This is an exciting time to be involved with public education. We have learned so much from brain research in the past two decades that the ways in which we teach have significantly changed. Of course, we still begin with "the three R's and a basic fund of knowledge necessary to sustain our American way of life.
Brain research has shown that people learn better when they are actively involved, when they understand concepts and context. Students need to be able to detect patterns and make connections, to evaluate impact, and anticipate future developments.
Changes in the ways in which we teach the state mandated Core Curriculum Content Standards include:
- Balancing the approaches to reading skills (phonics, vocabulary development and comprehension).
- Teaching the writing process based upon thinking about a topic, generating an outline, drafting, editing, and revising.
- Expanding students' grasp of mathematics by emphasizing problem-solving and open-ended questions that require children to explain in paragraph form the method they used to solve a problem.
- Stressing an inquiry approach to science. Hands-on experiences predominate the classroom. Traditional note-taking, lab reports, and multiple choice tests remain to a lesser extent than in the past.
- Social studies focus on a grasp of the broad context in which events occurred. The memorization of facts is de-emphasized in place of a deeper understanding of how and why history has evolved. A multi-cultural perspective has replaced a singular interpretation. Lastly, controversial issues and current events are discussed in a fair, objective, balanced, and open fashion.
- Foreign Language now stresses oral communication more than, but not to the exclusion of, the identification of parts of speech and grammar.
- Music and Art have increased in their importance. Think of it, ancient civilizations are best remembered by their great works of visual art, architecture, music, drama, literature, poetry, etc. Today, we dignify the arts with a comprehensive approach that includes production, history, aesthetic criticism, technical and stylistic elements.
- Physical education has an extensive curriculum that touches upon basic motor skills, advanced body control activities, sport game skills and rules, dance, and physical fitness
- Health education is a sophisticated, mandated area. It deals with mental health, physical health, community health, safe living, substance abuse, and family life.
We also address career development (at a basic exposure and exploratory level), use of technology both as an instructional and a learning tool in virtually every subject area, media center — library skills, character education, prejudice reduction/tolerance, conflict resolution, preventing and dealing with bullying/sexual and religious harassment, and patriotism as a commitment to our great nation, the state of New Jersey, the Norwood community and our school family. |
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