Academic Information
Introduction
As a public school, we aim to meet the student achievement objectives of NCLB and as specified through the learning standards, curriculum frameworks and common assessments of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Additionally, our educational outcomes for GLCPS students extend beyond standardized tests to include demonstration of academic excellence and mastery of essential skills as referenced above. We strive to:
prepare young people for a global, multi-cultural, and technology-rich society and economy
incorporate teaching methods that support the individual learning needs of each student
create a school culture that promotes the personal qualities of initiative, responsibility, and community connectedness
establish a shared-leadership administration model that is consensus-driven and incorporates input from all levels of the school system
Educational Philosophy
The educational philosophy of GLCPS is that given a challenging and supportive educational environment, all students will achieve at high levels. We have designed an innovative and demanding curriculum for grades 5-12 that also allows teachers to meet the individual learning needs of each student. Specifically, we follow an integrated curriculum framework composed of three elements:
1. Standards-based core content areas: our approach ensures that our students reach proficiency as defined by the requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) initiative and as specified through the learning standards, curriculum frameworks and common assessments of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. To this end, academic excellence is achieved when a student demonstrates proficiency in core subject areas of mathematics, science and humanities.
2. Essential skills development: at GLCPS, we focus on four key essential skills: public speaking, global citizenship, technology literacy, and arts exploration, all of which are incorporated into our curriculum and instruction.
3. Student-centered instructional strategies using proven pedagogies such as Teaching for Understanding, Differentiated Instruction, and Project-based Learning as described below:
Teaching for Understanding (TU) is an approach that enables students to make meaning of knowledge and information in a given subject area or topic. Classroom learning is organized around investigative topics which students are asked to explore individually or in teams. For example, in the area of global citizenship, an investigative topic might be a comparative study of the effectiveness of ocean conservation policies in different parts of the world. The process of TU helps students to better internalize knowledge and know how to apply it in different settings. It asserts that true learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom, and encourages community-based teaching and learning experiences, such as applied research activities; internships with local businesses; and education-related travel.
Differentiated Instruction (DI) is instruction that is customized to meet the learning needs of each student in a classroom. DI is a response to recent educational research that documents that all students have the capacity to learn at high levels, but that each student learns in different ways, depending on factors such as physiological status, cultural background, gender, and aptitude and intelligence.
Project-based Learning is a hands-on, integrated curriculum approach, in which students have an opportunity to develop their own projects. The goal is to help students formulate and answer meaningful questions using the principles of investigation, while drawing on knowledge across subject areas. In this environment, teachers facilitate the learning process, while students work on constructing their own knowledge. All students are required to present three formal Presentations of Learning (POLs) a year where students must select a project, create display materials and present their work to teachers and GLCPS peers, as well as community members through a public forum. Through the POL component students must explain the content of what they learned, which constitutes a meaningful and academically rigorous form of student assessment.
Additionally, our college preparatory curriculum is aligned with core college admission requirements and emphasizes seven global cross-cutting themes that are woven into the teaching of the primary subjects of mathematics, science, English, language arts and social studies.
The Seven Global Themes
1. The global community is made up of dynamic countries and regions that are shaped by environmental and human factors.
2. Language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements facilitate global understanding or cause misunderstanding.
3. Interactions among groups, societies, and nations can lead to conflict, or cooperation, within and among nations.
4. Technological innovations have far-reaching effects on the global community.
5. The causes, consequences, and possible solutions to persistent, contemporary and emerging global issues impact the entire global community.
6. Universal human rights are the foundation of a global society.
7. Formal alliances and organizations among and between groups and nations can exert an important influence on societies.
We believe that a positive school climate is fundamental to helping students realize their full potential and for preparing them to navigate the complexities of a global society. Integrity, honesty, trust and respect are our basic moral tenants in all matters at GLCPS. We strive to make our school a place where everyone feels safe to “try our hardest”, and where failure and mistakes are a natural part of the learning process – for staff as well as students. Respect for ourselves and respect for others is a central ingredient in fostering a safe and intellectually challenging school environment. One of our most important values is to foster a “shared leadership” approach to school management. Key decision-making is typically a collective process involving teachers, staff and administrators; input from students, parents and community members is also solicited regularly. Our goal is to create a learning community where:
learning is connected to the real world
students are known well by staff
students have an opportunity to direct their own learning
teachers engage students in their own learning plans
parents play an active role in the school and their children’s education
teachers, as well as staff, students and parents have a voice in key decisions about the school
