All our students engage in carefully planned experiences designed to promote the acquisition of nonviolent language and ethical development. This is reflected in daily life at school, the curriculum planning, targeted interventions, and the interpersonal relationships we nurture within our school and community.

The experiences we provide are structured to support the development of social-emotional and moral competencies – one of the greatest challenges we face. Our aim is to strengthen our school’s culture and philosophy, which are deeply grounded in the principles of a Love-based education.

It is important to note that this approach is not linked to excessive freedom or permissiveness. On the contrary, our educational model demands intentional planning, striking a balance between firmness and kindness. Among the challenges we embrace are the cultivation of virtues such as empathy, attentiveness, focus, active listening and, above all, respect.

We recognise that, today, many individuals face challenges related to attention, concentration and relationships. The constant presence of social media and digital devices in our lives can lead us away from mindful, in-person interactions.

Our Coexistence and Anti-Bullying Programs

Our Anti-Bullying Programme is fully integrated into the curriculum across all school levels: Escola de Girafa (School of Giraffes) in Juniors, Vem Ser Girafa (Come be a Giraffe) in Teens, and Projeto Vital (Vital Project) in High School. Topics such as civility, ethics, morality, social interactions, life skills, and character strengths – among other key pillars – come together to strengthen our students’ inner resources, equipping them to deal with the inevitable challenges and conflicts they may encounter throughout life.

Through these programmes, students engage in meaningful and emotionally rich experiences that explore the complexities of human relationships. These experiences build a preventive toolkit, empowering them to navigate the unexpected. Our goal is to prepare and support them to face these situations with confidence and resilience.

One of our core strategies is the use of compassionate and assertive communication, which fosters a sense of safety and trust, and supports the development of an appropriate emotional skill set.

Self-regulation, tolerance, and respect for others – alongside many other values and principles – are central goals of our school’s Programme for Ethical Coexistence, the Science of Wellbeing, and Self-Realisation. Our teachers are carefully introduced, trained, and integrated into this context, with ongoing support and expert supervision.

Although our approach places a strong emphasis on preventive education, we recognise that repeated conflictual behaviour may still occur. In such cases, we follow clear protocols and procedures, supported by specialist guidance, to take immediate and careful action in order to resolve and eliminate such incidents.

Our Personalised and Handcrafted Approach

Our programmes are handcrafted, with each detail carefully designed and planned to meet the specific needs of a given group. Different groups require different curricula, all of which are organised manually by our team. Each classroom has its own unique needs, and it is with these in mind that we plan the strategies we will follow within the curriculum. These strategies are defined during our weekly supervision meetings with the tutor teachers.

For each group, we weave a unique model. We work with many different approaches, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We do not use standardised booklets or pre-made materials to address these needs.

Socio-emotional education can be enriched through structured programmes designed for this purpose, and we use the Semente Programme (Programme – Seed) as a support tool to develop five fundamental areas of growth: self-management, kindness, openness to new experiences, engagement with others, and emotional regulation.

The materials for Moral Education, Ethics, and Positive Psychology are entirely developed by our school team, drawing on respected theorists and experts in human behaviour, ethical personality development, wellbeing, and life choices. We adopt specific strategies and methodologies tailored to the unique needs of our children.

The foundation of this curriculum is inspired by the philosophy of Escola Internacional de Alphaville, which, since its founding, has been committed to nurturing morally and socially developed individuals through experiences rooted in its non-negotiable moral values — with the aim of transforming lives!

In our next newsletter, I will be sharing more about the vital role parents play in the success of this programme.

I count on each one of you to keep up with our monthly updates, and I remain available to you all.

Giraffe hugs!