School Curriculum and Instruction Teachers offer different pathways for students to learn. Our curriculum also consists of the arts, self awareness, communication and bodily awareness. Our approach is "child centered" learning rather than all "teacher directed." Teachers begin teaching by looking at how the child learns and what their strengths and interests are and develop curriculum, instruction and assessment based on this information. State Standards are the subject guide to help all students build a basic foundation of skills and strategies in a research based core reading, ( 2007 MacMillan/ McGraw-Hill) and Readers Workshop; Everyday Math reconstructed and taught in schoolwide segments for computation and problem solving; Writers Workshop for written and oral communication; Foss Kits and a variety of texts and reading for Science; and Social Studies as per Saint Paul Public Schools Guide for each grade level. Students will also receive explicit instruction in research, technology and study skills. Teachers use the strategies of differentiated instruction to modify and adjust any curriculum- to respond to student needs of learning, interest preference, style and ability. It is important to recognize style and learning preference among students from various cultural and ethnic groups. (Culturally Responsive Teaching, by Geneva Gay.) The teaching of understanding and appreciation of human diversity are woven into every aspect of the curriculum. Academic assessment is based upon clearly defined purposes, goals and criteria. Student progress is measured against development benchmarks, based on State Standards. Progress monitoring is an ongoing process that guides curriculum to be delivered to students.