We prepare children to be engaged and active citizens in a democratic society. To do that, children must be engaged, active participants in their own education.
Our program fosters a deep and strong sense of self.
We encourage and challenge students to find and use their voices. In keeping with the Quaker belief that every person has a unique inner light, we help students better know themselves and how they belong in our community. At our school, a student’s questions and interests, as well as their needs, are essential elements of the curriculum.
We see learning as life itself, not preparation for life.
So much of our students’ lives is spent at school and an FSMN education takes that into account. They are learning about themselves at the same time they are developing skills in reading, writing, math, and spelling. The Quaker practices of sitting in silence and reflecting on how we live our values help students find purpose and hope – both for today and in the future. FSMN educates the whole child.
We are committed to teaching peace in an active way, every day.
Students learn social-emotional skills that help deepen relationships and solve problems at school and in the greater community. At Friends School, we study nonviolent movements for change, and we expect students to solve problems respectfully. Drawing on the Quaker tradition of seeking truth through listening and dialogue, we help students develop the capacity to thoughtfully reflect on their own and others’ perspectives. This reflective grounding is core to education at FSMN.
We value deep thinking and higher-order thinking skills.
At FSMN, education is not a race through content but rather an active, hands-on experience that engages a wide variety of learners in experimenting, deliberating, creating, and constructing knowledge. Rich projects, integrated thematic units, and inquiry-based experiences help students develop critical thinking skills and a sense of responsibility to their communities and the world around them.
Friends School [of Minnesota] gave me a pleasant environment to make friends, experiment, and learn about the world in a fun way. I didn’t really know it at the time, but I was learning how to learn. I will always remember two things about the activities we did. There was always something to do and ALWAYS something to think about.
Ray, ’17
