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World Languages Program Highlights Grades 5-6 Curriculum Enhancements at Daycroft Montessori School

Ann Arbor, MI (October 19, 2009) – A world languages program has been added to the grades 5-6 curriculum at Daycroft Montessori School of Ann Arbor.

The program’s main aims are to expand Daycroft students’ knowledge of world cultures and better prepare them for continued language learning in middle school and beyond.

Students alternate between learning the Chinese language one year and French the next year during the two years they are in Daycroft’s grades 5-6 classroom. This follows from the Spanish language learning that students gain from preschool through grades 3-4 at Daycroft.

Students in grades 5-6 are also introduced to Japanese, Russian, and other world languages by Daycroft parents who are fluent in these languages and who volunteer to visit the classroom and participate in the program.

Daycroft’s Amy Morrell and Niki Buchanan, head teachers for grades 5-6, guide the world languages program. To help make the learning especially interactive and involving for students, they often make use of the Rosetta Stone language learning programs on the classroom’s Smart Board.

The world languages program is tied to art and cultural studies at Daycroft. For example, students will link this year’s learning in the Chinese language to exploration of Asian arts such as calligraphy and origami. Plus, at Daycroft’s annual “Culture Day” on February 5, students will present on the Asian cultural traditions they will study in depth throughout the 2009-10 school year.

Other Recent Enhancements to Daycroft’s Grades 5-6 Curriculum

The world languages program is just one of many recent enhancements to Daycroft’s grades 5-6 curriculum. Algebra and geometry are increasingly emphasized through added strands in the math program. Each fifth- and sixth-grader has a laptop computer, especially for writing and editing assignments. World art and American art programs alternate from year to year.

In the areas of social development and leadership, students in grades 5-6 may serve as mentors to younger Daycroft students through the school’s Kindergarten Buddies program.

Fifth- and sixth-graders may also serve on Daycroft’s Student Council. Two years ago, the Student Council was instrumental in Daycroft becoming certified by the State of Michigan as a “green school.” Student-led recycling initiatives – for example, using washable rather than disposable plates in the school cafeteria – have helped Daycroft achieve this distinction.

An annual class trip is another highlight of grades 5-6 at Daycroft. On October 14, students departed for three days at Camp Eberhart, near Kalamazoo, where they participated in rock climbing, a ropes course, and other team-building activities.

Sixth-graders complete their final year at Daycroft with a Capstone Project, in which they reflect on and present what they have learned and experienced at the school – not just academically, but also from the perspectives of local and global citizenship, environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and more.

About Daycroft Montessori School

Daycroft Montessori School blends the distinctive student-centered teaching methods of Maria Montessori with traditional and progressive teaching methods. Daycroft thus accomplishes its educational mission: to provide a personalized learning environment that appreciates individual differences, nurtures the whole child, and enables students to develop at their own pace and achieve to their full potential.

Daycroft is one of Washtenaw County’s leading independent schools. It began as a preschool program in 1968. Daycroft has since grown to include a full-day kindergarten program, an elementary school program through 6th grade, before-school and after-school care, summer camp programs, and enrichment classes.

Daycroft has earned accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS; www.isacs.org). It is a member of the Associations of Independent Michigan Schools; www.aims-mi.org) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS; www.nais.org).

Daycroft Preprimary School (preschool and kindergarten) is at 100 E. Oakbrook Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Phone: (734) 930-0333.

Daycroft Elementary School (grades K through 6) and Daycroft’s administrative offices are at 1095 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Phone: (734) 662-3335.

Media Contact:
Chris Kochmanski
DesignHub, Inc.
(734) 944-8705
chris@design-hub.com

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