Fieldstone's Founding Philosophy
In 1997, David Butcher founded Fieldstone. The original location was in the basement of a church on Manor Road in the city of Toronto. There were eight students. The vision of the school was based on the work of E.D. Hirsch, a professor at the University of Virginia. Hirsch had developed a curriculum that incorporated all the key foundational knowledge and skills that would support a successful academic career. Fieldstone adapted this curriculum to be used in a Canadian setting. The result was a curriculum that clearly outlined what a student should learn at each grade level with learning outcomes explicitly expressed. Mr. Butcher has a genuine belief in children and he deeply believes that they are capable of achieving at a higher level than most schools expect of them.
Fieldstone was founded with two goals in mind. The first was to provide a strong foundation of knowledge upon which each student could build as they move into adult life. The second goal was to create a strong sense of self-worth and self-esteem within each student. The curriculum is used as a vehicle for accomplishing both of these goals. Students will grow in knowledge and self-confidence by being constantly challenged to achieve goals that appear to be slightly beyond their reach. Fieldstone students are presented with academic tasks that they may consider too difficult for themselves. With the guidance of their teachers in a caring and nurturing fashion, students find that indeed they can do what they thought they could not. As a result, their confidence grows and they willingly, in fact, eagerly accept new challenges.
At Fieldstone, we see not the child we meet, but rather who that child will become.
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