School expands teaching program

It worked.

An experiment at The Classical Academy went so well, school officials are expanding the program.

The Academy School District 20 charter school created two "lab classrooms" this school year - a first-grade class and thirdgrade class - to test the teaching principles of Charlotte Mason, a British educator from the late 1800s.

The key principles include: 

• Narration - a method of reading that has students report back what they've read, using the author's words and as many details as possible. 

• Art and nature observations.

• Development of good habits such as attentiveness and neatness.

TCA has used some of those principles in limited situations, but school leaders wanted to structure an entire curriculum around them.

The philosophy promotes more in-depth learning, rather than quick lessons on a variety of subjects. Because of that, class time doesn't feel rushed, said third-grade teacher Jennifer Heffentrager.

"It just feels like the right way," she said.

The school board agrees. Next school year, all firstgrade classrooms at the school's North and Central campuses will be taught the same way, said Leesa Waliszewski, dean of instruction. Third-grade classrooms will not take part.

The most noticeable aspect of this approach might be class size. This year's lab classrooms have 14 students. Next year's firstgrade classes will be limited to 16 students, Waliszewski said, rather than the current cap of 20 students.

Another key aspect is that the students spend all day with the teacher even lunchtime. The small class size and time spent together means teachers develop a closer relationship with their students, Waliszewski said.

Observers might notice the sparsely decorated classrooms, a nod to the idea that students should go deeper into fewer but more pertinent lessons.

On a recent morning, students read a few paragraphs of "The Sign of the Beaver," a historical novel by Elizabeth G. Speare. Then they closed their books and retold the story.

"They're using beautiful language - so many details from the story," Heffentrager said.

Narration works well, she said, and leads to discussions about characters and the choices they make.

The method does slow the class down, she said, but the class can go more in-depth. Students can pursue more learning outside of class.

"The Sign of the Beaver" has references to "Robinson Crusoe," for example, Heffentrager said. Several students began reading "Robinson Crusoe" to hear that story, too.

Along with narration, first-grade teacher Liane Jackson likes incorporating good habits into the curriculum. Neatness and striving to do a task well the first time will help students throughout their lives, she said.

Details are part of the classes' nature walks and art studies, said Elementary Instructional Philosophy Director Steve Wright. A leaf isn't green; it's a light green with flecks of yellow.

"You can't do that unless you've slowed your day down," he said.

School officials will evaluate the program each year to see whether it will continue, Waliszewski said. That's part of what charter schools can do, she said - try new things and see what works.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0394 or shari.griffin@gazette.com