Elements
of a Comprehensive Balanced Education Program
A balanced
education program ensures student achievement while maintaining
developmentally appropriate practices. The education program develops
specific outcomes encompassed in eight strands that are woven throughout
an integrated curriculum.
The eight
strands of the integrated curriculum begin at a pre-emergent stage and
develop, over years into proficiency. They include the following:
- Writing (including handwriting and spelling)
- Health
and Physical Development
The
curriculum is founded on Benchmark Standards, which includes individualized and
group guidance and instruction, and is responsive to unique learning
styles.
The teacher
through the curriculum and the environment integrates each of the eight
strands by:
-
Building a strong foundation of skills and
information. This allows students opportunities to explore and
process. Learning centers, classroom projects, and written and oral
reflections develop skills and provide the scaffolding needed to support
independent and creative thinkers.
-
Structuring and guiding students
through the process of exploration, planning, designing, researching,
developing and presenting. Structured exploration provides a natural
integration between all the critical brain functions and learning domains
that are often missing with discrete teacher instruction.
Exploration provides opportunity for abstract skills and isolated concepts
to connect to meaningful life experience. For example, sorting
buttons leads to the understanding of classification.
-
Empowering
the group through knowledge and experience to produce projects and
products, mentor others and contribute to the greater learning community
as active and responsible citizens.
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