Instruction and Assessment

 

The curriculum for our K-5 students offers a wonderful variety of learning experiences. K-5 core curriculum includes reading, writing, language arts, math, science, social studies, technology and health.

The Maine Learning Results are used to plan our curriculum and instruction. They can be found at http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/

Students must be taught a variety of skills to be productive citizens of the 21st century. Our 7 Learner Expectations reflect the skills that will be useful throughout life. We want students to become collaborative workers, involved citizens, effective communicators, quality producers, knowledgeable persons, self-directed learners and versatile thinkers.
Our district Educational Planning Office involves teacher leaders in creating a comprehensive local assessment system.

The faculty at Presumpscot School are working hard to measure the achievement of students using a variety of assessments, including the Maine State Assessment (MEA) and The Northwest Evaluation Association Assessments (NWEA).

 

Fundations

 

At Presumpscot School we use the Wilson Fundations program in grades K-2. Fundations is a phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics & spelling program. 

Fundations lessons focus on sequenced skills that include print knowledge, alphabet awareness, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, spelling, and fluency.    Students have their own dry erase boards and magnetic letter boards to practice their skills daily.

Wilson Fundations has approved our first grade classrooms as model sites for instruction and learning. http://www.fundations.com

Theoretical Math (grades 1 & 2)

First and second grade teachers at Presumpscot have been involved in the Theoretical Learning Math Project. The theoretical math method, based on the work of the Russian psychologist Vasily Davydov, provides a grounding in mathematical concepts that enables the youngsters to learn later to compute numbers more easily and with a deeper understanding of what they're doing.

The Pilot has been led by Peter Moxhay. Moxhay says that theoretical math jumped out at him as the only innovative program in math education he has come across that attempts to make a very high level of math available to young children. Key to the theoretical math method is students' physical activity in the process, and group discussion and problem solving.

Theoretical math is actually part of a larger educational philosophy encompassing all subjects called theoretical learning, whose roots date back to the first half of the 20th century. Davydov drew on the ideas of another Russian psychologist, Lev Vygotsky, in developing his theory of learning. Davydov's ideas were incorporated into an innovative written curriculum in Russia in the 1990s, which is now being used by about 10 percent of the schools in that country. Davydov's basic theory was that young children have a very different understanding of numbers than adults have.

 

ETEP

Presumpscot Elementary School has been recognized by the Portland Public Schools as a child centered developmental site for teaching and learning. Presumpscot School is a Professional Development Center for the Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP) at the University of Southern Maine. The interns are college graduates, most of who have been in the professional work environment. Their desire to teach has directed them toward this vigorous teaching training.

Teacher mentors support the interns, sharing knowledge about teaching and learning in an authentic environment and conduct the program in a way that encourages inquiry about the nature of teaching and learning. We are proud to be able to guide and coach future teachers.