Curriculum and Methods
Saint Alphonsus School groups kindergarten through second grade students heterogeneously by homeroom. These students receive whole-group instruction in all subject areas with small cooperative groups formed for skill development and practice. Weekly schedules are followed with the eight subject areas receiving the following distribution of time: religion 150 minutes per week; integrated language arts 900 minutes per week; mathematics 225 minutes per week; science 45 minutes per week; social studies 45 minutes per week; music 45 minutes per week; art 45 minutes per week; physical education 45 minutes per week.
Students in grades three and four are also grouped in heterogeneous homerooms with whole group instruction in religion (175 minutes per week) social studies and science (150 minutes per week) and music, art and physical education (45 minutes per week each.) Integrated language arts (750 minutes per week) is instructed in heterogeneous groups, small cooperative groups and individually as the subject matter requires. Mathematics instruction is (225 minutes per week) in heterogeneous groups. Teachers introduce mathematical concepts which are reinforced through the use of manipulatives, problem solving strategies, and integration between math and literature.
In grades five through eight students are grouped heterogeneously by homeroom with whole group instruction in religion (220 minutes), social studies (220 minutes per week), science (165 minutes per week), art (55 minutes per week), music and physical education (55 minutes.) Homogeneous groups are formed by skill and ability in mathematics where the curriculum extends from basic computation and problem solving to algebra. Integrated language arts (550 minutes per week) is taught through a reading/writing workshop approach with literature, journal writing and portfolios as the backbone of the curriculum.
Homework
Homework encourages student responsibility, organization and time management skills. To promote these ends, teachers assign daily practice work as well as long term assignments which fall within the following time perameters: grades one and two, thirty minutes total per night; grades three and four, sixty minutes total per night; grades five and six, ninety minutes total per night; grades seven and eight one hundred and twenty minutes per night.
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29 Conwell Drive Maple Glen Pa 19002 Phone: (215) 646-0150