Our school's educational focus is an approach called the Subordination of Teaching to Learning, created by Dr. Caleb Gattegno (1911 - 1988), an Egyptian-born mathematician who developed materials and techniques for teaching languages, literacy, math and other subjects. Dr. Gattegno's basic principle is that if teachers encourage children's innate curiosity through multi-sensory learning activities, the teachers can step out of the way and the students will learn far more than they would in traditional classrooms.

As educators, we know that by the time students enter 1st Grade, they have already proven themselves as outstanding learners, able to master such complex tasks as learning their mother tongue. Our mission is to help the students make efficient use of the learning powers they already have.

All of our teachers meet daily throughout the academic year to discuss how each student is learning and to improve our teaching skills.

Reading and Writing

To teach reading and writing skills, we use Gattegno's Words in Color. This effective reading program focuses on these elements of reading and writing one's native tongue: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency in decoding, vocabulary expansion, text comprehension, spelling, and self-expression through writing. By the end of 1st Grade, most of our children are able to decode words like orchestra, photograph, diaphragm and pneumatic – and they do so joyfully. At the start of 2nd Grade, they freely write short paragraphs like: I wish I was apt at swimming. I would swim all the way home. I wish I could run fast all the way to Jamaica.

Mathematics

Gattegno Mathematics, our approach for teaching math, is firmly rooted in well-established methodology. By relying heavily on the use of manipulatives, primarily Cuisenaire rods, teachers ensure, even in the earliest stages, that students develop models for thinking mathematically. This provides children with a sound basis for accomplishing two essential goals: (1) they become swift and accurate in their computation skills and (2) they focus on problem-solving activities that involve real world application of those skills. The approach is particularly well suited to helping students master the proficiencies outlined in New York State's mathematics standards, since the children must not only arrive at correct answers, but must show an awareness of the mathematical process that leads to them.

To learn more about the subordination of teaching to learning, visit these important Gattegno-related websites:

Educational Solutions, Inc., distributes Gattegno's books and materials, and arranges for teacher training: educationalsolutions.com

The Educational Solutions website also includes many articles and books about Gattegno's work, which you can read for free online: educationalsolutions.com: resources

Une Education Pour Demain is a bilingual English and French website devoted to Gattegno. It has many articles worth reading: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/une.education.pour.demain

Finally, here is Wikipedia's entry on Caleb Gattegno.

Other Subjects

We supplement these approaches with hands-on curricula in art, science and social studies, and with Reader's and Writer's Workshop in ELA. In addition, all children in Grades 1-3 receive five periods per week in physical education; students in Grades 4 and 5 receive physical education three times per week. All students receive another two periods in music.

As anyone can see by viewing the ever-changing, vibrant walls in our hallways and classrooms, our students design beautiful artwork, write in a wide variety of genres, and create illustrations that exemplify simple and complex mathematical relationships.

Photo Credits

(top) Sukhvinder, Grade 5

(middle) Kimberly, Grade 5

(bottom) Kimberly, Grade 5