Montessori Preschool & Kindergarten

The Montessori preschool and kindergarten classroom is a "living room" for children. Children choose their work from materials on open shelves and work in specific work areas. The surrounding environment and materials help them to achieve concentration, independence, and self-mastery. In a Montessori preschool and kindergarten, materials are viewed as an aid to development, enticing the child to explore and learn while developing inner motivation.

There are four main areas within the kindergarten classroom:

· Practical Life The child learns how to take care of himself, the indoor and outdoor environment, and is given lessons in grace and courtesy (care of others). Exercises are offered for the development of fine motor skills and for the coordination of physical movement.

· Sensorial Area Aids the child in the development of the ability to order, classify, and describe sensorial impressions in relation to length, width, temperature, mass, color, pitch, etc.

· Mathematics Area The child progresses through a sequence of manipulative materials that enable them to internalize concepts of quantity, symbol, mathematical operations, and the memorization of basic math facts.

· Language Arts An integral part of each area of the classroom but also has a special area in and of itself. Children grow in vocabulary development, oral and written expression, and reading. Basic skills in reading and writing are developed through use of the sandpaper letters, moveable alphabet, and specially designed Montessori materials and exercises. Students are also taught our Spalding Method of phonics and reading.

The preschool and kindergarten environment unifies the social, physical and intellectual functioning of the child and offers a firm foundation for them to acquire more specialized knowledge and skills in their elementary program.

Montessori First through Third Grades

The early elementary program offers a continuum built upon the kindergarten experience and incorporates the Florida State Sunshine Standards. Students learn about the interdependence of all life and develop an awareness of the basic needs of all mankind and an appreciation for the variety of ways in which those needs are met. The elementary environment reflects a new stage of development and offers:

· Integration of the arts, sciences, geography, history, and language.

· Presentation of knowledge as part of a large-scale narrative that unfolds the origin of Earth, life, human communities, and modern history. Montessori presents the whole universe to the child in a series of five major stories. These stories are given not only to give knowledge, but also to create the beginning of an interest.

· Presentation of formal scientific language of zoology, botany, anthropology, geography, geology, etc., exposing the child to accurate, organized information.

· The use of timelines, pictures, charts, and other visual aids, which allows the child to discover the interrelatedness of all living things.

· A mathematics curriculum presented with concrete materials that enhance the understanding of the concepts in arithmetic, geometry, and algebra, with the purpose of moving the child from the concrete to the abstract.

· Montessori teachers who integrate the teaching of all subjects, not as isolated disciplines, but as part of a whole.

· Emphasis on open-ended research and in-depth study.

· Field trips and interactive studies to make use of community resources beyond the classroom.

· Specialized Spanish, Art and PE teachers

Grades Four through Six

Our academic focus in the upper elementary program is to strengthen the student's basic and critical thinking skills while learning to conduct research projects. As in the Montessori philosophy, subjects continue to integrate in a way that provide students with an interrelated view of the world and the opportunity to begin thinking about their role as world citizens. Teachers combine Core curriculum with the Spalding method for reading, writing and spelling and enrich it with cross-curricular books in literature circles.

Middle School Philosophy and Programs

Odyssey Charter School offers developmentally appropriate courses and programs to meet the unique needs of students in the 7th and 8th grades.
· Growth as independent learners
· A close-knit school environment
· Curriculum integration through team teaching
· Development of individualized interests though choice of research
· Opportunities to study topics in depth, relate them to today's society and formulate opinions on issues

The academic program focuses on:
· Skills in research, report writing, public speaking and debate
· Timelines of historical and scientific advancements
· Encouragement of disciplined thought on individual and global issues
· Individualized learning plan to strengthen problem-solving and computation in abstract and practical situations

Mathematics: Saxon Math (Math 87 and pre-algebra), FCAT prep, Sunshine Math Club, and computer graphing and representation of data. The honors math program provides high school credit for our gifted students.

Science: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Individual Units, science labs recording and interpreting data, inference, application, research reports with language arts integration.

Language Arts: Literature circles with chapter books, short stories, poetry, narrative and expository writing, and oral and written grammar skills. The curriculum is reinforced with the Spalding method of reading, writing and spelling as was used in prior grades.

Social Studies: Students study current events applicable to each year and Glencoe's World Cultures and American history Birth of the Nation to 1877.

Middle School Electives: Orchestra, art appreciation, Spanish, journalism/yearbook, team sports, science discovery lab and creative problem solving (Odyssey of the Mind).

Our middle school students are also encouraged to participate in the Odyssey of the Mind program and will also have opportunities for community projects and involvement.

After-School Remedial Reading Program: Middle school students who scored a reading FCAT score of 1 or 2 are required to attend our remedial reading programs on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.

School-Wide Programs

Core Curriculum Knowledge
The Core Knowledge Sequence is a grade-by-grade guide to learning, which offers the student a solid, specific, shared core curriculum. This series, written by Dr. E.D. Hirsch, is based upon the premise that although current events and technology are rapidly changing the world, as we know it, there is a core of lasting knowledge that should form the basis for a K 6th grade program. It offers a clear outline of content to be taught in each grade, and each grade level's knowledge builds upon the last. Core Knowledge clearly specifies what material is important to know in language arts, history and geography, math, science, and the fine arts.

The Writing Road to Reading
The Spalding Phonics program, a total language arts program for all children, offers an integrated, multi-sensory, intensive approach to reading, spelling, writing, and speaking. The program progresses from beginning words to college level spelling, with each step building on what has already been introduced. Spalding Phonics is effective with all children, including those with special needs, because it utilizes four learning pathways to the brain (visual, auditory, speech, and kinesthetic-tactile) adding in memory retention and learning. It includes direct instruction in the sounds of the 70 phonograms and provides diagnostic instruction based upon continuous student assessment of progress. The program also includes writing instruction and tools to improve comprehension and fluency skills.

