Dear Visitor,
What is a new school doing in a neighborhood of schools which have decades of tradition and legacy? It takes some courage to ask this question out loud, but I know you will be wondering the same. I ask this question confidently as the faculty and I continue the exploration about why it is important that we exist. The short answer is that we offer young people and their families a place that balances learning foundational skills with a focus on music and art expression, and second language acquisition. In short, we exist because our method forms a foundation of all meaningful learning.
Before a child speaks, it sings, before they write, they paint, as soon as they stand, they dance. The arts are in fact, the foundation of human expression.
- PHYLICIA RASHAD
At IANY, we encourage our students to become well versed in academic foundational skills in literacy and numeracy; we create opportunities for our students to engage in arts immersion in a second language. We believe that the inherent curiosity that arises from music, visual arts and dance allows students to take risks and discover how to use their whole bodies to capture memorable experiences that build confidence.
We put our energy into planning, scheduling and assessing our students through the lens of effortful practice and mastery. While we have grade level benchmarks, we also know that young children learn on a continuum that is neither prescribed or on schedule. We believe that in order to develop a culturally competent mindset, our senses need to be exposed to the sights, sounds, and movements that push young people to see connections and differences between cultures and language. What better way to build confidence in young people than to have their voices heard as they express themselves in an increasingly complex world?
Our graduates are self-aware and also aware of others. This happens because, at every level of our school culture, we believe in a collective consciousness. In the words of Rumi, “You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in a drop.”
Come visit and experience for yourself the rich multi-sensory and integrated experience that is IANY.
Nasreen Ikram Hussain
Head of School