NewsFaculty/StaffPre-K to 8Academics
Opening Court at the Lower School
Jul 21, 2004 8:00 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
When the well renowned reading and language arts curriculum Open Court makes its debut in grades PK-3 at the Lower School this fall, students will be reaping the benefits of what Principal Mark Tayloe says is the best reading curriculum in the country.
“Over the last year or so, our teachers have put a great deal of energy into learning how the brain learns best, and so much of our research led us to choose Open Court,” Tayloe said. “It’s a program that has been around for a long time and has gone through a number of revisions. Its primary reading focus is phonics, which the Lower School has never wavered from. Furthermore, Open Court emphasizes comprehension and higher level thinking skills, which we think will provide students with the tools they need to be successful in practically all of their subjects.”
Open Court is not just a reading curriculum, but an all-inclusive language arts program. Each day teachers will present an integrated lesson, which includes reading, vocabulary, spelling, writing and grammar.
“This all-inclusive approach will be very different for us. We’re used to using three or perhaps four different curriculums to teach language arts,” Tayloe said. “Our teachers really like the way each day’s lesson all works together.”
All of the PK-3 teachers have been through an extensive Open Court training and have had their materials all summer to prepare for this new challenge.
“Anytime you add a new series, it takes an awful lot of time to study and prepare,” Tayloe said. “I am impressed by our teachers’ enthusiasm for Open Court and their eagerness to get started.”
The Lower School will host an Open Court Parent Night Thursday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 in Tiger Hall. A representative from Open Court will be on campus to talk to parents about the program.
“I have already stressed to parents in a previous letter that I hope they’ll make every effort to come to the parent meeting,” Tayloe said. “This is a fabulous curriculum, and I want our parents to know as much as they can about it.”
“Over the last year or so, our teachers have put a great deal of energy into learning how the brain learns best, and so much of our research led us to choose Open Court,” Tayloe said. “It’s a program that has been around for a long time and has gone through a number of revisions. Its primary reading focus is phonics, which the Lower School has never wavered from. Furthermore, Open Court emphasizes comprehension and higher level thinking skills, which we think will provide students with the tools they need to be successful in practically all of their subjects.”
Open Court is not just a reading curriculum, but an all-inclusive language arts program. Each day teachers will present an integrated lesson, which includes reading, vocabulary, spelling, writing and grammar.
“This all-inclusive approach will be very different for us. We’re used to using three or perhaps four different curriculums to teach language arts,” Tayloe said. “Our teachers really like the way each day’s lesson all works together.”
All of the PK-3 teachers have been through an extensive Open Court training and have had their materials all summer to prepare for this new challenge.
“Anytime you add a new series, it takes an awful lot of time to study and prepare,” Tayloe said. “I am impressed by our teachers’ enthusiasm for Open Court and their eagerness to get started.”
The Lower School will host an Open Court Parent Night Thursday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 in Tiger Hall. A representative from Open Court will be on campus to talk to parents about the program.
“I have already stressed to parents in a previous letter that I hope they’ll make every effort to come to the parent meeting,” Tayloe said. “This is a fabulous curriculum, and I want our parents to know as much as they can about it.”
