Return to flip book view

Sit down with a child for even a small amount of time and you will be struck by the degree of wonder and enthusiasm with which young people greet the world. They ask questions about everything, they engage in meaningful play, they express joy and appreciate beauty. A good school is one poised to capitalize on the eagerness to learn that children exhibit every day.EleMeNtARY FACTs Ages 5-12Grades K-6Classrooms are self-contained Classrooms are multi-ageTwo teachers in each classroomSpecialist teachers in science, art, music, library, and PEFresh-air breaks and recess daily

At Paideia we of course want children to acquire the basic skills needed for success in school and in life: among other things, the ability to read and write skillfully; a facility with numbers, mathematical concepts and real-life problem solving; and a working knowledge about the natural world. But we should also ask something more ambitious of the place we send our children. Schools should engage students with lessons and materials that are both interesting and intellectually challenging. Ultimately, our goal is to guide Paideia students to be life-long learners and thinkers. Good teaching demands creativity and innovation. While Paideia teachers take pride in the rich academic lessons and units they develop, they also regularly look for new ideas and opportunities for collaboration. Teachers at Paideia are given the space to intentionally think about new research and ideas for their classroom. They incorporate creative play, art, project engineering, and hands-on activities. All teachers in the elementary program rely on the elementary school librarians and the innovative teaching specialists to facilitate curricular and professional development.The best students are those who are also active and compassionate observers of themselves. They are tuned in to the ebb and flow of their energy, their attention, and their emotions. They have the language to express what they are learning about themselves. It is our job to help them become aware of their relative strengths and challenges as learners. To do this, we engage in open conversations about how different brains work. No two brains are the same, nor does there exist a “perfect” or “broken” brain. We believe the constellation of relative strengths and weaknesses among any group of students can differ widely. Teachers decide when and how to offer extra help, when and where to augment a task to provide the increased level of challenge, and when and why to take a step back to allow a child to process information. Social development is also an integral part of a child’s maturation. Teachers help children learn how to work together cooperatively and effectively. They foster empathy by helping our students describe situations fully, encouraging self-reflection, and facilitating conversations between peers. This helps students understand other points of view and teaches them how and why to respect and celebrate both the differences and similarities that strengthen us.paideia elementary

A good curriculum begins and thrives in the hands of a good teacher. Dedicated and innovative teachers are the single most important resource in creating and implementing curricula that are appropriately demanding and engaging to their students. Paideia both attracts and supports teachers capable of this level of professionalism and provides the structure so they can continue to grow as well as coordinate their courses of study with other teachers. Teachers craft lessons that have many parts and draw on students’ diverse knowledge, talents, and capabilities for new learning. While individual classrooms might differ somewhat in how they organize assignments, administer assessments, or undertake projects, every class is poised to meet the needs of the students within it. teachers

Classrooms in the elementary school are self-contained. Children spend most of their academic time in one room rather than moving about the school for different disciplines. This puts children, rather than discrete subjects, at the center of focus and allows teachers to observe and understand their students more fully. Sustained projects, such as the study of Latin America or Georgia waterways, can encompass and enhance all academic areas in ways that would prove unwieldy and forced in a more departmentalized program. Less time is lost in transitions, and there are fewer interruptions due to time demarcations and constraints. Finally—and for many children, most importantly—students are able to develop a strong bond with their teachers and classmates which provides for a secure and nurturing classroom climate.Each classroom is a small community within the elementary school. This sense of belonging helps create an optimal learning environment for each child. Most of our classrooms are multi-age, meaning that the age range of the children spans the equivalent of two grades. We use this arrangement because it allows both academic and social flexibility as opposed to placement driven solely by birth date. For example, one year a child may be one of the youngest in the class and the next year may be one of the oldest in the class. A child may spend two years with the same teachers without sacrificing academic achievement. Having multi-age classes allows us to consider the academic, social, and maturational needs of students when assigning them to classrooms.classrooms

