The Importance of Joy in Learning
Learning is serious work. Building, growing, and expanding our minds has never been easy. But just because learning is challenging doesn’t (and shouldn’t) mean it lacks joy. Aveson Schools value joy as an essential component of learning: at our small, tuition free TK-12 schools you’ll see evidence of this in our mission, our programs and our community. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of a joy-filled education and how we intentionally weave fun into our days.
The Benefits of Centering Joy at School
Joy promotes connection and belonging. By sharing joyful moments at school, we strengthen bonds with the people we spend our days with. These strong bonds ensure that every student has a safe place to belong and confidently express themselves.
Joy builds confidence. Mastering a new skill, having an a-ha moment or working through a big concept not only feels good, but also makes us more confident. Increasing student confidence can boost self-esteem, build capacity and strengthen agency–essential traits for students as they enter the world after high school.
Joy creates memories. In the Neuroscience of Joyful Education, Judy Willis writes that “when we scrub joy and comfort from the classroom, we distance our students from effective information processing and long-term memory storage.” A shared belly laugh has a much greater impact on our memory than a test cram session and leads to true, lasting learning.
Joy decreases stress for teachers and students. Chronic stress can hijack our brains, making learning nearly impossible, and leading to disengagement and lack of motivation. The antidote to stress? Joy. “When students are engaged and motivated and feel minimal stress, information flows freely through the affective filter in the amygdala and they achieve higher levels of cognition,” said Willis.
How We Cultivate Joy at Aveson Schools
Celebrated arts instruction that helps everyone find a passion and get in their creative flow
30+ electives and enrichments–there’s something for everyone from TK to 12th!
Outdoor learning at both of our campuses promotes a sense of well-being and connection with nature
Check-ins with our chickens put a smile on everyone's faces!
Caring relationships with peers and teachers that make school a joyful place
Plenty of fun school-wide activities like our Cinema of Scares Haunted Maze, Fall Fest & Movie Night, and our yearly June Jubilee
An affirming and inclusive culture where each student is free to express themselves
Rite of Passage field trips that celebrate a year of hard work and build strong bonds
Meaningful work, like project-based learning, helps students build authentic connections with peers
Our Celebration of Learning is a chance for students to shine and share success
A philosophy and culture that promotes collaboration and joyful discovery. Lively discussions = joy at work!
We invite you to join the thousands of other students who have shifted their perspective on education from boring to joyful by attending Aveson Schools. Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year at Aveson School of Leaders (K-5) and Aveson Global Leadership Academy (6-12) is open now. Contact us to visit and tour a campus or visit the links above to enroll today.
About Aveson Schools
Since 2007, Aveson Schools have been nurturing the curiosity and potential of TK-12th grade students in Altadena with a tuition-free transformative education. Our two campuses, Aveson School of Leaders (TK-5) and Aveson Global Leadership Academy (6th-12th), provide boundless opportunities for students to discover their passions through award-winning arts instruction, outdoor experiential learning, preparation for college and global travel opportunities in a welcoming and inclusive school community. Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is open now. Get to Know Aveson: A School of Possibilities.