Mission
The Advent School educates children from Early Childhood through Sixth Grade in a nurturing environment. We promote in-depth understanding and mastery of academic skills, challenging students to think critically and take multiple perspectives.
The heart of The Advent School is its diverse, inclusive community. Our goal is to cultivate compassionate, responsible individuals who have the confidence to take action consistent with their beliefs, and to understand their part in a larger world.
Approved by The Advent School Board of Trustees on October 14, 2000
Philosophy
The Advent School was founded in 1961 with the belief that each child brings his/her unique sense of self to the community, making ours a diverse and stimulating place to learn. Students from many Boston neighborhoods, backgrounds, and traditions come together as a close-knit family. Children and adults form meaningful relationships within a respectful, caring, network of individuals. Teachers look upon each child as a talented student, with strengths in any number of different arenas – from academics to technology to the arts.
In their earliest elementary years, children bring a passion for learning to school. A challenging academic program, a motivated peer group, and the thoughtful support of their teachers inspire them to push their thinking further. At Advent, students are immersed in a strong, integrated curriculum. They are taught to expect connections within their learning and to freely cross the boundaries between disciplines. Within the context of one or more class themes, that include scientific, cultural, and literary studies, children learn from direct experience. They discuss, write about, and represent these topic areas, using a variety of different media. Each student at Advent is an active participant in the learning process, making choices and accepting responsibility for his/her learning.
Teachers design their own curriculum, guided by the School, using the city as an extension of the classroom. Our historic Boston neighborhoods and museums offer students rich cultural experiences. They build on their knowledge by observing artifacts and art first hand, listening to museum guides, and engaging in activities in a new educational setting.
Within the classroom, students learn from books, through technology, from guest speakers, and from one another. Teachers challenge children to solve problems and investigate information through primary sources. Students keep journals to record their thoughts and respond to literature, and to learn to research topics starting in their early elementary years. With two teachers per classroom and specialist teachers, students have the support they need to fully understand a concept and to enhance their ability to apply skills. At Advent we teach the whole child. Our students learn about fitness, build athletic skills, and forge a cooperative spirit by participating in a wide range of physical activities.
Our children learn at an early age to value differences and to stand up for that which they believe. We are a community committed to non-violence and teach our students to have compassion for others, respect for their environment, and to take an active role in their community, whether it is in the classroom, school, or neighborhood. During a student’s years at Advent, teachers and parents encourage them to make connections with the world beyond their classroom, helping them find ways to reach out to people in need. We recognize that we play a significant role in educating children who will become future leaders in the world. The students at Advent learn to take initiative, work collaboratively, and to take intellectual risks.
Approved by The Advent School Board of Trustees on May 8, 2001
“When I came to Advent I saw kids of different races, religions, and with different amounts of money all just there--just being together. So much different from my other school.”
— Advent student
- Advent Art Sampler