Children construct meaning from language long before they enter the classrooms of their first school. They begin to comprehend through spoken language as communicated to them by their parents, siblings, and the rest of the world. Later they come to appreciate the magic of language through the stories told or read to them. At Paideia we recognize aspects of reading acquisition that may take place simultaneously or sequentially: word recognition and reading fluency, comprehension, and a love and passion for reading. The daily work of teachers is to recognize where each student is and offer an approach that best supports and challenges that child, while always nurturing the enjoyment of reading and written language.In the lower elementary classes our teachers use an individualized approach to create reading programs for each student. During a reading period, one child may be flipping through a deck of cards comprised of consonant/vowel/consonant words and an accompanying picture, while nearby another child is explaining the text of a book she is reading to her teacher. A third child may be reading independently. All children will huddle at the feet of their teacher later in the day to hear the same read-aloud book. We continue to help students expand their love of reading during the middle and upper elementary years. Students’ increasing reading fluency allows them to develop a rich vocabulary and a deeper understanding of the dimensions and value of reading. We introduce a wide variety of materials, including fiction, nonfiction, biography, and poetry. Teachers read books aloud and lead small groups of students in literature group discussions. Students also participate in enriching projects that provide them the opportunity to tap into their own creativity and showcase a deeper understanding of a text. They may create book covers, build dioramas, become actors or directors in a Reader’s Theater production, or take on a character’s persona and record diary entries. Students may also blog with classmates, create a book trailer, or make a poster to advertise a favorite book to contribute to their classroom’s continuing conversation about literature.ReADINgacademics

WRITINgWriting is the transfer of thought to paper. It is a complex process involving experimentation with language and ideas, and, of course, comfort with the necessary mechanics. Writing is taught as a tool for thinking critically in other subjects, and also as a vehicle for communicating thoughts, emotions, and ideas. The process of writing has intrinsic value as a way of generating and developing thought. The goal of writing instruction at Paideia is to develop skilled, expressive writers who use their writing skills to enhance their learning. Much of the writing curriculum is based on students’ personal experiences and reactions to the world. They write in daily or weekly journals; teachers read and respond to their entries and ask questions about content. In addition to frequent journal writing, students write about the procedures and results of a science experiment, classmates’ pizza preferences, ideas for future stories, or facts and ideas from a social studies unit. As young writers become more proficient, teachers encourage them to try different kinds and styles of writing to expand their modes and range of expression.

Math helps us understand the world by using numbers and symbols to represent time, space, and quantity. Many academic areas build upon previous knowledge, but mathematics in particular is reliant upon base knowledge to support the understanding of new concepts. For this reason, the elementary school follows a single curriculum series, the Everyday Mathematics Program published by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. We use Everyday Mathematics because it is based on current and accepted cognitive research about learning as an instructional outline promoting mathematical reasoning. The curriculum identifies four domains of mathematical concepts: operations and algebraic thinking, numbers and operations, measurement and data, and geometry. These are essential for a thorough math education, and algebraic thinking provides the foundation for higher order mathematics. Each strand is re-visited and expanded upon throughout the year and in subsequent years to reinforce mastery.MAt H EmAT I C SEveryday Math lessons often emphasize real-life experiences, keeping the connection between math and the world relevant. Lessons may include explorations of sports statistics, comparison shopping, weather patterns, and family trip planning. It is a flexible program that allows for differentiated instruction. There are supplemental materials for those who understand new concepts readily as well as activities for children who need extra reinforcement. Each student has access to the program materials at home through the digital learning component of Everyday Math .

SoCIAL StUDIEs AND CEnTrAL SUBJECTsEach team of teachers develops a social studies curriculum for the class that includes large and small units of study. Many classrooms organize their curriculum around a central subject, an idea that dates back to the days of John Dewey and has been practiced by progressive schools for a long time. So, why use a central subject instead of a textbook? Choosing a topic that resonates with a particular age group or stage of development creates an environment of curiosity and creativity. Teachers set the central subject in motion with a story, an object to investigate, or an idea to discuss, and then allow for the momentum generated by the class’s engagement and excitement around the topic to propel them forward. Classrooms intentionally allow new paths to be forged as students bring forth their own ideas, reflect, ask questions, and draw conclusions. Teachers remain flexible while exploring essential questions and specific assignments that are non-negotiable. This approach encourages students to make deep connections between learning and life.One classroom’s central subject is the Medieval Period of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. While learning about such notable personalities as Saint Francis of Assisi, Genghis Khan, and Joan of Arc, students also conduct science experiments that involve the creation and testing of miniature siege weapons or explore how yeast works in bread baking. They’ll hear a modern rendition of the ancient tale of Beowulf, and they’ll manage a medieval household in a fictitious village, a model of which they build in the center of their classroom, hoping the Vikings won’t attack come spring. In the winter the class puts on a medieval play for the entire elementary school, and in the spring they host both a May Day celebration and a Medieval Fayre, where elementary students play games and purchase handmade food items of the period.The values that underlie all education at Paideia — independence of thought, intellectual and emotional self-esteem, appreciation of cultural diversity, and respect for differences of all kinds — influence the social studies curriculum as students learn to recognize the context of ideas.

