Reading is perhaps the most essential component of a strong curriculum. It is a process, not a subject, which forms the fundamental elements of learning. This process needs to be learned and continually applied if knowledge of all disciplines is to be acquired by learners. Grades Yesod – 8 begin with skills deemed appropriate to their grade level. They experience and progress to higher levels of content and difficulty at each ensuing year. Teachers of grades 1-8 must be comfortable with the specific reading, vocabulary and language skills required for their grade. In addition, they must be cognizant and capable of instructing at lower and higher levels. This is particularly true at Yeshiva Aharon Yaakov/Ohr Eliyahu where individual instruction is an essential component of our program in all areas of the curriculum. Since television is not encouraged in the home, this allows more opportunity for students to use reading as an enjoyable hobby.

The Pearson Reading Street program is the main source of our reading and language arts program for the primary grades (K-4) with the exception of writing. Mosdos Press anthologies are used in middle school, in addition to novels and plays.

At YAYOE, students are learning key skills to enable them to become great writers of the future. Our writing program teaches students the value of organization in writing, emphasizing the importance of structure. Through the elementary years, students continue to focus on this element until they become proficient writers by 8th grade. Creativity and innovation in writing can truly blossom only within the framework of a solid structure. When students become more capable in learning how to formulate a well organized paragraph or a three, four or five paragraph essay, their writing improves and more importantly, they start to emerge as independent, confident writers. Teacher training in how to teach writing is high priority at YAYOE.

Our Mathematics program has incorporated Singapore Math in the lower elementary grades in addition to McGraw Hill and elements of Marcy Cook Math. 
The Singapore Math program teaches in depth number sense, using manipulatives to a greater extent than previously to deepen math meaning. There is a greater emphasis on problem solving at an earlier age and understanding numbers. There is a lot of reflection and communication regarding how the numbers work together. The language of math is built at a very young age, even in Kindergarten. This also ties in with our new language arts focus on language development.

The research shows that with more describing, explaining and justifying, rather than just doing the computations and algorithms, students will be better prepared to access higher math skills. Conceptual understanding improves computational skills. When students arrive at something like fractions, the instructor won’t just say invert and multiply. This delving into the ‘why’ of math and not just the ‘what’ of math helps emphasize math reasoning and analysis and promotes greater future understanding.

Our classes are divided into groups and qualified students complete Algebra I in the 8th grade, allowing them to accelerate in high school.

SCIENCE FAIR FEBRUARY, 2011