Educational Method
Our curriculum focuses on student accomplishments. We strongly believe that students will only learn what they have mastered on their own. Teachers serve as a guide in helping their students achieve and accomplish the goals set out at the beginning of each lesson. Much thought and planning goes into each lesson as to what specific components will best enhance and assist students in the learning process. Special attention is given to providing means to include students of all levels, abilities, and among multiple intelligences. This ensures that the material that is taught is not just targeted to the majority, but truly includes everyone. ALL children can learn and succeed, if channeled in the right direction. This is in accordance with the Torah's guideline: "Educate a child according to HIS way; even when he grows older he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6)
Our curriculum follows a seven-step educational method, proven to maximize learning and ensure information retention. These are known as "The 7 R's of Learning":
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Reach
Students are introduced to the Key Concept of the lesson with a stimulating and thought-provoking exercise or activity. This step is critical for learning to take place. This would involve an intriguing short story, drama, or quote that would get students to think and form an opinion. -
Reflect
Students are asked to explore their feelings and reactions to the Reach activity. Class discussions or journaling will help to express and capture these sentiments. -
Recode
Teachers introduce new material that relates to and builds upon the Key Concept of the lesson. The new material is presented through different mediums, catering to the different ways students process information. Visual aids, song, and materials to be handled and passed around are all used in the presentation of new material. Because this material is new and can seem foreign to students, it is as if it is a code that must be cracked. The students are given various "code-cracking" exercises, that require them to think at various levels of the Bloom's Taxonomy hierarchy of thinking skills. - Reinforce
Everyone needs feedback. After students have put their minds to work and engaged in serious critical thinking activity, it is time for the teacher to follow up with the students and be sure that the information learned is understood completely and accurately. If not, the teacher will work with her students to redirect them to come to the right conclusions on thier own. - Rehearse
This is when homework and follow up class activity is appropriate. In order for students to remember what was taught before, they need continuous repetition of the material in various forms. - Review
The lesson is summed up and all of the important points are reviewed to prepare for assessment. - Retrieve
This is the assessment stage, when a teacher can determine what her students have grasped. Assessment can be either verbal or written, or take on the form of performing specific tasks.