At BASIS Independent Schools, students in PreK–12 engage with the thematic, comprehensive BASIS Curriculum that spans the liberal arts and STEM. The world-acclaimed private school network is known for blending best practices from top education systems worldwide and raising student learning to the highest international levels.
But what does their curriculum look like in the Early Learning Program (PreK–K)? Well, integrated learning begins from day one. In PreK and Kindergarten, students develop early numeracy and literacy in core courses like math, language & literacy, and world discovery. Those concepts are further fortified in unique courses called “specials”—including engineering, Mandarin, art, and music—where students learn to apply theories and solve problems flexibly as they work through various solutions.
The BASIS Curriculum is designed to build and develop these foundational and cumulative skills as students grow year by year, equipping them with the tools they need to succeed.
What makes it so successful?
In most integrated curricula, learning is synthesized across traditional subjects alongside intentional experiences and opportunities that are designed to be mutually reinforcing. This approach develops a child’s ability to transfer their learning to other settings.
At BASIS Independent Schools, the idea of reinforcing concepts within a subject is also known as “spiraling.” Meaning, each major topic within a course is readdressed throughout grade levels with each re-introduction increasing in complexity and implementing what was learned previously. The BASIS Curriculum takes this a step further by also ensuring topics and concepts are touched on across subjects.
According to Shari Cameron, Head of Lower School at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, “Our spiraling curriculum is by far what really separates us from other programs. We are constantly building upon skills and helping students build their confidence in their learning. Students are presented with a skill and then dig a little deeper every year.”
When students learn to make connections and hone skills in a consistent manner early on in their education, they are better prepared for the higher-level coursework in future grades. In fact, Kindergarteners at the BASIS Independent Schools often leave the Early Learning Program at two levels higher than the standard reading level!
How does it work in the classroom?
Integrated learning in the BASIS Curriculum is enabled through the purposeful combination of core subjects and specials.
For example, in the Engineering block, PreK students at BASIS Independent Schools are introduced to engineering vocabulary, drawing techniques, and creative thinking. Then, in Math Discovery, a core course, students learn measuring and weighing skills. When it comes time to build a bridge that can hold 10 pounds in Engineering, students are able to apply the skills they develop in both subjects. These cross-subject scenarios give students the flexibility to pool their collective knowledge and problem solve.
As projects become more advanced, students learn to apply the same knowledge taught at the start of a year to their new, more challenging tasks, growing in tandem with the spiraling curriculum. This particular project format is addressed again in the Grade 4 skyscraper unit when students must pull from their knowledge in architectural drawing, programming, and civil engineering that they’ve been developing over the prior two years in order to construct a unique model building.
This learning structure also takes root throughout the school’s liberal arts programs. Mandarin is a course that engages both sides of the brain. Tonal languages allow students to learn the basic sound of a word as well as the tone in which it is spoken, which also helps deepen a child’s general comprehension and literacy skills. In music and drama, students develop techniques in improvisation, storytelling, and communication while promoting teamwork, public speaking skills, cooperation, and empathy toward others.
Altogether, the Early Learning Program at BASIS Independent Schools broadens students’ understanding of the world inside and outside the classroom. Through integrated, advanced learning, students are prepared become active participants, not just spectators, in their education and beyond.
Get to Know BASIS Independent Schools
BASIS Independent Schools has campuses in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, with complete PreK–12 programs. You can explore the Early Learning Program at upcoming Open Houses this April. Come get an inside look at our accelerated curriculum, Subject Expert Teachers, and more. BASIS Independent Schools is accepting applications.
Learn more at basisindependent.com/nyc
