OUR CURRICULUM
As a member of the Friends Council on Education, we provide a curricula grounded in Quaker values so that students learn to lead lives of public purpose, seeking to be the change they want to see in the world. We honor the individuality and gifts of each child. Our curriculum is developed with the goal of nurturing confident, capable, self-sufficient learners. FWS curriculum supports academic growth as well as social and emotional development.
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The purpose of education is to show a person how to define himself authentically and spontaneously in relation to his world—not to impose a prefabricated definition of the world, still less an arbitrary definition of the individual himself." |
Friends Western School takes a progressive approach to traditional learning standards. Although the learning goals may be traditional, the way in which those goals are met is progressive, fluid, and grounded in modern research about varying learning styles and effective teaching.
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TRADITIONAL
PROGRESSIVE
RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM Highly lauded by educational theorists and exemplary classroom teachers alike, The Responsive Classroom approach is a cornerstone of the Friends Western educational philosophy. Seven principles guide this approach:
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Truth never lost ground by inquiry." - William Penn |
Language Arts
Friends Western students become readers through individual and group instruction. We use the Guided Reading and Reader's Workshop for Literacy programs along with structured phonics programs. Students also use Writer's Workshop, supplemented with skill-based programs like Daily Oral Language and the Sitton Spelling program.
“Guided Reading is a teaching approach designed to help individual readers build an effective system for processing a variety of increasingly challenging texts over time. It is research-based, professionally energized, highly targeted, scaffolded reading instruction that propels all students toward confident, independent reading of high quality grade level books across a diverse array of literature and informational genres. Reading well means reading with deep, high quality comprehension and gaining maximum insight or knowledge from each source.” (Fountas & Pinnell)
“Writer's Workshop is an interdisciplinary writing technique which will build students' fluency in writing through continuous, repeated exposure to the process of writing. In the writer’s workshop, each student in the class is a working author. The teacher is a writing professional and peer coach, guiding authors as they explore their craft. Instead of spending the majority of class time on spelling tests, grammar worksheets, handwriting practice, and other isolated sub-skills of writing, Writer’s Workshop is designed to emphasize the act of writing itself. Students spend most of their time putting pencil to paper, not just learning about it. Over time, students learn to choose their own topics and to manage their own development as they work through a wide variety of writing projects in a sustained and self-directed way.” (https://www.ttms.org)
“Guided Reading is a teaching approach designed to help individual readers build an effective system for processing a variety of increasingly challenging texts over time. It is research-based, professionally energized, highly targeted, scaffolded reading instruction that propels all students toward confident, independent reading of high quality grade level books across a diverse array of literature and informational genres. Reading well means reading with deep, high quality comprehension and gaining maximum insight or knowledge from each source.” (Fountas & Pinnell)
“Writer's Workshop is an interdisciplinary writing technique which will build students' fluency in writing through continuous, repeated exposure to the process of writing. In the writer’s workshop, each student in the class is a working author. The teacher is a writing professional and peer coach, guiding authors as they explore their craft. Instead of spending the majority of class time on spelling tests, grammar worksheets, handwriting practice, and other isolated sub-skills of writing, Writer’s Workshop is designed to emphasize the act of writing itself. Students spend most of their time putting pencil to paper, not just learning about it. Over time, students learn to choose their own topics and to manage their own development as they work through a wide variety of writing projects in a sustained and self-directed way.” (https://www.ttms.org)
Math
Friends Western School uses the Eureka Math Program. We also enhance our math learning with math manipulatives and various montessori techniques.
“Eureka Math connects math to the real world in ways that take the fear out of math and build student confidence — while helping students achieve true understanding lesson by lesson and year after year. It’s not enough for students to know the process for solving a problem; they need to understand why that process works. Teaching mathematics as a "story," Eureka Math builds students’ knowledge logically and thoroughly to help them achieve deep understanding. While this approach is unfamiliar to those of us who grew up memorizing mathematical facts and formulas, it has been tested and proven to be the most successful method in the world.” (https://greatminds.org/math)
“Eureka Math connects math to the real world in ways that take the fear out of math and build student confidence — while helping students achieve true understanding lesson by lesson and year after year. It’s not enough for students to know the process for solving a problem; they need to understand why that process works. Teaching mathematics as a "story," Eureka Math builds students’ knowledge logically and thoroughly to help them achieve deep understanding. While this approach is unfamiliar to those of us who grew up memorizing mathematical facts and formulas, it has been tested and proven to be the most successful method in the world.” (https://greatminds.org/math)
Science and Social Studies
In science and social studies, thematic inquiries are woven across the disciplines. For example, a unit about the history of Pasadena integrated many different aspects of both science and social science. Students used mapping and math skills to create and compare current and ancient maps of Pasadena. They studied the growth of the area and how the population expansion has affected its environment. They studied the native Chumash peoples who once inhabited this area and took a guided hike through Monrovia canyon to explore where and how the Chumash people once lived. They culminated their study of the Chumash by hosting a festival for the school which included hand made Chumash games, clay face painting, and ground corn flour made into cakes.
The FOSS Science program supports our inquiries.
The FOSS Science program supports our inquiries.
Music
Students learn a wonderful variety of tunes, a basic understanding of chord progression, and a recognition of musical notes by exploring the ukulele. Each student learns on their own ukulele, the perfect instrument for beginners. Once the children have mastered c, f, and g chords, they discover how to play a wide array of songs.
