Playgroup - Preschool - Young K - K - 1st-4th Grades
Small Class Sizes
Cooperative environment
French & Spanish language immersion
Japanese calligraphy
Our Programs
Using the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards as its foundation, CS has developed its own curriculum and materials to exceed expectations on many levels.
Classes are multi-age and have no more than 12 students in elementary and no more than 8 students in preschool for each teacher. Several classes share one large room. In this open classroom model, each class will be working in its own section of the room, but not walled off from the rest of the school. Lunch and play times are shared by all students and teachers.
Given the depth of understanding that Cottage School students develop and the class size, tests and grades are not necessary to demonstrate "ability" or "knowledge." Students create their own books based on the subjects covered. Those books and the oral expression demonstrate their understanding, interpretation, and conclusions of the subject matter. The teachers write two educational reports per student per school year that are share with the parents.
Our Approach for the Classroom
The Cottage School creates a nurturing environment, cooperative in all aspects of the day—not competitive. Care of the classroom and materials is shared by all, teachers and students alike, as are the responsibilities of cleaning up after activities.
Our school uses the immersion approach in all it teaches. Classes and routines are designed to allow the students to develop depth in understanding through focus, not speed. There is no hurry to accomplish a task; rather, there is an emphasis on completing the expression of understanding and feeling, whether in words, in picture, in sound, or in physical movement. Teachers immerse themselves and their students in every subject, every class, regardless of whether the purpose is to satisfy curiosity, clean the lunch table, tell a story, or paint a mural. This immersion, or working in the whole, develops self-discipline, focus, and a life-long love of learning.
The Students
The Cottage School expects each student to do his or her best in every activity, regardless of whether it is writing, painting, singing, or sweeping. On individual projects such as writing and art, children are consistently encouraged to concentrate their energies on their own works; there are NO comparisons between students or their works. Individualizing those expectations allows each child to be provided with an education that encourages progress with a creative and comfortable challenge.
Cooperative and collaboration skills are developed throughout the daily routine as well as through unique projects such as dancing and rehearsing plays. This balance of individualized expectations working in cooperation with classmates and teachers results in each student being a confident, competent member of that community.
The Teachers
“At The Cottage Schools, teachers are committed to doing research and studying from original material, thus inspiring students to do the same and go deeper in knowledge. Great importance is placed on the learning process to develop patterns of learning, free of pressure and sustained by a spirit of discovery. When adults are too concentrated on results, children and teachers alike lose the joy of learning and teaching,”1 says Laura Soulages regarding the school’s emphasis on learning in a play and discovery-based environment.
Teachers are ". . . creative adults interested in self-knowledge and development."2 They work as a team in all aspects of the school. Each child is observed daily by all teachers. Evaluations on social, cognitive, and physical developments, are written collaboratively each semester, or as the need arises. The teachers create the curriculum, make the hands-on class materials, and develop the school's policies. Our teaching materials are hand-made, quality books, journals and the Morris Museum Loan Program.Every day, teachers log the curriculum and activities and discuss students' behaviors or social issues that need to be addressed. Teachers meet weekly to coordinate efforts needed to address academic or behavioral concerns.
Teachers guide the students through many subjects and rotate their teaching subjects year to year. Likewise, the students themselves rotate assignments presenting projects as well as helping with lunch preparation, serving, and clean up. This models community support and provides opportunities for teachers and students alike to stretch beyond their comfort zones. It also affords the students exposure to all teachers and biseverse.
For details on each of our Programs please click the links on the top left of this page.
1 Black River Journal. "The Joy of Learning,"2009.
2 Ling, Dorothy, Op cit. p. 53.