Equality focuses on academic achievement and aligns our curriculum to the New York State standards. We identify and emphasize the Power Standards/Indicators that scholars need most for success in school, in life and on state tests. The Equality staff do this by:
Scholars receive math instruction each day from two full time teachers that staff each math classroom, one math teacher and one special education teacher.
Equality also offers an advanced math course for 7th and 8th grade scholars. The course correlates to the high school Integrated Algebra curriculum and will culminate with the 9th grade Integrated Algebra Regents Exam being offered to our 8th grade scholars. This class will provide our scholars with the opportunity to take more advanced math classes, such as AP courses, in high school if they successfully complete this program and obtain a passing score on the Regents exam. Placement into these advanced math classes is based on NYS Math exam scores, report card grades, and teacher recommendations.
Equality has two Math Madness tournaments during the year to highlight and acknowledge our top math scholars. These tournaments consist of a variety of activities, such as mental math competitions for each grade level, group contests, group project demonstrations, and certificates/awards.
Scholars receive social studies/history instruction every other day from a teacher and a teaching assistant. Although classrooms will differ based on the age level, the typical room will begin with a "Do Now" and then move into a section of direct instruction on a topic. Scholars will then break into groups or independent study to work on guided questions or inquiry-based projects. Since Social Studies is the perfect subject for practicing critical thinking skills, the structure of the classroom will be supported by:
Scholars receive ELA instruction each day from two full time teachers that staff each ELA classroom, one ELA teacher and one special education teacher. In Equality's ELA program, scholars will be pushed to gain basic skills, advance their metacognitive thinking skills, and make cross-curricular connections. A classroom begins with a ten-minute "Do Now" that is connected to the day's readings or topics being discussed; a session of reading; scholar-to-scholar accountable talk about the day's readings; organizing, planning, and writing on literature and/or expository topics; and time for facilitated critical thinking through discussion.
Scholars who enter Equality below grade level will receive remedial instruction through READ 180, an intensive reading intervention program, or System 44, for scholars with little to no phonemic awareness. In the READ 180 classroom, scholars will move in 20-minute blocks through computer-based reading instruction and then two sections of skills-based instruction at their level.
Every year, we have two Writing Celebration Nights. These evenings will be a chance for all Equality scholars, especially those who are passionate about writing, to showcase their work and provide readings to parents and guests in order to celebrate their accomplishments in writing with the entire school community.
Equality uses Project-Based Inquiry Science program. This program is based on scholars thinking like and acting like scientists. Project-Based Inquiry Science was created to provide an atmosphere of deeper, more sustained learning than has traditionally been found in middle-school classrooms. These units engage scholars in learning, and instill the respect that scholars need to learn within a context. Please check out http://www.its-about-time.com/pbis/pbis.html for more information.
Scholars receive physical education and health on a regular basis. In order to leverage the strength that some scholars have physically, the physical education classroom will:
Equality is committed to providing authentic opportunities for scholars to experience and excel in the arts. Music is taught after school to any scholars interested in pursuing this activity.
Art classes in general share:
A core understanding of the English language will give Equality scholars the foundation they need to understand and use scientific, historical, mathematical, and geographical terms.
The 8th grade Greek and Latin Roots class will be integrated in to our ELA course. It will focus on the direct instruction of roots, prefixes, and suffixes; spelling; and sentence construction.
Equality's Home and Careers course can best be described in the subtitle of Jack Canfield and Kent Healy's book The Success Principles for Teens: "How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be." The Success Principles concentrates on guiding scholars to take responsibility for themselves and their choices, visualizing their success and believing in their power to achieve, using goal-setting as a means to an end, crafting affirmation statements to read daily, and facing one's fears head-on.
Equality will share scholars' achievement in the Home and Careers class through our spring Home and Careers Showcase.