MEDIEVAL PERIODCENTRAL SUBJECT

The goal of elementary science is to involve children in the scientific process through a variety of experiences and experiments aimed at developing deductive reasoning. The elementary science specialists and classroom teachers collaborate to create studies that emphasize inquiry, observation of change, pattern recognition, and comprehension of the differences between fact and opinion. For instance, a class studying Georgia’s waterways may partner with the science teachers to expand students’ understanding of the science of water. First, students might study the structure and behavior of the water molecule and investigate the properties of water, including the three states of matter. Next they might learn about the water cycle, model how water shapes the surface of the earth through weathering and erosion, and explore how humans have learned to manipulate the flow of water through the use of indoor plumbing and agricultural irrigation. That might take them to a unit on sustainability, an exploration of the properties of fresh versus salt water, and a discussion of how much freshwater is available to us. A field trip to Atlanta’s water treatment facility would allow them to observe firsthand how our water is cleaned. This same class might end the year with an overnight trip to Jekyll Island to engage in a concentrated study of the unique ecology, marine life, and ocean tides of Georgia, gaining a deeper understanding about why a balance between preservation and development is so important.specialistsSCIeNCE

Paideia’s urban agriculture program is an integral part of our elementary science curriculum and complements each classroom’s central subject through hands-on experiences at our farm sites and at partner farms and community gardens across the city. As they move from the science room to the farm, greenhouse, kitchen, and back to the classroom, students gain a deeper understanding of plant anatomy, physiology, cooking and nutrition, and our local food system. Classes also study the science of composting while managing Paideia’s composting program, completing the loop on the cycle of food. The bulk of the produce we grow is distributed to food-insecure communities around Atlanta. Through several community partnerships and an expanding farming co-op, we use urban agriculture as a bridge to connect students to diverse families and neighborhoods, helping to stimulate food sovereignty while creating a sense of community for our students and for others across metro Atlanta.We teach students how to grow healthy foods from healthy soils and empower them to make healthy food choices.

Our library program nurtures lifelong learning and emphasizes the importance of reading for pleasure. With regularly scheduled classes that include literature, reading comprehension, and research and critical thinking, the library serves as a hub of culture and learning. Our rich library collection has been carefully chosen to represent a diversity of experiences and opinions and to enrich children’s understanding of the world. The elementary school library curriculum introduces children in the early grades to metacognitive strategies for reading comprehension. They practice developing mental images and making predictions, connections, and inferences. As students progress through the elementary school, the library program teaches the concepts of information literacy and engages individuals in active, creative thinking and problem solving. With instruction in finding sources, evaluating websites, and synthesizing information to create new understanding, students develop increasingly sophisticated approaches to research using a variety of media.LIbRARYIt is often said that a library ought to be the heart of a school. At Paideia, it actually is.

