4
Principles

I
Open System

We view Morley School as an open system. Following principles of Progressive Education and the theory of John Dewey, we believe that students learn best when in natural social settings and that an educational space should be representative of a social environment around it.

We plan to build close ties with the neighborhood, in which Morley School is operating its programs by inviting community members to conduct joint workshops and talks with students. The team and the students will be in constant dialogue about giving back to the community and ways of building a better living, working and learning environment for everyone.



Open System
Morley School Principles, 2026.

II
Making

The executive team, the advisors and the teaches of Morley School are contemporary artists, accomplished educators, architects and designers – leading specialists of their fields.

We are strong supporters of the idea of making.

Our aim is to provide the essence of our artistic and professional practice to the younger audience, in the spirit of constant curiosity, honesty and openness to mistakes.




Making
Morley School Principles, 2026.


III
Staying Up-to-Date

At Morley School we believe in staying up-to-date both in our work methods and in analyzing the demands of the social world that surrounds our students.

From ceramics, painting and 3D modeling to architecture and creative writing, Morley School curriculum will prepare students for the realities of the present day, where soft skills and divergent thinking are at the core of successful and productive life.




Staying Up-to-Date
Morley School Principles, 2026.



IV
Democratic Governance

At Morley School we will practice principles of Democratic Governance together, inspired by the leading democratic schools of the world. Yaacov Hecht, an influential educator and worldwide pioneer of democratic education believes that decision making and their execution can be made by the entire community of stakeholders (see Figure 2.5).

One of the relevant examples is our general meeting. It is the forum in which the students and teachers will discuss issues, make, drop or change community rules, vote and run their day-to-day lives.

It is important for us to give students a right to choose what they want to study, that is why at the beginning of each class at Morley School, a teacher will offer their students several activities (construction, design, reading, experimentation, etc.) within the overall theme, and collectively will they decide on the program of the day.




Democratic Governance
Morley School Principles, 2026.


V
Relationships Before Theory

We believe that human relationships are more important than theory. At Morley School, we strive to develop an impeccable curriculum and innovative pedagogical methods. However, even great importance in our community is devoted to the relationships between the participants in the educational process.

To achieve emotional attunement between the stakeholders of Morley School, we will organize comprehensive parental meetings, open classes, as well as constant supervision and various forms of coaching for the whole team.

This diagram, developed by a leading psychologist Ludmila Petranovskaya, reflects our commitment to emotional intelligence and relationship building.




Relationships before Theory
Morley School Principles, 2026.

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