Primary

Harmony with Nature

A Year of Learning with Empathy – for Ourselves, Each Other, and the Earth

How can we live, learn, and grow in a way that respects life in all its forms?

The Empathy Way

At Empathy School, learning is more than academics—it’s a journey of becoming. We believe that true education begins when a child feels safe, connected, and curious.

Our philosophy is rooted in empathy:

Empathy for oneself: building self-awareness and resilience
Empathy for others: learning to collaborate, care, and communicate
Empathy for the Earth: understanding our place in the web of life

This year, through the theme “Harmony with Nature,” we invited students to explore what it means to live wisely and kindly—through books and through mud, through writing and through walking barefoot on the land.

A Balanced Journey

Our students learned from two classrooms: the pages of their books, and the roots beneath their feet. They read, wrote, measured, and researched—but also planted, observed, harvested, and reflected.

Projects included:

Measuring food waste and creating compost systems
Reading stories of environmental heroes
Writing reflections on what “living lightly” means
Creating natural art and building with recycled materials
Practicing mindfulness in the garden
Calculating water usage in rice farming
Debating solutions to real-world ecological problems

Academic Meets Emotional Growth

Language: Reading and writing with purpose
Math: Data and measurement tied to real sustainability projects
Science: Ecosystems, plant cycles, weather, and energy
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Daily mindfulness, perspective-taking, community care
Arts: Upcycling, earth dyes, nature journaling, ecoperformances

This theme reminded us that empathy isn’t a lesson—it’s a way of seeing the world. Whether through a math challenge or a compost bin, students kept returning to a central question: “Is this kind? Is this wise?” And that question guided not just what they learned, but who they became.

Curriculum Connections Empathy School follows its own integrated curriculum — the EQ Smart Curriculum — developed by a Harvard-trained team to blend academic rigor with emotional intelligence and ecological awareness.

This curriculum draws from:

American and Cambridge academic standards, ensuring global competence in reading, writing, math, science, and beyond.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to bring realworld purpose into learning.
Deep emotional and relational learning practices, aligned with the latest research in child development

Core Links in Our Learning:

Responsible Consumption and Production

What it means:

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns — reducing waste, using resources wisely, and building systems that support long-term well-being of people and planet.

How it connects to learning:

Students track and reduce school waste
They learn composting and recycling practices
Projects around reusing materials and minimizing “fast use” habits
Discussions on mindful consumption and ethical choices

Climate Action

What it means:

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts — through education, innovation, and communitybased strategies.

How it connects to learning:

Climate change is explored through science and geography lessons • Students calculate carbon footprints and water usage
They engage in tree planting, rice field studies, and seasonal weather tracking
They reflect on how small choices (e.g., food, transport) affect the global climate

Life on Land What it means:Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of land ecosystems — including forests, soil, biodiversity, and natural habitats. How it connects to learning:

Students observe biodiversity around the school
They tend to garden and farm areas with care
They study soil health, pollination, and ecosystems
Lessons focus on our responsibility as stewards of the land

Growing Year by Year: A Progression of Learning Across GradesOur Primary School shares a common theme each year: Harmony with Nature. Every grade level experiences this theme matching their growth stage. As students’ progress, they develop their academic skills and emotional understanding. First and second graders start by observing and identifying. Kids use their senses to spot patterns in nature and show empathy through stories and games. They learn by watching, feeling, and using their imagination. Third and fourth graders think more about systems and connections. Pupils begin to ask “why” and “how” as they study ecosystems, energy flows, and what communities need. They use reading and math skills in real-world projects that involve planning, measuring, and working together.Students in grades 5–6 take on leadership roles and learn to combine ideas. They come up with fixes write to convince others, share what they’ve found, and team up with kids from different grades. Their learning shows they’re digging deeper taking charge and being more responsible. This comes through in activities like arguing about climate rules or running a program to turn food waste into soil. How We Assess Growth At Empathy School, we believe that assessment should honor the whole child. Rather than relying on traditional grades alone, we use a blend of:

Portfolios showcasing student work, journals, and project documentation
Teacher observations of collaboration, resilience, and curiosity
Student reflections to build metacognition and voice

These tools help students understand their own learning journey—not just what they know, but who they are becoming.Planning with Purpose: From Theme to Weekly FlowOur educators design weekly plans that bring the yearly theme to life. Each week includes:

Morning mindfulness or emotional check-ins
Integrated thematic lessons (e.g. using math to measure compost success)
Nature-based exploration and documentation
Time for reflection, art, journaling, and open-ended inquiry

Rather than separate silos of learning, each subject connects to the real world—and to the child’s inner worldOur Learning EnvironmentWe think the environment surrounding kids has an impact on their thoughts, emotions, and development. This is why we create our educational spaces to spark awe, build relationships, and foster empathy. Our classrooms are spacious, nature-inspired, and adaptable—bathed in sunlight, decorated with earthy hues, and equipped with items that pique interest. We use outdoor areas such as gardens, paddy fields, and forest borders as everyday places to learn. Kids can choose to sit on the ground, work at tall tables, or study beneath trees—based on the activity and their energy levels. We make tools and supplies easy for children to reach, which helps them become more self-reliant and take charge of their education. Learning takes place through movement, in the outdoors, and through connections with othersA Glimpse of Our Curriculum MapAll learning connects to our central yearly theme—Harmony with Nature—which acts as the thread through every subject. Below is a simplified look at how the disciplines are integrated:

Subject Area	Example Connection to Theme
English / Language Arts	Writing persuasive letters to reduce plastic use
Mathematics	Graphing food waste and analysing water consumption
	Studying ecosystems, plant cycles, and climate trends
Social Studies	Exploring cultural practices of sustainability
Arts	Creating natural dyes, upcycled sculptures, eco-theatre
SEL (Social Emotional Learning)	Practicing mindfulness in nature, journaling reflections

“…genuinely effective schools—those that prepare students not only to pass tests at school but also to pass the tests of life—are finding that social-emotional competence and academic achievement are interwoven and that integrated, coordinated instruction in both areas maximizes students’ potential to succeed in school and throughout their lives."
--Zins, Joseph E. and Maurice J. Elias.