At Presidio Hill School, the following tenets of educational philosophy are embraced by a well trained and exceptionally committed and creative faculty:

• Educating the Whole Child
  We are committed to educating the whole child. The keys to childhood happiness and adult success lie only partially in the cognitive domain. We work with the social and emotional sides of the child, helping to develop healthy social lives and the emotional intelligence necessary for a productive and fulfilling life. 
• Respecting Developmental Needs
  We pay close attention to the developmental needs of our students. We reject the increasingly common practice of moving higher-level curriculum to lower grades in order to "speed up" the educational process, short changing children and forcing them to memorize material truly beyond their deeper understanding. We believe the best preparation for a lifetime of learning is to follow the current developmental needs and interests of the child.
• Focusing on Understanding
  More important than memorization is understanding. In a world of increasing and readily available information, understanding is far more important. With understanding, a student is able to be discerning and creative, make connections, and transfer information to new situations.
• Encouraging Active Engagement
  Children learn best when they are actively engaged. John Dewey, a progressive educator at the turn of the last century, made famous the aphorism "children learn by doing." Engagement is fostered when the material being learned is meaningful, the teacher is enthusaistic and skilled, there is some fun involved; and the student has some choice.
• Providing a Safe Environment
  A safe environment, not only physically but also emotionally and socially, is necessary for optimal learning. Students need to be able to take risks without fear of excessive critique or embarrassment. A corollary of this is that children often learn well from their mistakes and school should be an environment where those mistakes can be made.
• Emphasizing Process over Product
  The process is more important than the product. Product is inevitably involved, but our focus is on teaching children how to learn so whatever they may encounter in life, they will be prepared to learn from it. When we work mathematically, for example, we ask our students "How did you get that answer? What was your process?" And we ask the class, "Did anyone solve this a different way?" In so doing we help our students develop a repertoire of problem-solving skills and a knowledge of how they learn best.
• Teaching in Integrated, Thematic Units
  Our curriculum is based on integrated, thematic teaching and learning. Subjects are tied together, not divided into separate parts. A project may involve reading, writing, painting, and public speaking. Or it might involve collecting scientific data, writing about it, drawing a graph, and presenting it orally. This approach takes into account how the brain learns best—by making connections. These connections help the student retain material longer and apply it to more situations.
• Learning in Cooperative Groups
  Cooperative learning occurs in the youngest to oldest students. There is substantial research proving that students taught to learn cooperatively learn more, like school more, and even like their teachers more. Learning to work well with others is not only more enjoyable, but is a skill none of our graduates should be without.
• Embracing Diversity
  Diversity prompts learning. When a child experiences another viewpoint, that child is challenged to explore his/her own point of view and potentially adapt it to reflect new understanding and acceptance of alternate viewpoints. Rubbing up against cultural, racial, economic, family structure, or religious views that are not one's own, creates growth in thinking and also empathy. Presidio Hill is proud of its role in promoting diversity in its immediate community and as part of the mosaic that is San Francisco.
• Celebrating Creativity
  Creativity can and should be taught. Creativity is not just for some of us; it is not just for art and music classes. Project work demands creativity. All the forms of self-expression we expect from children ask for their creativity. Further, the ability to use knowledge creatively, rather than just reproducing it, is a hallmark of a progressive education.
• Creating Community
  The community of the school shapes thinking, feeling, and behavior. Parents, teachers, and fellow students all impact a child's development. Caring and compassionate community members with a common purpose create the environment in which we wish our children to grow.
• Promoting Freedom and Responsibility
  Freedom and responsibility are irrevocably linked. Responsibility does not stop when the students exit the school doors. Our students learn about their role as responsible citizens  by becoming increasingly involved in their broader communities. They perform community service, become involved in causes for social justice, and do their part as stewards of the environment.
• Offering a Broad Curriculum
  We believe a broad liberal arts curriculum best serves a student's growth. We include art, music, and performance/drama, as well as physical education and Spanish as full-fledged components of the curriculum.
• Educating the Heart and Mind
  We believe in educating the heart as well as the mind. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, we wish for our students to "do well by doing good."