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Academics
Curriculum OverviewOne of the larger purposes for starting the Friends School of Portland is to witness to our children and our community that there is a way for all of us to be in society that is based on the transforming power of love. This overview is our attempt to put into words how we envision embodying that ideal as a school, knowing that words often fail to capture the essence of that love and transformation. In the same way that we have faith in the light that shines in each child, we have faith in the depth of our love for each child and for the adventure of learning together. Community LifeFriends School of Portland emphasizes respect for and celebration of individual gifts, while also attending to each person’s role in the larger community. We are conscious of the Quaker values of service, simplicity and peaceful solutions as we plan our curriculum and go through each day. Students learn to shape the rules of their community together and are encouraged to independently resolve conflicts in a manner that deepens their sense of mutual respect and understanding. Beginning in first grade, the Quaker decision-making process of gaining the sense of the group is used for discussions about classroom or school-wide issues. A strong community arises when its members know each other well and truly enjoy being together. We offer a low student-teacher ratio and the chance for students to stay with the same classroom teacher for two to three years. This kind of stability and closeness builds the trust that is necessary for children to remain open to the world and to enjoy new challenges. It attracts teachers who value their relationships with students and who relish their time in school because they can craft lessons that suit these particular students at this particular time and freely share their passion for learning. Staff and board work together in ways that Friends’ experience has shown to be successful. The staff meets in silent worship every morning for 20 minutes before the children arrive. This is a time of opening to the Inner Light, of seeking the understanding, the wonder, the grounding and the guidance to joyfully meet that of God in each person each day. The staff makes most decisions in an egalitarian and collaborative way, drawing upon the Quaker practice of hearing from all concerned, taking time to reflect deeply and seeking unity on important issues. We know from experience that more heads and hearts are better than one. When there is disharmony, we rely upon meeting for worship to help us raise issues before they become divisive and to take us deeply through conflict, allowing us to grow as individuals and as a community. We know that spiritual and professional development are intertwined. We nurture both in order to liberate the love, knowledge and energy that our students need and deserve from us. Reaching OutwardService to others and to the world is important to Friends. Peer relationships are established within and beyond Friends School: reading buddies, tutoring pairs, pen-pals. Service projects within the school and surrounding community are age-appropriate and are selected by the students and teachers together. They might include such actions as:
Reaching InwardThe Quaker foundation of Friends School of Portland distinguishes it from other schools in the surrounding community. Quakers believe in that of God in every person and in the practice of silent worship, which we call Meeting for Worship. Once a week, all students and staff, along with visiting family members or visitors, sit together in silence and wait upon the words that may be offered by anyone present to enlighten or inform. There is no ceremony, no dogma, no creed or sermon, simply an opportunity to become aware of Spirit, if one is so inclined, or simply to sit quietly. We start with short amounts of time and gradually build to approximately 30 minutes. Silence and reflection are carried into other parts of the school experience as well. Students regularly take time to reflect on what they are learning, a practice supported by research and our own experience as beneficial to happier hearts and lasting learning. When normal everyday conflicts arise, we practice becoming still enough to hear all points of view and to remember the Inner Light in each person as a way of helping students resolve issues with dignity and growing awareness of self and others. Multi-Age ClassesFollowing the successful example of Princeton (NJ) Friends School, among others, we will group children in multi-age classes in response to the particular numbers and ages of the first students. We expect to grow in the near future to accommodate the grade combinations Pre-K – K, 1 -2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. Multi-age grouping benefits children by offering a family-like atmosphere where labeling by grade, age or skill level becomes irrelevant. It is natural that each student is at a different place than others in one or more aspects – as they are in single grade classes. What’s different and liberating is that we expect them to be. Whole group, small group and individualized instruction all fit into this setting. Many common starting points of study are open-ended, allowing students a chance to progress to different degrees as appropriate. When feasible, children with similar skill levels will work together while the particular skills are being introduced. Multi-age classes also offer a range of leadership opportunities for all children. A Typical DayThe school day begins at 8:00 with a morning circle in each class where we greet each other, settle in for several minutes of silence to prepare body, mind and spirit to receive the learning the day will bring, preview the day, share news, and perhaps sing. We give a full hour each to math, reading and writing as separate subjects and tied to the learning of science and social studies. Outdoor play happens before midmorning snack and before lunch, which students and staff eat together. At least once a day, teachers read aloud to children. And usually in the afternoon, adjunct teachers offer their special expertise in foreign language, music, art and physical education. Outreach projects and visitors are likely to come at this time. At the end of the day, each student takes care of some part of the room or materials and we gather once again to sing and to reflect quietly on the day. Monday through Thursday have slightly longer school days than usual (8:00 – 2:30) to allow for early dismissal on Friday. Friday ends at 1:30 to give the staff time to do the important collaborative work of reviewing the week, discussing the needs and progress of the children, planning ahead and continuing their ongoing professional development. The students participate in some of the same tasks within their classes that day – reviewing progress, setting new goals, discussing class issues, celebrating successes, maybe cooking something wholesome and delicious to augment lunch and doing an especially thorough job caring for the school building and its contents. The Extended Day Program is available on Friday from 1:30 to 5:45 p.m. School ScheduleMonday – Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Children may arrive between 7:45 and 8:00 a.m.) Friday 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Extended Day Program 2:30 a.m. – 5:45 p.m., Friday, 1:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Quaker Meeting Thursday, 8:10 – 8:40 a.m. Extended Day ProgramAfter-school care is provided in a play-based extended day program. Children enjoy plenty of time to play outdoors, and a variety of arts, crafts, and games. Supervised quiet study time is provided for older children. Curriculum IntroductionFriends School of Portland believes that education is holistic and seamless. As much as possible, we take an interdisciplinary approach to learning. The subject matter being taught in social