Elementary students through the fourth grade participate in creative music making, using their bodies, voices, and minds to understand the world of music. Poems, rhymes, games, songs, and dances are used as the basis for exploration. Beginning in upper elementary, students have the opportunity to develop their own voices in a group setting by participating in chorus. They learn proper choral techniques such as breathing and posture in addition to music theory. They sing folk songs and explore choral literature standard for children this age. Students in their final two years of the elementary program also learn to play an instrument as part of the band or orchestra program. In small groups they learn technique, how to read music, and music theory. Band, orchestra, and choral students perform in several concerts every year.MUsICWe view technology as a powerful tool of learning and instruction, linking students’ school lives to their local and global communities. Our relationship with technology is continuously changing, and we reevaluate it constantly. In the elementary school, instruction is both formal and informal. Paideia’s technology staff are members of the faculty assisting students and teachers. We teach our students to be responsible digital citizens and to be mindful creators, not just consumers, of digital content.TeCHNoLoGY

PHYsICAL EDUCATIOnPaideia’s physical education program focuses on fitness and the acquisition of skills, accomplishing both using a play-based approach. Class sessions seek to help students develop physical literacy and movement proficiency, as well as the individual confidence and emotional resilience gained during play. The program strives to foster a growth mindset, aiming to provide opportunities to strengthen existing abilities and encourage the exploration and acquisition of new ones. Activities are intended and designed to help students hone their focus on the hard and soft skills being taught and the inherent joy experienced during play, rather than solely on “the scoreboard.” The entire K-6 program stresses cooperation and collaboration with teammates and opponents alike.Paideia’s art faculty teaches self-expression through a wide variety of media. Elements and principles of design, color theory, and the more formal aspects of art history and art appreciation all play important roles in the curriculum. In the early elementary classes, each child is encouraged to interpret and portray the world, real or imaginary, in ways that make sense to that student. In the middle elementary years, students are introduced to aspects of art history from many cultures. Projects are often designed in conjunction with a classroom’s central subject curriculum. By the late elementary years, students become more concerned with craftsmanship and precision. The art program supports this developmental shift by fostering goals of personal competence rather than objective standards.ARt

COmMUNICATIOnCommunication between teachers and parents should be an easy two-way conversation. While we have a formal system of parent-teacher conferences, discussions often occur outside of these conferences. If parents have a question or concern, they are encouraged to reach out to the teacher. Teachers, in turn, will do the same. The expectation and reality of two-way conversations are that they may reveal areas of interest or concern that a one-way report card could never yield. During conferences, parents can ask questions, share their goals for their child, and explore concerns about academic or social progress. Teachers will also identify what they feel to be the child’s strengths or areas of challenge in academics, work habits, and peer and adult relationships.

We hope you can see these connections as you learn more about the elementary program at Paideia.As important as curriculum is, a school is not simply the sum of its different curricular parts. Those parts are woven together and infused with a culture of learning and relationships among people. At Paideia, we believe it is important to constantly ask ourselves questions such as: How does it feel to be a student in this class? Does each student feel safe enough to take intellectual risks? Are teachers advocates and partners in the learning process? Is each student known as an individual, for strengths as well as weaknesses, for interests as well as blind spots? Does the classroom community promote the social relationships among children that are so important for their sense of well-being and growth? We are not all the same as each other, but we share much in common. How are those differences and commonalities understood and discussed? Too often educators consider the social and emotional climate of the classroom as a separate domain from academic curriculum. We believe, in the elementary program and throughout all of Paideia, that the intellectual and affective climates are fused and inextricably linked to one another. It is a matter of common sense; a child, like an adult, will have a chance to do his or her best work in an environment that is safe and optimistic and respectful, where growth is expected and celebrated. The best preparation for the future is to embrace all aspects of the present as well as the hearts and minds of the children we teach.

Paideia does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnic group, gender, or sexual orientation.PAIDEIASCHOOL.ORGThe Paideia School serves families with children ages three through eighteen. The school actively seeks racial, cultural, and economic diversity in its student body. Paideia is nonsectarian. The meaning of the ancient Greek word paideia (pie-day-uh) has changed throughout the centuries so that it has no literal translation. Rather, it reflects the conscious pursuit of a series of educational goals by a community. It conveys the concept of a child’s total education: intellectual, artistic, and social.Paideia is different from most other schools and cannot be accurately categorized by a single philosophy or approach. We encourage you to find out more about Paideia by attending a prospective parent meeting, by talking to students and parents involved at the school, by touring, by reading our website, and by asking questions. We welcome your interest.© 2019. The Paideia School. All rights reserved. Photo Credits: Danny Lee Photography, Kemi Griffin, Miranda Dillard, and the Paideia yearbook staff