CS Learning Framework_3

Domains of Progressive
Learning

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What is it?

The Clarion Learning Program is based on four domains of learning: Academic Rigor, Character
of Learners, Application of Learning, Culture of Learning. Academic Rigor based on the New
York State Common Core Standards ensures the comprehensive development of a child’s
academic knowledge and skill based; a base which ensures success as they move through
school and into the competitive world of work. The Character of Learners guides the teachers to
support and ensure that children develop the skills, the mindsets and the values which result in
them becoming productive, caring and successful individuals in the world of family, community
and work. Application of learning ensures that not only do children acquire skills and knowledge,
but that they can use them in a productive manner. We also know that students who can apply
skills and knowledge have learned to a very powerful standard. The Culture of Learning guides
teachers in creating a powerful and joyful learning environment. Where children are engaged
and motivated to learn and where learning is joyful, rewarding and confidence building.

Why is it powerful?

The Clarion learning experience is powerful because it is child centered. Clarion students are
expected to be engaged and motivated in their learning and are supported in becoming more
mature and independent. This school-wide mindset causes the school to create a learning
environment where the instructional practices are proven to be efficient and highly effective in
supporting a child’s development. Children are partners with their teachers in developing and
guiding their growth. Critical are the personal relationships developed between child and
teacher supported by ongoing dialogue and reflection. Children are supported in being active
learners and “makers”. Teachers carry out detailed, but flexible planning supported by a wide
array of excellent resources, embedded in dynamic educational experiences. Teachers learn
from their students as they continually observe each child’s development and tune the learning
experience to best meet the needs of each child.

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What are the Clarion Domains of
Learning?

1. Academic Rigor

Clarion follows NY State Common Core Standards. Our frameworks for Literacy, Math and
Science, Social Studies are highly recognized for their impact on learning outcomes.

2. Character of Learners

Academic Rigor is no longer enough to effectively engage with the dynamic world in which we
live. The competencies children need encompass a lot more. Some school do this well, some
not so well and some not at all. This is where Clarion starts differentiating itself.

3. Culture of Learning

We ensure that all this effective learning can take place by the development of a culture of
learning. We speak to the individual strands – again no one school does all of them – hence, we
are now even more unique.

4. Application of Learning

This is where we talk about learning needs to be applied to have meaning. We talk about
Project Based Learning and the design thinking process – using the learning to a meaningful
action. By now, we should be fairly unique as a school

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Academic Rigor

Standards

NY State Standards - Common Core

New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) are internationally-
benchmarked and evidence-based standards. These standards serve as a consistent set of
expectations for what students should learn and be able to do, so that we can ensure that every
student is on track for college and career readiness.

http://www.engageny.org/resource/new-york-state-p-12-common-core-learning-standards

Learning Frameworks

Literacy Framework – Fountas & Pinell Literacy Continuum / Caulkins
Read-Write Program

An organic progression learning for reading and writing developed by the renowned Teachers
College Reading and Writing Project. Comprised of processes, sequences, continuum, books,
levels, lessons, methods, principles and strategies, it supports children in writing clearly and
skillfully and reading flexibly and joyfully.

A comprehensive, researched based program of learning for high-impact literacy instruction.
Rigorous and articulated interventions support Fountas & Pinnell Literacy™ through the use of
leveled assessments.

Math Framework – Bridges Math

A research-based, fully articulated and sequential development of mathematical concepts and
skills, with a strong focus of learning through student investigation, practice and practical
application to real world situations.

Science – Building Blocks of Science

A developmentally appropriate exploration of scientific concepts and knowledge coupled with
the learning of the scientific method; a strong focus is placed on exploration through hands-on
activity. Teachers are alert to individual interests and frequently extend activity to incorporate
those interests. Topics are often integrated with the Units of Exploration.

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Social Studies - Transdisciplinary Units of Exploration / Bank Street
College of Education

Units of Exploration relating to year-long social study themes are experienced through student
inquiry. Supported by a wide array of resources, children build understanding through field trips,
a wide array of in-school hands on activities, project-based, and ongoing reflection using a wide
range of media drawing on all subject disciplines.

