Educational Approach
Clarion School delivers a curriculum developed in collaboration with one of the foremost US Graduate Schools of Education. Aligned to meet the highest tier of US Standards, including the Common Core. Clarion school offers learning that is interdisciplinary, engaging and challenging and taught by highly qualified Educators.
Learning Rigor
Academic Standards, Learning Frameworks and Assessment Frameworks ensure a solid foundation for current and future learning.
Standards
New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) are internationally-benchmarked and evidence-based standards. These rigorous standards serve as a consistent set of expectations for what students should learn and be able to do.
Learning Frameworks
Literacy Framework – Fountas Pinell Literacy Continuum / Calkins Read-Write Program
An organic progression of learning for writing developed by the renowned Teachers College Columbia Reading and Writing Project. Comprised of processes, sequences, continuum, books, levels, lessons, methods, principles and strategies, the Calkins Program supports children in writing clearly and skillfully and reading flexibly and joyfully.
Math Framework – Bridges Math
Science Framework – Building Blocks of Science
Social Studies Framework – Transdisciplinary Units of Exploration / Bank Street College of Education
Grade PreK – Family / Grade K1 – Transportation / Grade K2 – Water / Grade 1 – Community / Grade 2 – Dubai Now and Then / Grade 3 – Traveler’s Traders / Grade 4 5 – Egypt / Grade 6 – Immigration
Performing Arts Framework – The Kennedy Center ARTSEDGE
Modern Foreign Languages – ACTFL (American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages)
Assessment Framework
Program embedded assessments
Student Portfolios
Learning Journals
Measurement of Academic Progress (Grades 2 onwards)
CAT 4 (Grades 3 onwards)
Character of Learners
The development of learning rigor and the current role played by schools are no longer enough.For children to continually adapt and succeed in a dynamic world, they need to be self-directed and life-long learners across all contexts. Clarion focuses on developing these critical mindsets, skills and values.
Mindsets
Grit
Wonder
Risk-taking
Well-Being
Skills
Critical thinking
Communication
Collaboration
Creating
Values
Empathy
Humility
Integrity
Responsibility
Approaches to Learning
For powerful learning to occur, it needs to be applied – “learning by doing”. By applying the design thinking process to challenging activities and projects, students come to a deep understanding of what they are learning and to how to use these learnings to problem solve, create and communicate.
Localized
Inquiry / Exploratory / Experiential
Active
Project Based
Design Thinking
Reflective
Culture of Learning
The capacity to ensure that children develop through and between each of the domains of learning requires a powerful ecosystem. We have built a comprehensive and dynamic culture of learning; an environment where everyone is learning with and from each other; children, parents, teachers and administrators. This ecosystem is supported by having 2 qualified educators in each classroom.