In addition to gaining musical knowledge through the ukulele, the children sing! Each song taught is carefully tailored to the individual classes skills and age. Ranging from classic show tunes to modern and world music, students learn to harmonize, perform and appreciate the intricacies and beauty of choral singing.
In addition to gaining musical knowledge through the ukulele, the children sing! Each song taught is carefully tailored to the individual classes skills and age. Ranging from classic show tunes to modern and world music, students learn to harmonize, perform and appreciate the intricacies and beauty of choral singing.
Art
Friends Western School's goal is to foster the creative process and make art fun and relevant for all students. No teacher can make a child be creative, but they can create an environment that encourages a sense of play, safety, and risk-taking within contained parameters. The school year is divided into three sections: drawing, sculpture, and special studies. The drawing section employs games and puzzles to teach drawing fundamentals in a low-pressure, fun way. Drawing is taught as a means to achieve a goal as opposed to an end in itself. Learning to observe and "see" the world as well as transform feelings and emotions into visual expression is the underlying goal of the class. During our sculpture section, the students do a collaborative water fountain project as well as learn ceramic hand building and mixed media techniques from around the world. Our special studies section in 2017-2018 will be on light, including light in painting, light sculpture, lighting design for theater, and basic electricity.
Theater
Theater class presents a broad-based introduction to the various elements of theater, including interpretation of plays. Theater is broken down into two terms. In the first term, students apply critical thinking skills by researching, analyzing, and interpreting literature and the theater arts. This is the time to gain background knowledge that will serve us in the production, which takes place in the second term.
The second term is an introduction to technical theater and the creation of scenic elements. This includes basic concepts of design, set construction, costuming, prop construction, program design, and website building. The final production is selected based upon the interests of the students and their abilities. Types of performances include musicals, one-act festivals, renaissance fairs, and ensemble film work.
Past performances include:
The second term is an introduction to technical theater and the creation of scenic elements. This includes basic concepts of design, set construction, costuming, prop construction, program design, and website building. The final production is selected based upon the interests of the students and their abilities. Types of performances include musicals, one-act festivals, renaissance fairs, and ensemble film work.
Past performances include:
- Alice In Wonderland
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Selections from Hamilton the Musical
- FWS Renaissance Fair featuring various performance stages
- Lego stop-motion animation
Yoga and Movement
Yoga fosters self acceptance, which is increasingly significant as children grow and emotionally mature. As children transition through postures and try new poses, the relationship between their mind and body evolves, allowing them to trust their own instincts and become more confident in their physical and emotional skills. In class we encourage students to move out of their comfort zones and to try new poses to gain confidence fostered by a safe environment to explore and sustain new skills. Through guided meditation, storytelling, mental imagery, Asanas (postures) and music we learn techniques to calm the parasympathetic nervous system and develop imagination while integrating physical, emotional and cognitive experiences.
Physical and Outdoor Education
Friends Western students walk to our local park weekly, where we have exclusive use of the soccer field to engage in games and activities that emphasize teamwork, sportsmanship, fitness and participation. Students play soccer, baseball, badminton, capture the flag, field hockey and other team sports. They also have time for independent play on the various playground structures in the park.
Integrated Learning at Work
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An example of integrated learning is one classes' development of a successful business. "Kameleon Katering" serves healthy lunches once a week to the entire school. By running all aspects of the business, including marketing, inventory, order taking, service and clean up, students learn essential math and life skills. They also practice stewardship by using a portion of their proceeds to help pay for classroom supplies and donating a percentage to a class researched and selected charity.
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Homework – Friends Western School assigns weekly homework beginning in 3rd grade, although there may be small extensions of classwork in the younger grades like bringing in something for share day.
Assessments and Progress Reports – The key objective of assessment at FWS is to provide feedback on the learning process. Teachers employ a wide variety of assessment strategies in order to accurately understand student progress. Such strategies include careful observations, performance assessments, process-focused assessments, open-ended tasks, culminating projects and reports. Teachers may use rubrics, checklists, exemplars, continuums or anecdotal notes as assessment tools.
“Backward Design” is also a wonderful way for teachers to assess what the children already know about a given topic, where their interests lie, and how to bring them to the next level of understanding.
Formal Progress Reports are presented twice yearly and include a large narrative section accompanied by a detailed skills and learning goals schemata, to outline each student’s specific growth in the academic and social-emotional areas. Although these formal reports are only given twice yearly, the intimate atmosphere of our school allows for deep and meaningful accessibility to and communication with teachers about individual student needs and growth.
Assessments and Progress Reports – The key objective of assessment at FWS is to provide feedback on the learning process. Teachers employ a wide variety of assessment strategies in order to accurately understand student progress. Such strategies include careful observations, performance assessments, process-focused assessments, open-ended tasks, culminating projects and reports. Teachers may use rubrics, checklists, exemplars, continuums or anecdotal notes as assessment tools.
“Backward Design” is also a wonderful way for teachers to assess what the children already know about a given topic, where their interests lie, and how to bring them to the next level of understanding.
Formal Progress Reports are presented twice yearly and include a large narrative section accompanied by a detailed skills and learning goals schemata, to outline each student’s specific growth in the academic and social-emotional areas. Although these formal reports are only given twice yearly, the intimate atmosphere of our school allows for deep and meaningful accessibility to and communication with teachers about individual student needs and growth.
