Gillen Brewer takes a holistic approach to literacy instruction, using multiple curricula to support the various learning styles and levels.
Phonological awareness skills are a focus for our students who are beginning to develop the foundation of reading and writing skills. Sounds in Motion, in conjunction with the Letter People Puppets, provides students with an opportunity to engage in active hands-on learning experiences as they listen to environmental sounds, play sound games, and explore the letter/sound relationship. Sounds In Motion is designed to develop listening skills in children, which in turn helps to improve articulation, auditory memory, phonemic awareness and early literacy skills including letter-sound correspondence; it is formally taught to our early learners.
As students develop their fine motor skills and show writing readiness, they begin to participate in the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. Through explicit instruction and a multisensory approach to learning, students have the opportunity to move their bodies and manipulate real objects to build essential handwriting skills.
Preventing Academic Failure is an Orton Gillingham program that uses a multisensory, direct instruction approach for decoding, encoding, spelling, handwriting, and comprehension skills. The systematic and repetitive nature of the program provides opportunities to build upon previously learned skills and practice newly taught concepts.
Some students at Gillen Brewer benefit from another approach to reading and use the Edmark Reading Program. Edmark Reading provides repeated practice and errorless learning to build vocabulary, reading fluency, and comprehension.Starting in early grades, writing is explicitly taught using the Writing Revolution curriculum. Instruction begins with learning basic writing skills at the sentence level and builds upon that skill to expand ideas into paragraphs. Grammar and organization is also a focus of instruction.
Mathematics instruction at Gillen Brewer focuses on developing a deep understanding of mathematical concepts rather than rote memorization. Using the Primary Mathematics program, a Singapore Math curriculum, students engage with mathematical learning by first manipulating physical objects, before learning to represent concepts with diagrams and eventually in the abstract form. The curriculum integrates various mathematical strands (e.g., numbers, geometry, measurement) throughout each grade level.
Social Studies instruction is a core component to the academic curriculum at Gillen Brewer. Following the New York State Social Studies Framework, classroom lessons are designed to promote a students comprehensive understanding of historical, geographical, political, and cultural topics. Additionally, social justice themes, current events and project-based learning experiences encourage students to explore topics like responsible citizenship and community safety.
Science: Hands-on inquiry-based lessons aligned with New York State standards encourage students to ask questions, solve problems, and make discoveries through exploration and experimentation.
Technology: Weekly classes with the Occupational Therapist and other specialists teach essential skills including mouse control, keyboarding, and digital citizenship. Keyboarding Without Tears is used to explicitly teach students typing skills.
Art: In art class, students explore diverse mediums like drawing, painting, and sculpture, fostering creativity, independence, and collaboration.
Music: Music class promotes social skills, emotional regulation, and group cohesion through singing, movement, and instruments. Students also participate in school-wide assemblies, building music skills and camaraderie.
Physical Education: Students participate in physical education classes held at Asphalt Green. Sports (tennis, baseball, and soccer), as well as group games, focus on building endurance, strength, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Recess: Weekly schedules incorporate outdoor time at a local community playground and on the Gillen Brewer rooftop terrace.
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