Curriculum

For many years PS9 has taken pride in the development and ongoing revision of our in-house literacy curriculum. Our teachers have worked hard to make sure that it is both rigorous and engaging. In order to make sure our students are also receiving consistent instruction in every content area, units are integrated with each grade’s social studies content. Over the years, our teachers have revised these units (and continue to do so regularly) to ensure they are standards-based and reflect the needs and interests of our students.
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As the science behind how people learn to read, known as ‘the science of reading’, has gained traction and more and more scientifically-based research has emerged, we are committed to constantly modifying our curriculum to meet the needs of all students. We have already started the process to shift our practices and review new programs and materials to ensure that our students are receiving the best curriculum that we can find. Be on the lookout for more information regarding these shifts throughout the year.

Orton-Gillingham is a highly structured approach that helps children learn to read and spell. The approach breaks reading and spelling down into smaller skills by explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sounds, and then building on these skills over time. Although OG, as you may hear it called, was originally designed for struggling readers with dyslexia, the approach’s explicit, multisensory, and sequential instruction has proved helpful for all of our students as they learn to read and write. Our goal at PS9 is for our students to become effective readers, writers, and spellers through our practical implementation of Orton-Gillingham. To ensure student success, every PS9 teacher has been trained in the approach, but it is used daily in the early elementary grades (K-2).

PS 9 teachers utilize a variety of resources to support and challenge students at every level. All students are engaged in problem solving and math discussions through regular use of Number Talks, CGI (Cognitively Guided Instruction), and the grade level Eureka curriculum. We value a hands-on, real-world approach, making math engaging and meaningful for students.

P.S. 9 uses the Full Option Science System (FOSS) as the core of our science instruction. For decades, FOSS has a proven track record of high-level student engagement and rich hands-on/minds-on science content that meets state and Next Generation Science Standards. The FOSS program is based on investigations of real-world phenomena that require students to think critically and scientifically. FOSS is rooted in the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to explore science in an active, multi-sensory way that taps into their natural curiosity. At P.S. 9, we believe that students learn science best by DOING science. This means our students will do what scientists do: make detailed observations; ask questions about the world around them; do research & conduct investigations; collect & analyze data; share knowledge & findings; and use evidence to draw conclusions.

Our teachers found it next to impossible to find time each day to teach reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. As a result, we had to find a creative solution and integrated much of the content with our literacy units of study. Social studies is taught both as a stand alone subject but also throughout reading and writing.

RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.  

RULER supports whole school communities in understanding the value of emotions, building the skills of emotional intelligence, and creating and maintaining a positive school environment for all.

By infusing the principles of emotional intelligence into school communities, RULER strengthens how students learn, teachers teach, families parent, and leaders lead.
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For more information about how we use RULER specifically at PS9, please check out this PPT presentation we shared previously with families.
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Suggested apps to use with your child:
– Mood Meter
– Smiling Mind

‍RULER Family Conversation Starters:
‍K-1st grade
2nd-3rd grade
4th-5th grade

‍Suggested Reading list for Students

‍Suggested Reading List for Adults:
1. Permission to Feel, by Marc Brackett, Ph.D
2. Pride and Joy, by Kenneth Barish, Ph.D
3. Creating Compassionate Kids, by Shauna Tominey, Ph.D
4. Peaceful Parents, Happy Kids; How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting, by Dr. Laura Markham
5. No Drama Discipline:The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind, by Dan Siegel, M.D.
6. Emotionally Intelligent Parenting, How to Raise a Self-Disciplined, Responsible, Socially Skilled Child, by Maurice Elias, Ph.D, Steven Tobias, Psy.D, & Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D
7. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
8. What Great Parents Do, by Erica Reischer, Ph.D

Our students love field trips, which enhance and solidify their understanding of the content we teach. As a result, trips vary from grade to grade and often year to year as we explore the curriculum through the lens of what our great city has to offer. Recurring trips include, but are not limited to, The American Museum of Natural History, The NY Historical Society, The New York City Ballet, Inwood Park, and The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

Homework is an extension of school work and is an integral part of each child’s education. Through homework, children further develop a sense of responsibility and independence. Homework reinforces the classroom learning experience by following-up on concepts and skills acquired during the day. Homework also extends the learning experience as children complete long-term research and special projects.

Parents and teachers have collaborated to create a special document to address homework, specific to each grade-level, which will be distributed at the beginning of the school year.

Children are given timelines and completion dates well in advance of the due dates. The time needed to complete short-term or one-night assignments will vary as each child works at his or her own pace. The following are general guidelines for one-night assignments:

Kindergarten: 10 minutes maximum plus 10 minutes of reading per day
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- Grade 1: 20 minutes maximum plus 15 minutes of reading per day
- Grade 2: 30 minutes maximum plus 15 minutes of reading per day
- Grade 3: 35 minutes maximum plus 20 minutes of reading per day
- Grade 4: 40 minutes maximum plus 20 minutes of reading per day
- Grade 5: 45 minutes maximum plus 30 minutes of reading per day

One of our goals is for our students to develop an appreciation for reading, whether it is for pleasure or for gathering information. We encourage all of our students to read independently each night. Grades K and 1 can have quiet one-on-one reading time with an adult.