Founded by Janet Lederman as an outdoor learning experiment, Gazebo Park School has been providing alternative education for over thirty years. Gazebo represents an evolving philosophy through student-led, experiential, play-based learning, as well as the use of emergent curriculum, eco-literacy, land stewardship, and Gestalt Practice. Gazebo methods are unique and differ from Montessori and Waldorf or other educational theories and this method provides an alternative look at learning based on the idea that the human potential movement begins in childhood.
Located on the grounds of Esalen Institute where workshops in mind-body education take place, Gazebo Park School is an early childhood education center which integrates mindful and conscious education offering a learning experience based on exploration, personal growth and relevant curriculum such earth based knowledge and emotional literacy. Gazebo offers a new paradigm through somatic education and hands-on experience, and through its methods the mind and body align and learning comes alive.
My name is Jasmine Star Horan Bangoura. I was born and raised in Big Sur and at Esalen Institute. I had the great fortune to go to Gazebo Park School during my early childhood and learned a sense of freedom and trust in the world and was given great respect as a child as I was able to explore in this wonderful outdoor setting.
After completing my Master’s degree in teaching, I began working teaching at Gazebo and worked there for almost two years. I saw the need to document the rich history and the unique philosophy of this program. I began holding writing workshops and conducting interviews to gather stories and quotes from Esalen and Gazebo community members. My dream is to synthesize this material into a book which will preserve the integrity of the philosophy while sharing useful applications of these methods to a wider audience.
Now, I have a beautiful daughter and she has began to go the Gazebo as I begin to work again. In this way, I will have been a student, teacher and I am now a parent of Gazebo Park School. I feel so blessed to have the trust of the community willing to share their stories as well as a well-rounded view based on experience. As a writer with a Master of Arts in Teaching, I am ready and able to manifest this vision and bring the essence of Gazebo to life worldwide.
Located on the grounds of Esalen Institute where workshops in mind-body education take place, Gazebo Park School is an early childhood education center which integrates mindful and conscious education offering a learning experience based on exploration, personal growth and relevant curriculum such earth based knowledge and emotional literacy. Gazebo offers a new paradigm through somatic education and hands-on experience, and through its methods the mind and body align and learning comes alive.
My name is Jasmine Star Horan Bangoura. I was born and raised in Big Sur and at Esalen Institute. I had the great fortune to go to Gazebo Park School during my early childhood and learned a sense of freedom and trust in the world and was given great respect as a child as I was able to explore in this wonderful outdoor setting.
After completing my Master’s degree in teaching, I began working teaching at Gazebo and worked there for almost two years. I saw the need to document the rich history and the unique philosophy of this program. I began holding writing workshops and conducting interviews to gather stories and quotes from Esalen and Gazebo community members. My dream is to synthesize this material into a book which will preserve the integrity of the philosophy while sharing useful applications of these methods to a wider audience.
Now, I have a beautiful daughter and she has began to go the Gazebo as I begin to work again. In this way, I will have been a student, teacher and I am now a parent of Gazebo Park School. I feel so blessed to have the trust of the community willing to share their stories as well as a well-rounded view based on experience. As a writer with a Master of Arts in Teaching, I am ready and able to manifest this vision and bring the essence of Gazebo to life worldwide.