studies and science provides much of the context for the other subjects. Writing and reading content complements the current topics while immersing children in rich literature and giving them multiple purposes for communicating with others. Math problems may refer to the daily lessons in social studies or science as appropriate. Artistic and living skills will also be taught in those contexts. Within the broad strokes of the curriculum framework, teachers try to incorporate student interests as a way of nurturing curious and motivated learners. We design and select learning experiences and materials that respect developmental stages; offer a multi-sensory, hands-on, inquiry-based approach to learning; and create opportunities for whole group, small group and individual instruction. We set high expectations for students and staff, incorporating research-based practice and integrating Quaker values. Within our cross-curricular approach, teachers attend to the core academic skills that are essential for students to acquire. These are explained below. English Language ArtsOur goal is to help children become confident, flexible, and thoughtful human beings who listen, speak, read and write well. Students find themselves immersed in a language-rich environment. In pre-K and kindergarten we focus on oral language development. Songs, chants, poetry, dramatic play, and stories combine with art, movement and music to engage the whole child. In first and second grade, reading and writing join listening and speaking. From labels to lyrics, science procedures to math diaries, fairy tales to business letters, children read and write for real purposes. In grades one through five, small groups and individuals receive regular reading lessons to ensure that decoding and comprehension skills are progressing. Students listen to, read and discuss literature in groups to develop critical thinking and they read books of their own choosing independently each day. Handwriting and spelling are practiced regularly, and the writing workshop gives students the chance to compose, to give and receive feedback, and to revise and publish a wide variety of pieces. By second grade, all students engage in research, writing and oral presentation. In the upper grades, students practice note-taking and outlining as ways to organize, understand and learn from their reading as well as ways to plan and organize their writing. Keyboarding skills, word processing and multi-media presentations are also addressed in the upper grades. Plays, interviews, panel discussions, and poetry are some of the creative ways students may assimilate and present what’s being learned. MathematicsThough we may call it “Number Patterns” or “Weather Graphing” or “Designing Playgrounds,” we are studying mathematics. We want children to enjoy math, to see it in everyday life and to feel confident thinking and expressing themselves mathematically. The major mathematical areas of number, data and space comprise the bulk of our math teaching. This includes number sense and operations, measurement, data analysis, geometry, and patterns and the math of change, which provide foundations for algebra. As a natural part of their everyday mathematics work, students engage in multi-sensory math activities, explore problems in depth, develop a variety of problem-solving strategies, use models and diagrams, explain their math reasoning, develop proficiency with arithmetic, and work in a variety of group and individual settings. ScienceOur science program enables students to become scientifically literate and to experience the richness and excitement of knowing about and understanding the natural world. Students practice the processes that scientists use – observation, measurement, investigation, experimentation, and communication – and experience the sometimes unpredictable dynamics of scientific study. We are especially fortunate to be able to collaborate with a local CSA (community-supported agriculture) organic farmer and literally get our hands dirty learning about soil, plants, sustainable agriculture, and nutrition. We are close to the coast, close to woods and fields and urban areas for other hands-on investigations in life science, earth science, and physical science. Health lessons occur in both science and physical education, and in the many teachable moments that occur throughout the day. Social StudiesThe goal of the social studies curriculum is to create world citizens who combine knowledge of United States history and its many cultures with a global perspective. Children are taught an appreciation of the many ways in which people all over the world and throughout history have related to each other and to the part of the earth they inhabit. From a simple “picture map” of the classroom in kindergarten, to full surveying skills in middle school, children learn how to read and create maps of all kinds. Beginning with local history and geography, the subject matter expands as children grow, to include the entire world and its history. The earliest grades learn the social rules that allow harmonious sharing of space and resources. Systems of governments and current events are part of the study of each area in the upper grades. Art and Music lessons supplement and enrich each cultural study. And of course, library, research, reading, writing and presentation skills are incorporated. Practical Living SkillsFriends School of Portland puts a unique emphasis on educating children in the practical skills of living. These include many things that would formerly have been taught in the home – cooking, gardening, carpentry, and sewing – giving the children a practical context for some of their academics. As children learn how to provide for themselves the basic physical needs, they gain a sense of competence and a better perspective for assessing the goods that our consumer culture constantly urges upon them. This reinforces the values of integrity, simplicity and stewardship, as well as independent thinking and problem-solving. By the time students completes eighth grade, they will have learned plant culture, designed a landscape, prepared many foods, sewn clothes and constructed furniture in the context of cross-curricular studies. MusicIn the younger grades, music is a part of every day, from greeting to leaving. More formal introduction of music experience includes learning the skills to play recorder and keyboard, including notation. Eventually, composition is taught. All students participate in group singing, from chants and simple songs, to rounds and harmonies. Music study is tied to the current topic in Social Studies, so that children are exposed to the music of many cultures and historical periods. The physics of sound is also explored, and music is recognized as a powerful way to communicate emotion, create healing, and celebrate. ArtArt is the way the teacher communicates the earliest lessons in writing, science, arithmetic and social studies. From Grade 1, students create lesson books where they illustrate their learning. Using watercolors, crayons, pastels, clay and textiles, children create collages, paintings, weavings and sculptures. The artistic heritage of many cultures is presented in conjunction with Social Studies lessons. The artistic process is also valued, quite apart from any “product,” for its meditative or inspirational qualities. Physical EducationAdults and children together enjoy a variety of physical activities, from hikes to hopscotch. Free play is valued during daily recesses. In addition, specific skills are taught, including simple gymnastics moves, ball-handling, climbing, and strength activities. Yoga for children helps to create flexible bodies and contemplative minds. Children learn to find joy in their activities and to respect and be tolerant of differences in physical abilities. Trust and team play is emphasized. World LanguagesTo Be Determined |
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