Saxon Mathematics:
A thorough mathematics program for children from kindergarten age through high school, Saxon math focuses on the comprehension of basic skills through a gentle development of concepts and the practice of those concepts over a considerable length of time. It is an incremental approach that introduces topics in an easily understandable format and allows time for assimilation before another concept is introduced. There is a continuous review of all previously learned material, which lasts for the entire school year. Concepts increase in complexity from one lesson to the next and are repeatedly practiced. This repetition allows time for the concepts to become familiar. With practice, these skills become automatic.

Science Discovery Lab/Ecology:
For the first time this year, all students at Odyssey will have access to the science discovery lab where hands-on, multi-sensory experiments will be conducted. Odyssey also utilizes its own healthy high performance building as a learning tool for studies in environmental science, solar energy and ecology. The curriculum is symbiotic with the use of a high performance facility that creates an optimal learning environment with natural daylight, nature trails, eco-ponds, non-toxic paints and high quality indoor air. Students study how their school building enhances their own health and reduces energy costs.

Technology:
Computer labs are set up in the hallway wings (except the first wing) to accommodate easy access to computers for Internet research, small group lessons and PowerPoint presentations. Keyboarding software and educational software programs are also part of the technology plan. NASA recently donated 80 computers to our school.

Inclusion Program:
Inclusive education means that all students in a school, regardless of strengths or weaknesses in any area, including the gifted and those students with learning disabilities, become part of the school. Odyssey has adopted the inclusive philosophy in which every student belongs, is accepted, is valued and is supported by peers, staff and community members. The Odyssey team creates curricular activities that are accessible to as many students as possible regardless of their challenges or exceptionality. Our gifted students are provided with individual and group projects and have weekly team meetings.This includes leadership activities and additional responsibilities within the classroom, project and research based projects based on higher level thinking skills, and community improvement and involvement.

Support Programs

Holistic Education - Focuses on the whole child and his/her development intellectually, emotionally, physically and socially.

Physical Education Program - Odyssey uses the President's Council of Physical Fitness Program. This program provides for clear and important physical fitness development, including building motor skills, movement, and team sports.

Music Program - Music is taught in Kindergarten through 6th grade and offered as an elective to Middle School. Students learn to play strings and
other orchestral instruments from the 2nd through 6th grades and Middle School has an Orchestra elective.

Art Program - Students learn a variety of art media, history of art and interdisciplinary art lessons in their new art room.

Foreign Language - Spanish is offered in classrooms and taught with games, songs, language cards, video and teacher instruction.

Positive Discipline - This program creates an environment for educating the whole child and prepares children for responsible citizenship. Through class meetings, we create an atmosphere of caring based on kindness, firmness, dignity and mutual respect. Our environment nurtures students and helps them learn cooperation instead of competition as well as problem solving skills.

Brain Gym - This kinesthetic educational program is designed to relieve stress with a variety of exercises to develop neural pathways to enhance concentration. Classroom teachers start the school day with these exercises in order to get students "ready to learn", and are done prior to specific activities or tests.

Music for the Mind - Research has shown that Baroque music and certain Mozart selections enhance learning in a variety of ways. Selections of music are piped into the hallway and classrooms.

Multiple Intelligence Theory -Teachers at Odyssey incorporate Howard Gardener's theory of multiple intelligences into their lesson planning, utilizing a variety of instructional and assessment methods aimed at teaching to the broad array of student learning styles.

Junior Great Books - This program of shared inquiry exposes children to high quality literature, with an emphasis on critical thinking skills. Students of all abilities learn to read for meaning, think critically, engage in dynamic discussions, and synthesize ideas in writing.

HearthMath - An emotional management tool to help give students techniques to deal with stress, interpersonal skills and work management skills.

Wise-Skills - A character-building program that uses words and lives of great world figures to teach students qualities of respect, responsibility, honesty, courage, and service to others.

Accelerated Learning Techniques - Including Brain Gym, these techniques incorporate the latest research on brain development and how students learn throughout life.

Extra-curricular Activities - Students are offered a variety of after-school activities and clubs including drama/voice, arts and crafts, Lego Robotics, Young Authors Club, Butterfly Gardening, 4-H Club, Science Club, Girls Scouts, golf, baton twirling, outdoor discovery and more!

Tutoring/Reading Support - A mandatory reading support program is offered for 1st - 6th graders after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for students who scored a Level 1 or 2 on thier FCAT reading or have an Academic Improvement Plan. An after-school math remedial program is mandatory for our middle school students who scored a Level 1 or 2 on their previous year's FCAT. These programs begin November 1 and run until February 23, 2006. After school bussing is provided for all students who normally take a bus.

Gifted Student Program
Odyssey Charter School services its gifted students using the Inclusion Model. Gifted students academic needs are primarily met in the regular education classroom using the following:

*Great Books (higher order thinking skills)
*SRA (Kindergarten and up) - students working at their own ability level
*Sunshine Math - advanced, higher order thinking skills math program
*Montessori - students working independently at their own level
*Literature - students working on literature at a level at which they test out
*Core Knowledge History/Geography

Gifted students also meet together weekly in similar age groups in order to meet social/emotional needs and to spend time with gifted peers. At these meetings, we work on problem solving, higher level thinking, learning styles, and critical thinking activities.