2CV IN ACTION
about concepts versus just repeating what the teacher has said,” said Lisa Snider, Lower School director of curriculum, instruction and academic support services. “They are synthesizing information at a higher level than they were before.”
Evidence, largely anecdotal, is gathered through research, curriculum development and cross-divisional group work, much of it funneled through The Center for the Study of Boys, also a child of 2CV (see page 21). Teachers focus on assessments, using CRISS (Creating Independence through Student-owned Strategies) and their relationships with students, which are critical to learning, especially for boys. The curriculum team notes a shift away from silos to collaboration in which teachers embrace perspectives from people outside their disciplines. Faculty feedback indicates that boys are more flexible with their thought processes and ability to think outside the box with more interactive and hands-on activities to develop essential skills. “The biggest change I’ve seen and what we’ve been spending time developing is how students are thinking
While the Lower School has always pushed multisensory and movement-oriented activities, 2CV calls for boys to share more about how they’re thinking and write about information gleaned. For example, Mrs. Dana Kuhlen’s fourth-grade boys use math journals to record personal reflections about their learning, take notes, create math equations, write scripts for video math tutorials and identify mistakes found in problems the teacher provides. Mrs. Kuhlen believes that journaling helps boys dig more deeply into concepts and apply their knowledge. She said, “Often that is what I’m looking for, having the boys relate concepts learned in class to their daily lives.” Even classroom layout plays a role in developing certain skills. Middle School and Upper School desks, formerly arranged in rows, now are most often clustered. Some Upper School classes use the Harkness Method, in which students are seated around a large oval table and engage in discussion with minimal teacher intervention.
To reinforce the school’s mission, the Lower School seeks to develop character and leadership with a monthly focus on a specific core value, including citizenship, respect, fairness, gratitude, empathy, courage, kindness, patience, humility and honor. Homeroom teachers integrate the core values into their curriculum differently. Examples include journal-writing, service learning projects, Middle School buddy interactions and hands-on learning activities.
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