 Grade PreK - Family
 Grade K1 - Transportation
 Grade K2 - Water
 Grade 1 - Community
 Grade 2 - Dubai Now and Then
 Grade 3 - Traveler's & Traders
 Grade 4 / 5 - Egypt

Assessment Framework

Program embedded assessments

Powerful assessment and record keeping strategies are embedded in each of the academic
programs and educational frameworks ensuring teacher understanding of each child’s growth
and level of attainment. Instructional decisions are made regarding use of resources and
instructional strategies to be used with each child. In Bridges Mathematics and Building Blocks
Science, end of unit tests helps to ensure that children have achieved learning objectives. In the
Literacy Continuum, assessments are designed to monitor literacy growth through a seamless
continuum of skills. During the Units of Exploration, teachers maintain observational records and
student project work to determine a child’s growth.

Portfolios

A digital and paper collection of student work, which holds important student work and
assessments as it is created by students throughout the year. It provides another
understanding of student development as seen through the lens of actual student work.
Teachers along with the students choose student work and the appropriate assessment
documents. Periodically the student will review the portfolio to reflect upon their growth and
development. Additionally, students, teachers and parents use the portfolio to understand and
celebrate the child’s growth.

Measurement of Academic Progress

An external standardized achievement test to objectively monitor individual student growth and
attainment - with benchmarking both locally and internationally – helping to provide quality

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assurance of a school’s academic program and highlight areas of support for individual
children.

CAT 4

The Cognitive Abilities Test provides insight into a student’s potential. The teachers use this
information to ensure that they are setting goals and providing instruction such that students will
achieve at a level matching their capability. Teachers use the test as a guide to meet the needs
of all children.

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Culture of Learning

Master Educators

Teachers hold advanced degrees and/or have extensive experience working in a progressive
educational environment and are experienced using the programs and frameworks adopted by
the school. In addition, the school has a strong teacher coaching framework that regularly
observes and supports teachers to ensure they are delivering the Clarion educational model.

Schools Without Walls

Curriculum related “out of school expeditions” and travel help the children develop deeper
understanding of the topics being studied in school. The activity also helps children to regularly
apply their knowledge and develop the Clarion characteristics of learners. The trips are exciting,
interesting and motivating and help the children connect their learning to the “real world”.

Responsive Classroom Framework

A set of educational practices which places the child at the center of the learning environment.
Teachers develop personal relationships with each child. The teacher guides the class in
creating an emotionally supportive and motivating learning environment which is challenging,
engaging and tuned to the interests of the children. Students develop into independent learners
who take responsibility for and have pride in their learning and their role as a productive
member of the learning community. The responsible and independent level of the children
allows the teachers the freedom to craft support which meets individual student needs.

Inquiry-Experiential-Exploratory Based

We learn in a powerful, engaging and motivating manner. Students develop deep understanding
and ability to apply and share what they are learning. The learning is active, built around
wondering, questioning, finding-out, experimenting, analyzing, constructing understanding and
reflecting and applying knowledge

Intellectual Curiosity & Engagement

Students are supported in wondering about their environment, themselves, classmates, and
others. They are supported in actively engaging themselves in allowing their “wonder” to drive
their activity to understand themselves and their world.

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Joy of Learning

Powerful learning is filled with life, with sharing with others, with excitement and humor and fun
as well as hard work and disappoint. At school we learn as a “Community of Learners”, helping
and supporting one another to achieve and celebrate our accomplishments during our learning
journeys.

Teacher Training/Coaching

At Clarion teachers are recognized as the critical factor in creating and delivering a powerful
effective learning environment. They are supported in understanding and executing the Clarion
approach to teaching & learning through the employment of research based professional
development models. These models emulate the teaching that delivered in the classroom; a
dynamic and vibrant approach to learning.

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Character of Learner

Mindset

Grit

The school day is filled with opportunities for students to develop the resilience and
perseverance to succeed and accomplish goals even in the face of adversity and failure.
Children develop grit during the school day; grappling with how to keep a block tower standing,
how to write a persuasive text, coming to understand a principle in Energy & Forces, or on the
climbing frame. Teachers are always supporting and helping them in meeting these challenges.

Wonder

Children are continually prompted to find-out, investigate, experiment, observe and try things.
These many opportunities allow the child’s curiosity to flourish, to grow as if a plant being
supplied with just the right amount of water and fertilizer. Often when discovering a child’s keen
interest in something, the teacher will follow-up with supporting activities frequently
incorporating them into academic core programs.

