Philotimo!
This is a word that you have encountered on our website and on the walls of our classrooms.
We frame our curriculum around it.
We use it to drive our exploration of identity.
We consider it when we think about who we are and what we do that honors others.
We use it as a guide to help others simply because they need help.
We do the right thing because we believe it is our duty, even when nobody is looking.
The socioemotional health of our students is of utmost importance, especially in this time of a global pandemic and quarantine from our family, friends, neighbors, and loved ones. This is why we have stayed so committed to onsite learning at Plato and took the difficult steps needed to assure everyone’s safety. We thank our staff, families and students for being diligent and caring. This has been a way for us all to demonstrate our commitment to philotimo. And even if we need to move to remote at some point, our responsibility to our students and families will not waver.
A wise person recently wrote, “If a child can do advanced math, speak 3 languages or receive top grades, but can’t manage their emotions, practice conflict resolution or handle stress, none of that other stuff is really going to matter”
Well, of course we want them to be mathematicians, of course we want them to be good communicators, of course we want them to be deep learners. But all of that must be done in the context of an environment that honors each and every person’s emotional well-being. Therefore, we spend as much time on helping our kids, teachers, and administration live up to the values of philotimo in our classrooms as we do focusing on their “academic” skills.
Along with our goals promoting the 21st century skills of Collaboration, Communication, Creativity and Critical Thinking, we are guided by philotimo as we try to promote a healthy sense of self, empathy, and altruism.
There is strong scientific evidence to support this important relationship between social emotional learning and cognitive development.
Philotimo embraces all of the values that lead us to wisdom and integrity. A commitment to love and kindness, as well as a respect for family and community, is embedded into our curriculum across the disciplines. It is embedded in the novels we chose to read and explore. It is embedded in the many experiences that kids have to feel capable and competent. It is embedded in the moments kids have to be critical thinkers and see problems as opportunities to find creative solutions. This is what often sets Plato Academy apart!