Curriculum

SCELS offers a multi-sensory approach to Language.  This includes Jolly Phonics/Grammar, Learning Without Tears and various support programs.  Our Language program is based on a Balanced Literary approach.  

Learning Without Tears

This unique program’s purpose is to make handwriting an automatic and natural skill for children of all ability levels. Children who can write well, with ease and confidence, enjoy school more and feel more pride in their work. Learning Without Tears makes handwriting fun and easy to learn.

Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar

Our Jolly Phonics program provides a structured learning tool which the children really enjoy. This phonics program introduces 42 main letter sounds, followed up with activity sheets and games for reading and spelling. Each letter is taught with a story and related actions for the children to perform. This multi-sensory approach is a very effective way of teaching for all learning styles.

Jolly Grammar is an extension of the Jolly Phonics program. This program teaches a wide variety of language forms including the parts of speech, plurals, punctuation and the tenses past, present and future. It also teaches various spelling rules, including defining aspects such as short vowels. Building upon the Jolly Phonics lessons, our Jolly Grammar program provides advanced learning in the world of grammar.

Children will complete activity sheets at school before taking them home. We encourage you to review these sheets with your child throughout the year.

The Learning Carpet, a floor grid consisting of 100 squares, promotes kinesthetic learning of many important concepts in mathematics, as well as mapping skills and language activitie. It is used in all five program levels at St. Clement’s Early Learning School.

Mathematical learning at St. Clement’s Early Learning School includes games, activities and materials that provide a foundation for understanding mathematical concepts.

We incorporate math into our daily routine, as well as into other school related activities. For example:

• Attendance
• Calendar
• Weather Chart
• Number Line
• Creative Activities

Math includes:
Classification - This is a sorting operation requiring the ability to create groups of objects based on the identification of common characteristics. These characteristics include such features as colour, shape, size and thickness. The child must recognize similarities and differences in objects in order to classify them.

Serialization - This is an ordering operation requiring the ability to create logical sequence for a set of objects. Graduated sequence calls for the ability to order according to size and quantity. Repetitive sequence is mastered when the child can place things in order according to pattern.

Spatial Sense - This is the ability to recognize the relationships of “self-to-space” and “object-to-space”.

Number Concepts - The heading “Number Concepts” actually covers several operations. Some of them are one-to-one correspondence, conservation of number, measurement and time.

Other tools used to teach math to the children are time, age, addresses, phone numbers, cooking and measurement. As you can see, learning addition, subtraction, counting and shape recognition doesn’t have to be boring at all!

Creative expression is encouraged and developed at St. Clement’s Early Learning School. We believe that it is important to foster a positive approach to the arts, and what better place to do that than right here at school. Children should be taught to enjoy the creative process just as much, if not more, than the results that they achieve. In doing so, their senses are sharpened and they respond to this heightened awareness with an abundance of ideas.

Music

Music is an important part of life at St. Clement’s Early Learning School and we are proud of our Music and Movement program. Each Thursday, Michael Anderson, a veteran early childhood educator, spends the day providing an enriched musical experience for the children. Mr. Anderson draws on music from around the world and uses a wide variety of instruments such as the Conga, Talking Drum, Koto, Tabla and Tibetan Singing Bowls. He teaches new songs to the children, many of them with lots of actions. Children and staff alike look forward to Michael’s weekly visits to the school.

Of course, one finds music present at SCELS on all other school days. Our teachers sing songs, initiate finger plays and teach various movements to the children. They also incorporate props such as small instruments, drums, scarves and other unique items into their musical presentations.

Dramatic Arts

Involvement in dramatic activities is a way of bringing out what is inside. Drama encompasses many forms of creative expressions and deals with the process of acting out, or the playing of a role, in an imaginary situation. Drama is integrated into a variety of subject areas to enhance student learning, enhance presentation skills and spark creativity and self expression.

Visual Arts

Students at SCELS are given the opportunity to explore and create with a variety of artistic mediums. Students develop their creativity, spatial awareness and fine motor skills through drawing, painting, collage, sculpting and mixed media. Our visual arts activities often correspond to curriculum areas to help students broaden their understanding of the material and appeal to visual and hands-on learners.

Our science program at SCELS puts a strong emphasis of the scientific method. Students are encouraged to ask questions, explore and engage with material, solve problems and reflect upon their results. Science and social studies lessons are supplemented with a variety of hands-on projects, experiments, field trips and workshops to maximize student involvement and understanding.

All of our programs include physical education in addition to outdoor and gross motor development. Children take part in gross motor activities daily. Gross motor development will include running, jumping, using objects in different ways, balancing, etc.

Physical education takes place one or two times a week, depending on whether a child is registered in the half-day or full-day program. The children are taught specific skills such as ball handling and eye-hand coordination, with a focus team building and healthy living.

Specialized coaches are brought in to teach skills and concepts associated with different sports in a fun, supportive and non-competitive environment. Yoga at SCELS is an excellent way to teach the children a universal method to self-regulate and ready their brains and bodies for learning. Yoga is first introduced in the Nursery program and is practiced up to Grade Two.

Social skills are an important area of development for any young child. At SCELS, we incorporate the development of these skills on an ongoing basis both during instructional time and at play.

Social skills programs integrate elements of social development programs such as the Zones of Regulation, The Incredible Flexible You and the Incredible Five Point Scale, Our social skills programs also incorporate character development goals to facilitate lasting friendships and a strong community of learners.

All of the children at SCELS take part in our French program. Children in half-day programs have French once a week and those in full-day programs have French twice per week. French is taught orally for our Nursery and Kindergarten students. The children are introduced to concepts like colours, numbers, animals, holidays and cultural understanding. In the Primary Program, a written component is included.

The mission of St. Clement’s Early Learning School’s Primary program is to develop young men for the world of tomorrow. We want them to have enriching experiences in everything from sports to fine arts in a supportive and nurturing environment. Our aim is to:

• Build confidence in our boys
• Promote leadership skills
• Help them achieve high quality individual academic and social experiences

Leadership skills are developed through our Leaders program.

The boys will participate in the lunch program, reading program and mentoring of our younger students

The boys will lead morning announcements, school assemblies and other school-wide initiatives.

Academic

The primary program’s important benefit is its individual programming. The enriched curriculum – taught by Ontario College of Teachers certified educator(s) – is designed to align with an individual’s academic level. The curriculum includes independent studies, research driven projects, athletics and technological studies.

Social Skills Development

Each of the boys work on various areas of social development. Their teachers work with them to further identify their personal learning styles and strategies. They are taught efficient ways to plan, to organize, as well as ways to develop and maintain study skills. Additionally, they attend workshops presented by “Now You’re Talking”, which enhance their skills in communication and presentation.

Technology

The curriculum at SCELS is not driven by technology. Instead, it is guided by the needs of our students. Our students are taught about the uses of various technological devices as they relate to them in the real world. The boys will explore and use computers, and iPads to enhance their learning. They will also be taught about how to be an ethical user.

Physical Education & Activities

We recognize the need for a well-rounded and balanced physical education curriculum. The Primary school program schedule has been designed to allow for daily opportunities for physical education, both in the gym and outside. The boys learn about sportsmanship, teamwork, health and nutrition. As well, they are exposed to a wide variety of sports and learn component skills for each one. Each term, specialized coaches lead the class in developing gross motor and athletic skills in a positive, non-competitive format. Community visits to the local park for field games and skating, as well as frequent trips to a professional gymnasium further enhance the boys’ physical education experiences.