Sunrise School of Miami

When I moved to Miami, we researched all the schools with top reviews and high marks. My son enrolled in what was called a great "A school" down the street from our house and after a year, we were already knew it was not working. He was being assigned hours of mindless busywork homework, did not get very much free time outside and the testing hype was over the top. As a university professor, I know that the kinds of students who succeed in my courses have a strong academic foundation but they are also creative and well balanced. I feared my son would eventually go through school burned out by high school on that path. When we learned about Sunrise I have to admit I was nervous. I didn't really understand Waldorf. Some online sites about Waldorf philosophy made me nervous. Was it diverse? Was it weird? I then met some folks who were at the school. It draws people who range from very "Waldorfy" to the more mainstream crowd. All my fears have been abated. This has been the best choice for my kids and for us a family. The community is absolutely lovely. The classes are small (some very small but it still works) and my kids are truly thriving. They have ample joy in their lives. They play hard OUTSIDE!! They have music, incredible art, they are in beautiful classrooms that are not cluttered in cheesy ABC charts and plastic laminations. They have fresh flowers, they have cozy reading corners, chalk drawings...for my son who can be overstimulated by a lot of stuff, coming into a Waldorf classroom was soothing for him. My son's teacher brings a beautifully rich and diverse curriculum. My daughter's teacher is a gem. She has made her love math and science, gardening, and science equally. My daughter is taking Mandarin and can seriously understand a lot after two years there. For their geology lesson, they wet felted geodes and she was so excited to explain the science behind the mineral pattern formations. I'm already a little on the crunchy side (their dad - not so much) but it worked out really well for us all. Even he praises the education they are getting to his family members who worry that it's not "traditional." The benefits are incredible. We see that 8th graders go onto top schools for high school easily and that has helped allay some worries for family. Beyond the academic and soulful enrichment for the kids, it's a wonderful community for me. My best friends in the 305 are now these parents. It's really the best kept secret in MIA.

I am thankful that I found Waldorf education and this school in Miami. My two kids graduated from Sunrise and i am proud of the way they have evolve into whole thinking human beings. They are understanding and accepting. They learned many wonderful things (gardening, handwork, movement, acting, singing, violin,etc) that complemented their intellectual learning. This school is a hidden gem in Miami.

This school and the learning approach was recommended to us by a yoga teacher, and it was the best decision we made as a family! Even though, our religious beliefs, traditions and culture might not be the same, we love that this school practice “love” as religious, teach ours kids to respect and accept each other; to be kind and conscious about their environment. I love the way of teaching; their approach is amazing and we see it in our daughter.Our daughter is so happy to be able to attend this school. We no longer have issues with homework; she is happy and learning so much without so much pressure for learning so fast. She loves all the teachers. They are all very sweet, kind, happy and at the same time very firm and consistent.I just wish they can be a little more open to celebrate other cultures, traditions and their foods (I.e Hispanic Heritage/African American/Indians/ Thanksgiving/Christmas/ all cultures belief and traditions). This will be amazing. All of them no exceptions.

This school is nothing but amazing! Our kids have flourished so much since starting this school and I’m very happy we left the public school system in 2017. The teachers get to know the children for who they are and not just a number in the class. The class sizes are small and the kids get to play, sing, and draw which they don’t feel like they’re learning. In public school our kids were stressed and memorizing everything. The feeling in Sunrise School of Miami is much more relaxed and the kids are actually learning and understanding the material. I love this school and recommend it for all!!

This is the way all children should be educated. SSoM fosters a love for learning. Children experience hands-on learning in all their subjects. They spend time in nature gardening and studying ecology. The 6th grade runs the farmer’s market to practice their business math. They sing. The learn history in an engaging and dynamic way which builds a foundation for later learning in high school & college. They do a class play every year. They study mythology from around the world and different cultures. They do not just sit and learn but are engaged actively. They are educating citizens of the world.