to assist them in achieving balance and harmony in their lives and to help them avoid frustration." (quoted from back cover of The Indigo Children) These children might be characterized as unusually bright and active. To learn more see the book The Indigo Children by Lee Carroll and Jan Tober or see the Indigo Children web site at www.IndigoChild.com.

7. How are Indigo Children Relevant to Rainbow Kids?

The school is specifically geared to accommodate and honor children (not only Indigo Children but all children) who want to help create their own disciplinary solutions, want to be given choices, want to have things explained to them and not just be told "because I said so", want to be your partner in raising them, want to be supported in a positive way and want to be guided, not told what to do. We honor and respect all children while maintaining a calm and serene atmosphere in the classrooms for the best learning environment.

8. Does my child need to be potty trained to be admitted to the school?

No, but we only support diapered children in the early preschool classroom for the 2-3 year-olds.