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As children and teachers meet over materials, ideas, and activities, teachers are constantly observing children’s understandings. If a child can move more quickly, or needs more time, when a particular methodology is successful or unsuccessful, adaptations in curriculum for that child are made. We practice assessment of children in an ongoing (formative) fashion rather than in final (summative) fashion. This allows for ongoing feedback loops of communication between student and teacher.

Teachers have many opportunities to observe children at work and to ask children about their thinking process. For example, “Block Soup” is an element of a child’s weekly contract that looks at the instructional edge for a child in math. Teachers sit with children to hear their problem solving approaches. In this way teachers see not only the answer, but also see the process used by the child to arrive at that answer.

We use games in language arts and math on a weekly basis as diagnostic tools. We have discussions in social studies and science that help us understand how children are thinking. This also allows for social learning as children listen and respond to ideas from peers. Teachers keep anecdotal records of children’s growth and share this with each other, the children, and families.

Individualized, non-graded assessments which detail the child’s progress academically and socially in areas such as communication and problem-solving skills allow families and children to get a clear sense of how the child is doing in school. These assessments are shared with families during two parent conferences scheduled during the year. Parents are also always welcome to set up additional appointments with the teachers after school or call them at home if they have concerns.

Children are never rated or ranked. They are not rigidly grouped in ways that over-challenge some while boring others. The years have proven the value in this approach. Graduates of The New School are well prepared to transition into whatever follows in their academic lives.

(for a visual peek into how we spend our days, check out these photos)

The other three days a week this time includes one-on-one help with a teacher, using workbooks or textbooks. Individual student/teacher conferences offer an opportunity for discussion of contract work, areas the child would like to study, likes and dislikes in content or format and review of goals.

9:20-9:50 Journaling – Children work individually at their desks to write in their journals. Writing is a progression, where children may start out by dictating something to a teacher who writes, leaving space below for the child to copy part or all of the text. As younger children become more confident with letter shapes and sounds, they may help the teacher spell words, or ask a teacher to spell to them as they write, or begin to spell for themselves. We encourage invented spellings, and do not correct beginning writers’ spellings for journaling. Some children like to draw a picture to use as a basis for their writing or dictation. Time permitting, this is even encouraged both as a form of expression and because it staggers the times at which children need help writing. Younger students may dictate to an older child who types the story on an AlphaSmart. Older children write independently; topics are typically chosen by the students.

9:50-10:20 Snack and Group Meeting – Children bring a snack from home to enjoy in varying groups, as we introduce new centers, discuss topics, read a book, read students’ stories or plays, brainstorm ideas on a topic, and more.

10:20-11:50 Individual Time – This period includes Writing Workshop, Art, Science, Social Studies and Math. A contract listing classes, activities, didactic games, and other academic content the child needs to accomplish on a given day specifies games, workbook pages, centers or classes for that day, and indicates other students with whom a child is paired or grouped for particular activities.

Kindergartners and first graders continue their work with a teacher in Centers, and playing math and language arts games.

11:50-12:20 Gym – Children enjoy free time outdoors, including the joys of playing in snow, and age appropriate games played in groups. Occasionally time is used to prepare for and then engage in a more complex project-adventure activity. In very rainy weather, small groups do large motor activities indoors.

12:20-12:50 Lunch – We put tablecloths on the tables downstairs, or use the picnic tables outside for lunch. Children bring their own lunches and a drink; we ask that parents not send soda, candy, frosted treats, or other sweets. Each child needs a water bottle daily. We prefer that children bring the remains of lunch home, so parents can stay apprised of what is being eaten.

We make sure that children sit with a variety of others, and introduce Mix It Up to encourage this. Children are responsible for cleaning up their lunch spots and for sweeping underneath their chairs.

12:50-1:30 Project Work, Sustained Silent Reading and Reading Groups – This is an important time to experience the value of reading for pleasure. Children choose their own books and find a comfortable spot. Younger readers are paired with an adult or older child, who reads to them, asking for some participation. Book clubs based on skill level, or a specific topic may meet at this time.

