Middle School: European Style
Massachusetts offers a unique teaching concept in new school
School improvement is a hot topic and the European model is often debated. Massachusetts has a Gr. 6-12 school run on the European model. How is this different?
Julia Sigalovsky, Russian-born and educated, founded the Advanced Math and Science Academy (AMSA) in Marlborough, Massachusetts. This year, the 2005-2006 school year, was the opening year for the public-funded and privately-run Gr. 6-12 charter school.
What Are The Expectations?
The academy's goal is to bring the type of high quality education typically available only at exclusive private schools to the public school setting where children of diverse backgrounds can have access to it.
There is an expectation that every student will become an advanced student. The academy's innovative educational approach will ensure that students previously considered "not capable" or "underachievers" will reach a level of knowledge that is currently considered reachable by only a few talented students. "Middle achievers" will find themselves enthusiastic, engaged, and passionate about learning. Those who are chronically under-challenged and bored will thrive.
How Is This School Different?
- The content and skills of the major academic subjects will be taught before students are asked to integrate ideas across the disciplines. The Academy's curriculum, starting in grade 6, will be taught in three separate subjects: physics, chemistry, and biology. Social studies will be taught in two separate subjects: history and geography. English language arts will be divided into English language and literature.
- The courses will emphasize theory, and move from general concepts to concrete ones. The study focuses on the foundational principles and laws of the academic disciplines that are designed to explore the world and universe as fundamentally more interesting and useful to students.
- The curriculum will provide multi-year exposure to all subjects rather than one-year courses. The students will be taught each subject slowly, deeply and for many years to achieve rigorous mastery of every major subject, beginning in the 6th and 7th grade and finishing in the 11th grade. 12th grade curriculum is research projects.
- The curriculum will have a linear structure: the concepts will gradually progress from simple to more complicated ones. Each new concept will be reinforced through practice and exercises in class work and homework.
- All students will take the same sequence of academic subjects, maximizing opportunities for academic success. To address the needs of slow-pacers and the "forgotten-gifted", the Academy will offer several performance-based levels for each topic taught in subjects in which the level of preparedness and ability are expected to vary the most. The Academy will develop separate instructional plans for groups of children working at similar performance levels within the same classroom.
For a complete 7 year curriculum, faculty listing and philosophy, visit The Advanced Math and Science Academy.
Related topics: Virtual High School Through Stanford University, Universal Design for Learning, Canada's Secret, Vouchers in Milwaukee, Female vs. Male Teachers", NYC High Schools Go Smaller, Grab The Talent - Now!
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Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
