| Kids Are People Elementary School |
Some typical components of the program include:
-Center based, small group teaching.
-Peer teaching.
-Cooperative small group problem solving.
-Quarterly child choice projects chosen by children to work with on their own or with their parents to present to the class.
-Strong focus on basic skills learning.
-Strong focus on appreciation of differences and acceptance of anti-bias behavior.
Participation in the following programs:
-World Wide Web / The Internet: A forum for communication among children from different countries and backgrounds. Students are encouraged to find pen pals and trade / share poetry and stories about everyday life in their community.
-School Newspaper: Students may submit drawings, stories, etc for publication.
-Science Fair: Students participate in the school science fair judged by parents and faculty.
-Sports Camp: Students participate in a variety of athletic activities (soccer, baseball, etc).
-Music: Students listen to a variety of live performances by local musicians, as well as participate on drums, cymbals, bells, keyboards, etc
-Dance: Students are taught movements, stretches and dance routines ranging in ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
-Gardening: Students tend to a garden on a weekly basis in the spring, summer, and fall.
-Field Trips – During the summer, children visit museums, historical sights, and places of interest in the Massachusetts area.
At school, students use:
-Macintosh Computers: Software and video for use with teachers, cooperative problem solving, and skill acquisition.
-Everyday Mathematics.
-Critical Thinking Games: Use of ancient and modern day board games to teach strategy, critical thinking, cooperation, sharing, turn taking, planning, and motivation.
-Computer Games: Various instructional tools used in Language Arts, Science, and Math to challenge and practice skills.
-Hands On Art and Science: Throughout curriculum.
-Skillstreaming Social Skills Training.
-Language Arts Program.
In order for children to best learn reading and writing, they need to be immersed in language. The five areas of focus are writing, reading, listening, speaking, and performing. On a monthly basis children will perform at their own rate, choice, and interest. They will record their progress (with assistance if needed) and the teacher will counsel and guide them in their areas of choice so that all five activities are performed in the following ten areas of educational material:
1. Word Play – riddles, puns, tongue twisters, poetry.
2. Labels Captions – graphs, maps, etc.
3. Actual Dialogue – discussion and transcript.
4. Invented Dialogue – script and improvisation.
5. Letters and Memoranda – writing letters, note taking skills.
6. Invented Stories – fiction, fable and poetry.
7. True Stories – autobiography, biography, journal, memoirs.
8. Information – generalized fact.
9. Ideas – generated thought.
10. Direction – how to make, how to do.
Children will each have:
1. A journal for writing.
2. A recording book for recording observations in science, math, physics, etc.
3. Portfolios of language arts work (including tape, audiovisual and written).
4. Portfolios of artwork.
5. Word boxes.
6. Student tracking cards for self-assessment in making a wide variety of language art choices.
7. Letter boxes of several self-made alphabets for spelling, printing, and writing.
Children will, in the course of the year, participate in:
1. Interviewing individual people.
2. Surveying people.
3. Observing and recording.
4. Researching.
5. Apprenticing (older children only).
6. Peer teaching and learning / consulting to others.
7. Writing reviews.
8. Performing rock / radio / films / drama.
9. Debating / public speaking.
10. Recording on tape, readings of published works and created works.
11. Working in teams (whole groups and individual) to problems solve, discuss, and create.
12. Writing books, reports, etc.
13. Learn writing skills.
If children have special needs, the above activities will be adjusted and modified as needed to fit their abilities and to incorporate their best learning style. Therapists will work to ensure appropriate integration for all children and all activities.
A critical thinking game room is part of the curriculum. Included in this room are ancient games, spelling games, and modern day strategy games. Children learn the following things from playing games:
-Social interaction.
-Discussing directions.
-Following others appropriate behaviors.
-Working out disagreements.
-Attending, concentrating, and memory recall.
-Using strategy.
-Using vocabulary.
-Reading and following directions.
-Classifying.
-Sequencing.
-Logical deduction.
-Factual information, science, math, geography, etc.
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