1:30-1:35 Group Meeting – The teachers introduce the projects for Investigations and each student decides which to pursue.

1:35-2:30 Investigations – Children work in a variety of activities including projects which integrate science and art, as well as individual investigations (e.g., a child-designed Discovery Plan) and parent-led classes. Children can design a Legacy with teachers–a project or activity the child can teach to others. Much social learning occurs during Investigations.

2:30-2:40 Clean-up – Children have specific jobs assigned for the whole week. They are expected to take responsibility for cleaning up their own projects as Investigations ends, and then to do their assigned jobs.

2:40-3:00 Read Aloud – The children are split into reading groups. Sometimes the same book is read to both groups; often the book relates to our Social Studies or Science units. Students may be divided into primary and intermediate groups in order to read specific books appropriate for each level.

3:00 Dismissal – Teachers accompany the children to the buses or cars for pickup until 3:15. Parents may pay a small fee for a late pickup (between 3:15 and 3:45). Children staying for After School remain with the After School teacher.

Click here for details on our After School Program.

Every morning each child rotates through four centers in a small group. Visual icons on their contracts show them where to go. At the start of the year we do not expect kindergartners to find their stations independently, but they are soon navigating their schedule on their own.

1+6=7 Station is our math center. Children play a variety of math games; an example is The Dragon Game: Children move playing pieces around the board by adding the sum of two dice, or of a number sentence on cards (3+1 = ?). In Compare, two cards are turned over and the number of dots compared. When it’s a match, a pinkie shake and an exuberant “iggy wiggy piggle tail” burst out.

ABC Station games involve naming letters, using their sounds and finding words that begin with that sound. Games might include ABSeas (fishing for letters), Jurassic Park (a board on which children identify letters and sounds), Hanging the Wash (lettered clothespins are used to hang clothes matching the letter) and sorting games (arranging plates of letters in ABC order). Readers play games such as Fat Cat (to sound out –at family words) or Fit Pig (to make words that end in –it and –ig).

At Block Station children practice fine motor skills, gross motor skills and enjoy dramatic play, using Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, blocks, or the Sand or Water Table.

Snack is a circle time, kindergartners joining the whole school or a K-2 group for discussion, presentations or appreciations.

At Journal Station children explore themes introduced during Snack or Read Aloud using various art media. Or, they might listen to a story on tape and illustrate a favorite scene, complete a dot-to-dot page, or practice writing letters.

The kindergartners’ afternoon aligns with the schedule of all the other children, beginning with Gym, which we enjoy outdoors except in serious rain. Free Gym, a whole school gym game, cooperative games for older/younger groups to play occur through the week. Inside we resort to Twister, Chinese Jump Rope, making paper airplanes to fly and measure distances, and occasionally Yoga.

Lunch is either inside with cloths on the large tables, or outside (our preference!) at the picnic tables.

The kindergartners enjoy Investigations, in activities such as hunting for bugs in the tall grass and then drawing them, playing Foosball, chess or checkers, building with wooden blocks, playing with puppets, or completing an art project. A child may teach a Legacy, a favorite craft or game, to others. Sometimes a child’s first choice on the Investigations Chart is full, and managing their feelings around that is part of their learning, too.

Classes
In a weekly math class with first graders, kindergartners get familiar with math manipulatives in comparing and ordering numbers, maybe making plates of toy peas and carrots in thinking about how many ways we can make 7. In phonics class children use objects to make/blend words, using the beginning sound of an item. Bear, apple, turtle spells bat! Weekly, during New and Good, students’ spoken language is written down and used to teach and reinforce phonics and phonetic awareness as well as the conventions of writing. At a language arts class, a book is read and discussed and later used during the journal station. During Investigations, kindergartners and first graders have their weekly science class, which includes activities for data collection, and making measurements. Large areas of study, such the life and environment of the ocean/shore interface, the earth’s interior, plant life, hatching chickens, run for a full semester. Kindergartners pair up to present their projects at our Science Celebration.

Each child works at an assigned Clean Up job following Investigations.

During Read Aloud the youngest children may draw in their sketchbooks while the teacher reads them a story, quietly closing the day together.