TEACHER
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A private school for pre-k through 8th grade | Decatur, GA
MATH
Hess Academy uses the Singapore Math Curriculum to develop critical math skills at each grade level. This curriculum is aligned with both the National Council for Teaching Mathematics and the Common Core Curriculum. Math is taught in stages of increasing complexity. Students move through a concrete, pictorial, and then abstract understanding of a concept or process. Our approach teaches mental math strategies to increase fluency and flexibility in mathematical thinking, depth of understanding and the ability to generalize. It allows students to build a strong foundation of knowledge and competence that deepens and grows with each successive grade level. In our math program, students are challenged to think and solve problems through a variety of learning experiences including investigation with materials, class discussion, and paper and pencil work. Learn more about Singapore Math here.
Teachers supplement the Singapore Curriculum with frequent Number Talks in each classroom. Number Talks are teacher facilitated and student-centrered conversations focusing on particular math problems, strategies, and solutions in a safe and open environment. The goals of Number Talks are to increase student mental math fluency, flexibility, and their ability to articulate and defend the thinking behind their solutions.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Hess Academy students become effective communicators by cultivating their love of reading and writing. Research shows that children develop strong vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing skills through a workshop approach that includes both independent and collaborative work. We expose students to a wide range of literature in a variety of meaningful learning experiences to fuel their imaginations and help them develop their writer’s voice. Our overriding goal is supporting growing independence and understanding of increasingly complex texts. Daily writers’ workshops allow students to brainstorm topics, generate text, revise, edit, and give and receive constructive feedback. We use the Lucy Calkins Curriculum as a framework for achieving these goals. Learn more about the curriculum here Learn more…
SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES
Hess Academy’s Social Studies and Science curriculum draw upon students’ developing skills. Our approach blends direct and indirect sources of knowledge including hands-on experience, books, museums, pictures, documents, and electronic resources. Through these media we foster children’s abilities to think analytically, make generalizations, pose and research questions, and integrate skills learned from other academic areas. As part of their cognitive growth, children develop a sense of caring and social responsibility through their collaborative and independent work and learn about history and our place in an ever-increasing interconnected world. Through our Science curriculum, students learn methods, processes, procedures and systems needed to study the physical world. Science knowledge allows students to objectively examine information and be discerning investigators. Both our Science and Social Studies curricula are closely aligned with the Georgia Performance Standards.
Click HERE to see an example of one of our integrated Social studies units featured on CNN!
