Mission Statement

Our mission is to bring together a diverse community and to create a constructivist and multicultural learning environment for children in the elementary school grades.

Through integrated project based activities, as well as, direct instruction, group decision making, and family based opportunities, Oasis Charter School will foster the development of responsible citizenship skills, literacy, logical thinking, creative problem solving, and the ability to represent one’s ideas in a variety of ways. Our students will be able to raise questions, identify and evaluate options, and access the information necessary to find answers. Our program will equip our students with the skills necessary to fulfill their personal aspirations and advocate for the common good.

Constructivism

Oasis Charter Public School’s philosophy is based on the Constructionist Theory. This educational theory explains learning as a process of taking new information gained through experience and adapting existing ideas in order to construct new knowledge. The theory proposes that individuals are constantly learning through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. What humans learn is directly influenced by their stage of development as well as by the people, materials, and experiences they have.

All children bring unique life experiences to school. It is these experiences which influence their understanding of the world. The role of the adults who interact with children is to provide personally and culturally meaningful experiences so that children can build on their life experiences to reach a deeper level of understanding. Children at Oasis learn the skills necessary, (reading, math, science, creative arts, performing arts, social sciences, and social skills), to investigate, explore, create, and consequently construct new knowledge. Children construct their own understandings based on both the experiences they bring to school and the experiences they have in school.

At the core of constructivism are the notions of intellectual and moral autonomy.

Intellectual autonomy is the ability to think and make decisions for yourself, while taking into consideration the viewpoints of others. Moral autonomy is the ability to make decisions for yourself while considering the impact those decisions may have on the larger community. We see the development of both intellectual and moral autonomy as essential goals of Oasis Charter Public School. At Oasis, we have created an accepting community environment which provides children with the real world experiences they need in order to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and advocates for the common good. We see these as skills needed by responsible citizens in a democracy.