About Us
The Blue Whale Children’s Centre is a non-profit, alternative school in Ottawa that provides an enriched learning environment for children ages 7.5 - 13. The program was started as part of a local, grass-roots initiative in the fall of 2015 by two mothers who wished to watch their children grow and thrive in a genuinely child-centered learning environment.
Our program is founded on the belief that children truly want to learn, and that they learn best in an environment where they feel comfortable, welcomed, supported, valued and heard. We also believe that children thrive within community, and that they respond best to one which supports and celebrates their individual uniqueness and needs, balances boundaries with freedom, and nurtures their natural enthusiasm to meaningfully engage with others and the world around them.
To facilitate this, we incorporate a holistic teaching approach that blends traditional methods and curriculum with highly child-centered and experiential approaches. Our teachers are all individuals who are deeply passionate and knowledgeable about alternative teaching styles and approaches, and who support the various educational experiences and backgrounds of our families. For our older group, mornings are dedicated to academic subjects ranging from math and science to history, geography and the arts. In the afternoons we focus on outdoor education, imaginative play, creative projects and self-directed learning goals. With our younger children, we use a similar but more play-based approach that is likewise filled with explorations of nature, science, art, music, numeracy and literacy.
For all three groups, our over-arching emphasis is on developing healthy and positive connections with others, which includes working collaboratively as well as individually and problem-solving as a team. The children who come to our centre feel that they are part of a truly inclusive community that respects and supports the feelings, needs, backgrounds, and abilities of all its members.
Our program is founded on the belief that children truly want to learn, and that they learn best in an environment where they feel comfortable, welcomed, supported, valued and heard. We also believe that children thrive within community, and that they respond best to one which supports and celebrates their individual uniqueness and needs, balances boundaries with freedom, and nurtures their natural enthusiasm to meaningfully engage with others and the world around them.
To facilitate this, we incorporate a holistic teaching approach that blends traditional methods and curriculum with highly child-centered and experiential approaches. Our teachers are all individuals who are deeply passionate and knowledgeable about alternative teaching styles and approaches, and who support the various educational experiences and backgrounds of our families. For our older group, mornings are dedicated to academic subjects ranging from math and science to history, geography and the arts. In the afternoons we focus on outdoor education, imaginative play, creative projects and self-directed learning goals. With our younger children, we use a similar but more play-based approach that is likewise filled with explorations of nature, science, art, music, numeracy and literacy.
For all three groups, our over-arching emphasis is on developing healthy and positive connections with others, which includes working collaboratively as well as individually and problem-solving as a team. The children who come to our centre feel that they are part of a truly inclusive community that respects and supports the feelings, needs, backgrounds, and abilities of all its members.