Invitational Education

Like Tom McHale, I just read about this and in no position to comment.

Invitational Education is a theory of practice that addresses the total educational environment. It is a process for communication caring and appropriate message intended to summon forth the realization of human potential as well for identifying and changing those forces that defeat and destroy potential.

From Birmingham-Southern College: [link]

Invitational Education asserts that every person and everything in and around schools adds to, or subtracts from, the process of being a beneficial presence in the lives of students. Ideally, the factors of people, places, policies, programs and processes should be so intentionally inviting as to create an environment in which every person is cordially summoned to develop intellectually, socially, physically, psychologically, and spiritually.

Four basic assumptions within Invitational Education

• RESPECT: People are able, valuable, and responsible and should be treated accordingly.


• TRUST: Education should be a cooperative, collaborative activity. Process is as important as product.


• OPTIMISM: People possess untapped potential in all areas of worthwhile human endeavour.


• INTENTIONALITY: Human potential can best be realized by creating and maintaining places, policies, processes and programs specifically designed to invite development, and by people who are intentionally inviting with themselves and others, personally and professionally (“The Five P’s”).

[Should it be 7 P's?]

As I tried to find a little more about it, it seems that the above is cited in almost every website that has linked to "invitational education" and little more can be found. Can someone enlighten me?

Tags: invitational education