Academics // Curriculum

Harlem Day’s curriculum has evolved over the years since the School’s founding in response to the changing needs of the students. The curriculum includes language arts, math, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education. Each grade level and subject area has developed a clearly-defined scope and sequence (series of binders with lesson plans and project outlines) connected to interim assessments based on the skills outlined in the New York State Standards. Teachers use data to focus and target instruction on skills that students have not mastered or to provide enrichment for those performing above grade level.

• A Balanced Literacy Approach is our choice for reading, spelling, phonics and language arts. Reading and comprehension are integrated in all disciplines, enhancing and interconnecting all areas of learning. We refer to the Urban Education Exchange for an outline of Concepts of Comprehension and have incorporated elements of Direct Instruction, and the Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop.

• The Waterford Early Reading Program is most effective with students reading in the lowest one-third percentile, or of limited English proficiency backgrounds. It is a sequential learning tool focusing on areas of reading fluency, comprehension, and written response while integrating computer technology into the core curriculum for grades K-2. Students use the computer for twenty minutes each day learning games, stories and songs at their own pace.

• Scott Foresman is the foundation upon which we base our math instruction and it is supplemented in a number of creative ways to ensure students are not just learning rote aspects of mathematics but are exposed to many opportunities to problem solve as well.

• Social Studies and Science instruction are guided by the Core Knowledge Sequence, created by E.D. Hirsch, which offers teachers a clearly-defined set of common units of study that each grade level will address. The theory of Core Knowledge is that children learn by building on what they already know, and that a sequenced curriculum will lead to steady improvements in achievement grade level by grade level.

• HDCS Character Development is a literature-based character education that encourages critical thinking, writing, story making, cooperative learning, and exploration of the world.