Our philosophy is expressed through four interconnected foundations that inform everyday life at Kinder Republic.
A Rights-Centric Philosophy
Children are not merely future adults or beneficiaries of adult decisions. They are people in their own right, entitled to dignity, respect, freedom and meaningful participation.
We seek to uphold children's rights not only through what we say, but through how we organise our spaces, relationships, activities and decisions. Everything we do, stays within the framework offered via the United Nations Child Rights Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
We want to invite other entities working with children to begin this journey, and was instrumental in founding the Rights-centric Education Network, a world-wide movement to enable everyone interested.
Democratic Living and Learning
Kinder Republic is a community in which children have meaningful opportunities to participate in shaping their shared lives.
We explore democratic ways of making decisions, negotiating differences, expressing opinions, taking responsibility and being together.
Our aspiration is to practise POWER WITH children rather than POWER OVER them.
We are inspired by people across the world engaging in Democratic Educational practises, and is the first one to embed and embrace these practices in a learning community with children in Sri Lanka.
Nonviolent Communication and Mutual Education
Inspired by Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication and his work on Mutual Education, we explore ways of relating that move beyond judgement, blame, coercion and domination.
We practise listening with empathy, expressing ourselves honestly, understanding needs and finding ways forward that take everyone's experiences seriously.
We see communication not simply as a skill to teach children, but as a shared practice through which children and adults learn from one another.
Restorative Practices
We recognise that being together inevitably brings differences, disagreements and moments when we hurt one another, between children and adults alike.
Rather than relying on punishment, shame or exclusion, we draw on restorative practices to cultivate understanding, accountability, repair and learning. This approach is more humane and sustainable than any form of punishment.
We seek to respond to difficulties in ways that attend to people's experiences, the impact of our actions, the relationships involved and the wellbeing of the community.
Children and Adults sit together in what we call a āRestorative Councilā, when a conflict happens and find ways to repair harm, not to punish. In this space, everyone matters the same way, no more or less, whether you are child or adult.
These foundations are not separate programmes or techniques. Together, they inform a way of living and learning with children that we continue to practise, reflect upon and deepen.