Risk-taking

Taking a chance at something and not succeeding is also valued and celebrated as critical to
learning. Teachers ensure that as students build their confidence in taking risks, they learn from
the failure and come to realize that without having taken the risk, genuine learning and
achievement at a high level will not be attained.

Well-Being

Leading a caring, responsible, self-fulfilling and productive life requires that we take care of our
spirit, our mind and our body. Teachers frequently visit this topic as part of daily classroom life
and through topic study. Good nutrition, the proper amount of exercise and recreation, healthy
relationships, mental and physical relaxation, intellectual stimulation and accessing health care
in a timely fashion are critical elements to looking after one’s health.

Skills

Critical thinking

Students are supported in learning how to analyze situations and information. Patterns are
looked for, anomalies discovered, conclusions drawn

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Communication

Clarion students become highly adept in all areas of communication as well as the power of
communication. The foundation for powerful communication is oral and social-emotional
communication. Communication is seen not only as a function of speaking, reading, writing and
listening, but is developed emotionally, in the arts and in physical and social undertaking.
Communication provides the means by which students express their thinking, learn from others
and construct knowledge.

Collaboration

Children are guided in becoming ever more sophisticated at working socially to learn and
accomplish goals. The ability to collaborate with others and be productive is essential even in
trying circumstances. Through frequent opportunities for students to work together and by
providing students with guidance in developing the skills and attitudes necessary to productively
collaborate, students become comfortable working on their own and with others. They learn how
to move their group beyond difficult situations to ensure that the group achieves its goals.

Creating

Students transition from learning about things to being able to make things and ideas. The
practice of creating becomes an everyday experience, students are not guided to simply mimic
and copy. Creation is the act of an individual taking their explorations, experiences, interests,
needs, wants, information and reflections, and making something new and meaningful to
themselves or others. Creation is not necessarily about making something new to the world; it is
more often about making something new to the individual. It is in the act of creation that all
knowledge, skills and dispositions come together and are given life. The desire to make
something; an idea, a conclusion, a physical product, an expression, an action, moves the child
to new levels of understanding.

Values

Empathy

In the “Responsive Classroom” students spend a great deal of time reflecting upon their own
behavior and feelings, and those of others. They learn how to understand the situation and the
feelings of others and they use that information to help them relate to, work with, and support
each other.

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Humility

Children learn to appreciate and be thankful for what they have and are given exposure and
engagement with those less fortunate. These values are developed in their Unit of Study as well
as modeled by all staff members. Community Service & Field Trips support development of
these values.

Integrity

Integrity is infused into the classroom culture through both explicit and implicit instruction. In
addition, Moral Education is delivered as part of Ministerial requirements. Expressions of
integrity are valued and recognized. Examples of integrity are reviewed through both historical
and current events.

Responsibility

Students taking responsibility for their own behavior and their own learning is critical to the
classroom being a safe and productive learning environment. Students become responsible as
a consequence of discussion with the teacher and the rest of the class identifying the
expectations that all children must demonstrate in class. Teachers watch and interact with
students as they learn through the day and she regularly reflect with individual children or by
bringing the class together to reflect on their “demonstrations” of responsibility. Becoming
responsible is a process developed over days and years and through many to opportunities to
practice, get feedback and reflect.

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Application of Learning

Active

A corner stones of all learning are students being actively engaged in the learning. Teachers
ensure that learning activities provide opportunity for students to be actively engaged in their
learning. “responsive” to student activity and use the understanding gained to continue
developing and guiding students in activities where they are engaged in their learning.

Reflective

Students are continually supported in reflecting on all of their experiences, their effort and their
acts of creation. They use this time to deepen their learning, to appreciate their learning and to
guide them in their future learning. Little meaningful learning occurs without meaningful
reflection. Reflection occurs through frequent whole class-based meetings, small group
meetings, and one-on-one teacher-student and student-student meetings.

Project Based

Students are guided to create tangible expressions of their learning. Often, they incorporate
Design Based practices and other times their creations are very spontaneous and impulsive.
The critical idea is that children become comfortable in applying acquired knowledge and skill
using a wide range of strategies and media as they become inspired to share, reflect upon and
record their experiences, their feelings and their learning.

Design Based

Methodically planning the creation of a product (art, writing, sculpture, musical composition, skit,
speech), students learn the power of developing an objective, creating a plan of action and
following through with execution and review. The principles involved are reflected at:
https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-project-design.

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