At Wind & Tide, we define spiritual development as the way our capacity for LOVE grows and changes across our lifetime. Spiritual development is a key component in whole child development and a key component in Wind & Tide philosophy and programming.
Through our curriculum and interactions, we facilitate spiritual development through the emerging, wondrous understanding that... a) all living things are connected; b) all living things have inherent value; c) we are part of a bigger story;
When we nurture a child’s spiritual development, it enhances their capacity to connect with others, to respect and care for the natural world, to kindly and compassionately navigate life challenges, and to be resilient in the face of difficulty.
Spiritual development is the foundation for universal questions about connection, purpose and meaning in life, and is not about becoming more spiritual. Rather, it is about realizing or becoming increasingly aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality. Spiritual development is not dependent on a religious affiliation. At Wind & Tide, we recognize that everyone is spiritual, and yet, not everyone is religious. Knowing this, we wish to be respectful to the needs and beliefs of the families that attend our programs. In School Districts that have a requirement for NO religious mention or expression in classrooms, we respect and honour this position. In our classrooms outside of those School District classrooms, Wind & Tide welcomes and offers opportunities for children to experience age-appropriate religious perspectives as explained below.
Wind & Tide is rooted in a belief system of love and respect for God as the Creator, love and respect for others as being as important as ourselves, and love and respect for ourselves as good and worthy of love and respect.
At Wind & Tide we celebrate the Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter with child appropriate stories, songs and lessons. In addition, at Wind & Tide we look to celebrate all religious holidays that are meaningful to the students in our classrooms. We do this by inviting parents and children to share their traditions in child-appropriate ways and through teacher-initiated lessons and activities.
If parents/guardians have any questions or concerns regarding Wind & Tide’s Spiritual Sensitivity Policy and how it relates to their child’s individual classroom, we are always happy to provide clarity on this important subject. Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact Wind & Tide at admin@windandtide.com, or speak with their classroom’s Team Director.