I S Instructional Support
EMPOWERING YOU
What sets Brewster apart?
Shared responsibility for your success is a hallmark of a Brewster education. We’ve been a leader in student-centered teaching and learning for half a century.
Highly personalized. There is no “off-the-shelf” Instructional Support (IS) program. Your program is tailored to your individual needs and goals. Your program adapts as you build skills and confidence.
Strategy-based.The focus of your IS program is on helping you build strategies for academic success specific to your challenges and goals.
Woven into your school day. IS classes are embedded in your daily schedule, and IS classrooms are located within your academic team area, making your IS teacher easily accessible.
Empowering you to make the most of your Brewster education. IS helps you to understand yourself as a learner and prepare for the academic expectations you’ll face here and in college.
Brewster launched its learning skills program, becoming a trailblazer in student-centered instruction.
1975 of Brewster students receive IS instruction.
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31% of Brewster students taking Advanced Placement classes have participated in IS. 43% full-time faculty dedicated to IS at Brewster with extensive experience teaching diverse learners.
IS at Brewster is about being introduced to strategies to improve your skills. Students are given time to practice and apply them to their learning.
Katie Gardner
DEAN OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMS
BREWSTER ACADEMY is a recognized leader in creating personalized, flexible approaches to academic support to help every student thrive academically. Your customized Instructional Support (IS) program recognizes your talents while helping you to acquire the skills and strategies you’ll need to become an independent lifelong learner.
Instructional Support at Brewster is not tutoring, but a complete approach to empowering your independence. No other school supports students like Brewster.
LEVELS OF SUPPORT
Our flexible, three-tiered offerings let you gradually reduce the support you receive as you acquire and implement skills for success.
COMPREHENSIVE SKILL PLAN (CSP)
• Three weekly sessions.
• Provides frequent, ongoing, intensive assistance to develop multiple skill sets.
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE PLAN (IAP)
• Two weekly sessions.
• Focuses on accelerating a primary skill for Brewster curriculum success.
TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (TAP)
• Weekly monitoring to ensure consistent skill application.
• Prepares you for independent learning.
IS FOCUSES ON HELPING YOU to understand yourself as a learner, build on your talents, and implement unique strategies to address the specific challenges you face in areas such as reading, writing, oral expression, organization, planning, time management, attention, and self-advocacy.
During the admissions process, our team thoroughly reviews your application materials to gain an understanding of your strengths and needs. This helps us understand you and determine what level of IS support would be most beneficial.
IS will be built into your schedule as a class, and instruction will be individualized toward your specific areas of need. Our strategy-based approach is designed to encourage growth and independence.
LEARNING IS COLLABORATIVE
IS at Brewster provides an ongoing cycle of continuous evaluation and improvement. Your teachers are fully invested in your growth and achievement.
Your learning targets become benchmarks for achievement and assessment.
GOAL-SETTING STRATEGY-BASED
CURRICULUM
Your IS curriculum emphasizes proficiency in key areas such as study skills, testtaking, writing, reading, time management, and organization.
You and your IS teacher evaluate your progress with the goal of mastering skills that increase your independence and allow for further growth.
Your IS teacher is a key member of your teaching team, meeting with other teachers three times a week to discuss your progress and advocate for your needs.
Your IS teacher observes your classes each trimester to understand your experience, and adjust your program as needed.
There’s no stigma to being in IS. Everybody here is trying to be the best student they can be.
Alistair NEW HAMPSHIRE
I’ve never had school support so specific to my way of learning before. Today, I would describe myself as a confident student.
Charlie CALIFORNIA
Your teachers really understand what you need and make you feel valued as a student.
Mason OHIO
