Our school primarily follows the official academic standards set by the French Ministry of Education. The essential difference from a traditional school lies in the way knowledge is transmitted. We have chosen to build on advances in neuroscience regarding children’s cognitive development and to use recognized alternative teaching methods that have proven effective.
This is not a disorganized mix: on the contrary, each educational tool has its place. Teachers, while creating links between approaches, use these different methods within a clear, structured framework based on a common foundation.
This foundation is rooted in contributions from neuroscience. At AISA, one of our major references is the work of Stanislas Dehaene, neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist. Each learning process relies on the four pillars he identified: attention, active engagement, feedback on errors, and consolidation. We also ensure respect for the child’s natural rhythm, particularly sleep. For example, any child who needs a nap after lunch can rest in the dormitory space: there is no age limit for accessing this essential time for proper brain function.
Several complementary teaching approaches coexist at AISA. Together, these choices aim to create an inclusive, caring, and cooperative environment where every child can thrive intellectually, emotionally, and socially:
- Bilingualism, at the heart of the school’s project: children learn in French and English through immersion, fostering cultural openness and curiosity about the world.
- Montessori pedagogy, which develops autonomy, concentration, and self-confidence through a prepared environment and specific materials.
- Freinet pedagogy, which values free expression, cooperation, and learning rooted in real-life situations.
- Contributions from “The Natural Laws of the Child” by Céline Alvarez, inspired by neuroscience, help support each student by respecting their pace and stimulating executive functions (attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility).
- Outdoor learning, offering children the opportunity to learn in nature, stimulating creativity, curiosity, and their connection to the environment.
- Juline Anquetin Rault’s autonomous pedagogy, which structures work time between lessons, free workshops, self-assessments, and immediate feedback, making each student an active participant in their learning.
Our ambition is simple: to provide every child with an environment where learning is enjoyable, confidence grows, a love of work is cultivated, potential is fully developed, and personal fulfillment is achieved.
Would you like to discover our full approach? We would be happy to send you our complete educational project upon request.
