Character Education
A valuable part of our daily curriculum is character education. Rather than following a traditional set of school rules, students will live by the leadership skills presented in Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."
Habit 1: Be Proactive- You’re in Charge- I’m in Charge of Me: I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.
Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind- Have a Plan: I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my schools mission and vision and, look for ways to be a good citizen.
Habit 3: Put First Things First- Work First, Then Play: I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win- Everyone Can Win: I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. I make deposits in others Emotional Bank Accounts. When conflicts arise, I look for third alternatives.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood- Listen Before You Talk: I listen to other people’s ideas and feelings. I try to see things from their viewpoints. I listen to others without interrupting. I am confident in voicing my ideas. I look people in the eyes when talking.
Habit 6: Synergize- Together is Better: I value other people’s strengths and learn from them. I get along well with others, even people who are different than me. I work well in groups. I seek out other peoples ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than any one of us alone. I am humble.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw- Balance Feels Best: I take care of my body by eating right, exercising, and getting sleep. I spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. I take time to find meaningful ways to help others. By following the habits, students will become leaders of themselves, which means they will be responsible, they will set goals and prioritize their responsibilities, they will be considerate of others, they will value other peoples strengths and learn from them, and they will take care of themselves by eating right, exercising, and getting sleep.
Science
Our science program offers learning opportunities for students to manipulate concrete objects and make observations; write descriptions; picture the world through graphs, charts, drawings, and diagrams; and generalize, analyze, hypothesize, and create formulas.
The curriculum addresses Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science kindergarten through fifth grade, so students can progress and continue to build on their bank of science knowledge. Through the course of each year, students frequently participate in hands-on experiments and activities that make learning exciting!
Mathematics
The mathematics program at Alane Academy is designed to ensure that every child is learning techniques and strategies for logical thinking. Just Turn and Share Math, one math program used at Alane Academy, is designed to teach students real world lessons while using a center based approach to learning and discovery. Each math center is structured by topic and aligns with National Standards. Students are highly engaged with hands-on materials while working in cooperative groups to master the skills and concepts needed to advance in their mathematical world.
Depending on the student's learning style, basic facts are taught using Touch Math and Rhymes N Times. Touch Math uses a multisensory approach to teach basic addition and subtraction facts to students of all ability levels. Rhymes N Times is a hands-on program designed to teach multiplication facts to students through sight, sound, touch, and motion.
Writing
Just Write is a comprehensive writing program that is designed to foster growth in every area of the writing process. Students are taught the importance of planning, gathering information, and researching during the prewriting stage. The rough draft is intended for students to write and focus on content. During the revision and editing stage students concentrate on grammar, punctuation, details, and elaboration, while the publishing process encourages students to develop a strong sense of authorship. Mastering conventions of structure and style is developed through practice in a wide variety of genres including expository, narrative, poetry, and research.
We also believe that a strong approach to teaching handwriting skills is necessary throughout each grade level at Alane Academy. Students engage in a research based handwriting program designed to promote automaticity in manuscript and cursive handwriting to support students in writing and reading.
Reading
Our first and most important goal in regard to our reading curriculum is to foster a love for reading in every child. Through books, we travel around the world by turning the pages, we meet new characters in various contexts, and we learn about things that are more than a hands reach away. From the very first days of kindergarten through the last days spent in fifth grade at Alane Academy, we build this love of reading through shared literature that takes us on daily adventures!
The foundation of a successful reader is built with a complete understanding of the concepts of print and a strong phonemic awareness and phonics curriculum. Children add to their vocabulary banks on a daily basis as we provide a print-rich environment along with structured vocabulary instruction, and most importantly, many opportunities to engage in rich conversation.
The ultimate goal is for students to be fluent readers who comprehend various types of text; not only books, but newspapers, posters, magazine articles, etcetera. Students are immersed in an environment where the opportunities for reading are endless: independent, shared, and modeled reading are a part of daily life at Alane Academy.
Intelligent Mind ˖ Active Body ˖ Kind Heart
Technology
As our ever-changing world continues to advance, the need for technology skills continues to become greater. Technology is integrated throughout the content areas. Through the integration, students become fluent with basic computer skills, word processing, and keyboarding. Students also engage in opportunities to create multimedia presentations to accompany content area material. Students are equipped with research skills to enhance their knowledge in all subject areas now and in the future.
Social Studies
Studies Weekly is an engaging social studies program. Concepts include topics such as school, geography and map skills, responsibility and citizenship, history, transportation, government, patriotism, community, and economics. Instead of learning from a textbook, students in grades K-5 are excited to participate in lessons presented in the format of a weekly newspaper.
ALANE
ACADEMY