Our Community
We believe children learn who they are by participating in a community.
They are constantly testing: Does my voice matter? What do we do when we disagree? How do my actions affect others?
Why we’re here.
At Joy Lab, we practice democracy every day. We hold meetings where students help shape decisions. We slow down conflict and ask what happened, who was impacted, and how to repair it. We share responsibility for materials, space, and agreements. We reflect on our work and revise it.
There is joy in this process — in being taken seriously, in seeing your idea shape a plan, in solving a problem together, in building a culture that belongs to everyone.
My why is simple: I want children to grow up with the habits participation requires: listening carefully, offering reasons for their ideas, reconsidering their thinking, negotiating solutions, and taking responsibility for the impact of their choices on others.