Rainbow Institute
RI is an arm of Rainbow Community School that seeks to inspire a holistic education movement through transformative learning experiences, resources and research. The work of RI is inspired by the holistic educational model known as the Rainbow Seven Domains approach. RI strives to help individuals, educators and institutions nurture the spiritual identities of all community members by inviting the sacred into the school experience. Each RI blog post will offer reflections on various spiritual domain happenings at RCS and will share transferrable and adaptable lessons and resources. We hope that these posts will serve as a resource for you and your organization.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ~ West Willmore,
Co-Founder of Rainbow Institute
Be the Change
In 2012 Rainbow Community School (RCS) was selected as an Ashoka Changemaker School, a networkย of schools that empower students as changemakers byย prioritizing empathy, leadership, andย collaborativeย problem-solving as student outcomes. Theyย recognize the capacities of...
Points of Connection
Connection and community at Rainbow is often nurtured through rituals, traditions or celebrations that mark the passage of time. We begin the school year with an opening ceremony during which the entire school comes together to offer blessings and intentions for the...
Mind In A Jar
The integratedย RCS curriculum fosters learning in a holistic way. This approach is void of the restrictions often imposed by teaching discreetย subjects. Purposeful integration acknowledges, builds on and reinforces the existing relationships betweenย subject...
The Philosopher’s Box
Rainbow Community School had a special guest this week! Best-selling author and Ph.D., Lisa Miller, toured our school. Lisa authoredย The Spiritual Childย and is also the head of clinical psychology at Columbia University Teachers College. She has conducted and compiled...
The Co-Creation of Centering Altars
An altar isย commonlyย associated with a religious purpose. It is oftenย a structure or space, considered sacred, on whichย offerings are placed and used in a rite or ritual. However, we often create altars to honor various things that aren't necessarily associated with a...
Walking the Talk is a Journey Not a Destination
We live in a time of uncertainty,ย in a world that isย unpredictable andย in a society that is, in some cases, changing rapidlyย and in others stuck.ย Nevertheless, our work as educators is more important now than ever. As an organization, weย aim to live our mission...
Only Love Can Do That
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. โMartin Luther King Jr. ย Rainbow Community School is governed by light and founded on love. Connection to oneself, others, the natural world and the...
Harnessing the Power of the Circle
Teaching thematically Integrated thematic units are considered best practice atย Rainbow.ย Thematic lessons are layered in both discipline and in learning domain. Layering in this way encourages themeย engagementย from many angles and through many lenses.ย Thisย allows...
Strengthening your light in the season of darkness
The weekย back to school after a longย winter break isย often buzzing with excitement and anticipation.ย During these days, children will share stories of their time apart,ย celebrate coming back togetherย and show enthusiasm for what is to come.ย Time is also set aside for...
Bringing the spirit back into the holidays
Centering practices aim to strengthen ourย learning communityย by inviting spirit and sacredness into each space and each day. At RCS, we see this dailyย practice as aย meaningfulย ritual that isย integral to aย child's healthy spiritual development....
There is a field, I’ll meet you there
Rainbow's centering curriculum aims toย support the spiritual identity development of each learner through various contemplative, mindfulnessย and meditative practices. It also serves to cultivate a strong class coherence and foster a collective wisdom through...
The Present Moment is All You Ever Have
Theย centering rituals, although all rooted inย mindfulnessย and in sacred spirit,ย vary from Rainbow classroom to Rainbow classroom. For example, the middle school, known asย Omega, opens each centering with a reflection onย a quote, a lyric, or a blessing.ย As centering...
Listening Conferences: A Deep Listening Activity
The words of American spiritual teacher and author Ram Dass encourage us to live FULLY, in the present moment, without judgement. How do you achieve this? What practices do you embrace? โBe Here Nowโ for example, calls on mindfulness practice. โThe quieter you become,...
Turning Routine into Ritual
Fall is here andย fallย break has likely come and gone for many of us. This season oftenย brings a lot of transition for our students. These transitions are embedded in theย rhythms of the natural world, the energy around celebrations and holidays, and within...
The Three Questions
Daily centering practice is a part of every Rainbow classroom.ย Theseย practices, although all anchored in the Rainbow Spiritual Domain Learning Outcomes,ย take on many shapes and forms and evolve based on the learning needs of the children and theย passions of the...
Gratitude Jars
The beginning of an RCS school year serves as a rite ofย passage for every student andย theirย classroom community. This time is symbolic of rebirth, renewal, a newย beginning- a fresh start. RCS teachers begin by creating a sacred and safe foundation in which the...
Return with Elixir
Summer is a breeding ground for travel, adventure, and memory making. Its long days, breaks from school and work, flexible schedules also yield down time, rest, and a chance to turn inward and reflect. Having said this, I share with you an inspiring centering activity...
Nature as Divine Teacher
A culture that is permeated by a materialist philosophy sees the Earth as a commodity- a resource to bought, sold, quantified and controlled. In this view- humans are separate from nature instead of interdependent.ย Many of the educational methods at Rainbow aim to...