P.S. 384 - Hunters Point Elementary

This multisensory, structured language program provides systematic and explicit phonics instruction in the early childhood classroom. Critical foundational skills are emphasized, including phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, high frequency word study, reading fluency, vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling. 

We utilize this systematic program to support students' phonological and phonemic awareness skills. Children develop an awareness of sounds through hearing words that rhyme and isolating sounds in words. Once students hear and create isolated sounds, they move into blending syllables, onset-rimes, and making words.

 At P.S. 384, we want our children to be excited about books! 

Students engage in literacy instruction that combines the gradual release method, direct instruction, and application. Students will engage across a variety of texts within a thematic unit, and have opportunities to choose books in their classroom library. 

Decodable Texts -- Students in lower grades have opportunities to practice their phonics skills in decodable readers that mirror their learning.

We us a variety of components to teach writing. 

This includes:

Framing Your Thoughts -- a sequential and systematic method of instruction that teaches students to create accurate sentences, from simple to complex.   

Writing Workshop -- Through the workshop model, students engage in writing instruction that provides models of effective writing, discussion, inquiry into author's craft, and independent work. 

Handwriting Without Tears -- A multisensory approach that supports young children in the formation of letters.

In order to thrive, children need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies—cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control—and a set of academic competencies—academic mindset, perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors. We use the evidence-based Responsive Classroom approach to foster the strong relationship between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL). To build safe, joyful, and engaging learning communities where all students have a sense of belonging and feel significant, all of our classrooms include: Morning Meeting, Establishing Routines, Energizers, Quiet Time, and Closing Circle.

All children can benefit from Social Thinking, which supports an individual’s ability to interpret the thoughts, beliefs, emotions, knowledge, and actions of others. This information support children’s behavioral interactions and responses to others. Themes include: encouraging children to think with their eyes, keep their body in the group and follow the group plan. These areas develop lifelong skills such as perspective taking, self-regulation and executive functioning.

The Kindness in the Classroom integrates intentional kindness skill building with the development of social and emotional competencies. Each unit teaches six core concepts: Respect, Caring, Inclusiveness, Integrity, Responsibility, and Courage. Consistent use of the simple framework of share, inspire, empower, act, and reflect build the necessary skills to move from self-awareness to action. Kindness can be taught!

Interventions

• Small Group Instruction
• Fundations
• SPIRE
• Great Leaps
• Math U See
• Kindness in the Classroom 
• Social Groups