Birchwood
School
World Class Education
in a Globally Diverse Environment
A private
elementary school serving grades K through 8
| 4400 West 140th
Street Cleveland, OH 44135 Office: 216.251.2321 Fax: 216.251.2787 |
Core Curriculum
> Language Arts Curriculum
The emphasis in the language arts program is the written expression.
From the first grade through the junior high years, students learn the
process of writing in various stages. From pre-writing to the editing of the
final draft, students are given opportunities each week to write in many
genres like creative stories or expository essays. We strongly adhere to
the premise that to improve as a writer the key is to practice writing.
Instruction in spelling, vocabulary, and grammar are taught systematically
each week to enrich the writing process. Through years of shaping,
students emerge as competent writers who can wield the power of the pen.
We believe that instruction in spelling, vocabulary development, word
usage, and grammar focuses on the writing process. The writing process
gives purpose to these elements. For example, it is important for children
to understand good grammar because good grammar enables writers to
clarify their ideas to their audience. Similarly, good writers need a well-
developed vocabulary that enables them to select the appropriate word
that matches the thought and feeling they hope to convey.
Concerning spelling and vocabulary instruction, we afford interested
students the option of studying advanced word lists or taking online
courses in vocabulary development through Northwestern University.
These include learning vocabulary through Latin and Greek roots, and
they also include formal high school Latin classes available for seventh
and eighth grade students. Since the 2008-2009 school year, we have offered vocabulary enrichment classes to qualified fifth and sixth grade students and Latin classes as an elective to seventh and eighth grade students.
A Further Word on The Birchwood Writing Program
Philosophical foundation:
1. Learn by doing. Children learn to write by writing. They learn to write
creative stories by writing creative stories. They learn to write descriptive
compositions by writing descriptive compositions. They learn to write
expository and persuasive compositions by writing expository and
persuasive compositions. This simple approach is supported by time and
research. It is not new, but it is proven. From Benjamin Franklin to Stephen
King, writers consistently attribute their success to their practice of writing
frequently and persistently. In the Birchwood Writing Program, students
are trained to write complete compositions weekly, often completing 20-30
such works per year. The success is measurable. Every year our teachers
and parents are amazed at the improvement in a child’s performance from
the first composition of the year to the last composition.
2. Modeling good literature is another time-tested approach to teaching
writing. Teachers provide students good models from good literature to
teach sentence structure, word choice, story structure, creativity, style,
and voice. While learning the models, children practice imitating the models and gradually improve their own writing.
3. The Joy of Writing. When students write complete compositions weekly,
they invariably touch the joy of writing. They discover the excitement of
putting their own ideas on paper and then having others read and enjoy
their work. Students find that their writing is an extension of themselves. It
becomes an outlet for self-expression and gratification.
4. Universal writing competency. When any student writes complete
compositions weekly, he or she becomes a competent writer. While not all
children will become great writers, all children can become competent
writers. This fact is important. It has become evident that even in our high
schools and universities, many students are not able to write clearly.
Granted, some gifted students will learn to write with or without a good
writing education. But research in the last 15-20 years has made it clear
that even many of our high school and college students simply do not
possess adequate writing skills to make them good written communicators.
It is our contention that the at root of this problem, is the fact that during
their elementary and middle school education, students did not receive
sufficient practice whereby the writing process became second nature.
5. Writing and reading. A child’s writing will also improve the more the child
reads. Either consciously or subconsciously, the elements of good writing
find their way into children’s compositions. Plots, characters, settings,
writing forms, and styles become imprinted in a child’s mind through
reading.
Links to grade level syllabi:
Kindergarten
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
> Language Arts Curriculum
The emphasis in the language arts program is the written expression.
From the first grade through the junior high years, students learn the
process of writing in various stages. From pre-writing to the editing of the
final draft, students are given opportunities each week to write in many
genres like creative stories or expository essays. We strongly adhere to
the premise that to improve as a writer the key is to practice writing.
Instruction in spelling, vocabulary, and grammar are taught systematically
each week to enrich the writing process. Through years of shaping,
students emerge as competent writers who can wield the power of the pen.
We believe that instruction in spelling, vocabulary development, word
usage, and grammar focuses on the writing process. The writing process
gives purpose to these elements. For example, it is important for children
to understand good grammar because good grammar enables writers to
clarify their ideas to their audience. Similarly, good writers need a well-
developed vocabulary that enables them to select the appropriate word
that matches the thought and feeling they hope to convey.
Concerning spelling and vocabulary instruction, we afford interested
students the option of studying advanced word lists or taking online
courses in vocabulary development through Northwestern University.
These include learning vocabulary through Latin and Greek roots, and
they also include formal high school Latin classes available for seventh
and eighth grade students. Since the 2008-2009 school year, we have offered vocabulary enrichment classes to qualified fifth and sixth grade students and Latin classes as an elective to seventh and eighth grade students.
A Further Word on The Birchwood Writing Program
Philosophical foundation:
1. Learn by doing. Children learn to write by writing. They learn to write
creative stories by writing creative stories. They learn to write descriptive
compositions by writing descriptive compositions. They learn to write
expository and persuasive compositions by writing expository and
persuasive compositions. This simple approach is supported by time and
research. It is not new, but it is proven. From Benjamin Franklin to Stephen
King, writers consistently attribute their success to their practice of writing
frequently and persistently. In the Birchwood Writing Program, students
are trained to write complete compositions weekly, often completing 20-30
such works per year. The success is measurable. Every year our teachers
and parents are amazed at the improvement in a child’s performance from
the first composition of the year to the last composition.
2. Modeling good literature is another time-tested approach to teaching
writing. Teachers provide students good models from good literature to
teach sentence structure, word choice, story structure, creativity, style,
and voice. While learning the models, children practice imitating the models and gradually improve their own writing.
3. The Joy of Writing. When students write complete compositions weekly,
they invariably touch the joy of writing. They discover the excitement of
putting their own ideas on paper and then having others read and enjoy
their work. Students find that their writing is an extension of themselves. It
becomes an outlet for self-expression and gratification.
4. Universal writing competency. When any student writes complete
compositions weekly, he or she becomes a competent writer. While not all
children will become great writers, all children can become competent
writers. This fact is important. It has become evident that even in our high
schools and universities, many students are not able to write clearly.
Granted, some gifted students will learn to write with or without a good
writing education. But research in the last 15-20 years has made it clear
that even many of our high school and college students simply do not
possess adequate writing skills to make them good written communicators.
It is our contention that the at root of this problem, is the fact that during
their elementary and middle school education, students did not receive
sufficient practice whereby the writing process became second nature.
5. Writing and reading. A child’s writing will also improve the more the child
reads. Either consciously or subconsciously, the elements of good writing
find their way into children’s compositions. Plots, characters, settings,
writing forms, and styles become imprinted in a child’s mind through
reading.
Links to grade level syllabi:
Kindergarten
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
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