Breakwater School’s program is developmentally-oriented, activity-based, and individually-tailored.  The principles that guide our practices are:

• Children’s development of concepts follows a predictable pattern: Concrete to Representational to Abstract.  While in the concrete stage, a student needs to see, touch, or use the thing being learned about.  Once students have moved on to the representational stage, they are comfortable using pictures or other representations of objects such as drawings, images, or physical substitutes while discussing ideas.  When concepts have been mastered, children can think about them abstractly using words, numbers, or symbols.
• Developmental style and pace vary between individuals but learning, as demonstrated by developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, occurs in the above sequence, regardless of the subject.  New learning is always best begun with concrete experiences which enable children to develop mental images or pictures.  These images provide students with a foundation from which to construct and use representations.  When the representations are internalized and no longer need to be articulated, then the student can think and reason abstractly.

Whether planning curriculum and designing activities or observing and responding to students, teachers keep in mind the following:

• A child’s development occurs in stages, teachers should design experiences and instruction to fit the stage in which a child is functioning.
• Children are first and foremost individuals and must be respected as such.  A child’s learning and growth are seen and planned for in the context of their own skills, interests, abilities, and development, not solely in the context of an average for their age or grade.
• Children learn by doing, by being actively involved on many levels.  Classroom activities stress interaction with materials, the environment, and other learners.  Process and product receive equal attention, in recognition of the fact that the journey itself has as much to teach as does reaching the destination.  This approach fosters a lifelong love of learning.
• Human beings have many different learning styles, as described by Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory (Visual/Spatial, Musical, Verbal, Logical/Mathematical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Bodily/Kinesthetic, Naturalistic).  Lessons and other learning experiences are offered in more than one way to ensure that, for example, the kinesthetic learner has as many learning opportunities as does the verbal learner.
• We are fundamentally social beings and learning is a social process.  There are opportunities provided every day for communities of learners to work individually, in partnerships, in small groups, and with the whole group.
• Subject areas (parts of the curriculum) do not exist in isolation from each other, and literacy in one part of the curriculum aids literacy in another.  Each subject interrelates with all others and can be applied in many different contexts.  Literacy in reading is inter-connected with literacy in math and literacy in writing, etc.  The curriculum is integrated as much as possible.
• Learning occurs best within an environment of structured independence.  If the classroom is compared to a field surrounded by a fence, the students have great freedom of individual expression within the field, but the teacher provides a very clear fence of assignments and expectations.

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth grade years are also guided by the following principles:

• Language is an integral part of concept development.  Learning activities are not always quiet!  Our focus is upon appropriate conversation, well expressed reasoning, and both concise and open- ended questioning.  Children are encouraged to explore and express ideas, theories, problems, triumphs, and questions.
• Children learn most productively when they are interested and actively involved.  Active learning encourages creative thinking, self-expression, and the confidence to experiment, control, and perfect skills.  Children are supported as self-directed learners and risk takers and taught that mistakes are wonderful opportunities for learning.  They are nurtured to become enthusiastic "life long learners".
• Children grow and benefit from collaborative learning.  Working in groups helps develop students' acceptance and respect for diversity, nurtures negotiating skills and shared problem solving, and teaches responsibility for self and others.

For a more detailed, grade by grade statement of philosophy, please click here.