Curriculum

Whole Language

Language is natural communication. It must be taught as a whole, and integrated within the context of communication to make it meaningful. For children to learn to read and write most effectively, they need as many clues as possible to make sense of language as communication. These clues derive from meaning, and from language patterns, both visual and aural (picture clues, sight words and phonics). Students also need to be shown how language works as they use it. If they are able to relate it to their lives and their own ideas, the process will become meaningful to them, and they will engage in the process of becoming language learners with enthusiasm. Thus, while we do teach traditional phonemic awareness when we teach children to read and write, the focus is on the expression of ideas. Each level has an extensive library of fiction and non-fiction titles available with age-appropriate materials.

Conceptual Mathematics

At Cobblestone School, teachers use a mathematics pedagogy based upon key recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Students are provided with a variety of experiences that promote a love of math and build mathematical literacy, understanding and self-confidence, through hands-on explorations, discussions and problem solving. Math is another way to make sense of the world using a combination of real-life experiences, theme-based explorations, discovery through math manipulative activities and group discussions of strategies and thinking. From the beginning of his or her school life, math becomes part of each child's daily life and is integrated into all areas of the curriculum. Thus, math is seen as a way of investigating and reasoning, a way of translating, applying and communicating concepts and skills into an understanding of real-life situations.

Science

Children at Cobblestone are fascinated by all things scientific! We approach science through the children's natural curiosity about the world around them. Physical science, earth science, biology and chemistry and are presented in a spiral throughout the levels. As our students progress, they may revisit topics presented previously to further expand and deepen their understanding. Science lab materials are available to all our students and faculty.

Social Studies

Our community based program provides an ideal setting for integrating social studies into the curriculum. Making connections between the cultures we study and current events creates a natural bridge for exploring our place in the world.

Fine Arts/Visual Arts

Artistic expression is emphasized at Cobblestone School. Art is continually integrated into the way children learn by using art exercises to support the curriculum. Artwork is displayed throughout the school building. Weekly art classes, provided by an art teacher to different groups during the year, supplement the art that happens in the classroom and provides older students with the opportunity to develop specific skills. Through a partnership with the Memorial Art Gallery, our students and teachers can tour the collections and make use of the MAG's lending library.

Music

Music instruction occurs at every level on a weekly basis and music is an integral part of Cobblestone's philosophy of active engagement. Through music classes, the children become joyful and absorbed, and singing can be heard throughout the day and throughout the school. Music performances occur each Spring where students share these songs from their weekly classes with family and friends. A sense of musical exuberance and celebration abounds!

Foreign Language

Spanish is taught at all grade levels. Children absorb second languages using similar strategies that they use to acquire a primary language. Spanish is introduced whole, in real contexts, and our students then reproduce parts of the language in a variety of ways, both orally and through writing and art projects. Additionally we focus on developing cultural awareness of the great number of Spanish speakers in the United States and in other countries.

Physical Education

Our children are active! Physical education is an integral part of the overall educational program at Cobblestone School. In addition to spending time outdoors on a daily basis, the children receive weekly instruction in physical education. Through the contributions of highly trained physical education instructors and the use of the YMCA and other community facilities, the school endeavors to engage and educate the bodies as well as the minds of all its children. Physical education activities include soccer, yoga, swimming, calisthenics, and creative movement.

Computers/Computer use

At the Intermediate Level, children begin incorporating computers into their studies. The computer is introduced as both a research tool and for preparing presentations. Computers are available to the students in the classrooms and Cobblestone School has a comprehensive computer use policy.

Plays & Performances

Plays are an integral part of the Cobblestone curriculum and the school offers students ample opportunity to express themselves and participate in public performances. Participation helps students find their own voice and develop self-confidence. During the year, each class plans and performs a play, which may be a dramatic adaptation of a favorite story or book, or one written by the students themselves. Emphasis is placed on the process rather than the finished product. The children immerse themselves in the creation of costumes and scenery and, often, in the creation of the story itself. Language arts, social studies, math, and science all become part of the preparations. A formal performance is presented for parents, relatives and friends. The students in the younger groups perform their plays in their classrooms where the environment is known and comfortable. Older students perform their plays at off campus venues.

Field Trips

Because Cobblestone is located in the heart of Rochester's Cultural District, the school is able to take advantage of a wide variety of resources for extended classroom experiences at many institutions, including: the Rochester Museum and Science Center, the Memorial Art Gallery, Rundel Library, and the Monroe YMCA, among others. There are visits from artists and performing groups and field trips to area exhibits and performances.

Green Themes and Sustainability

Cobblestone School has an outdoor garden classroom. Through the on-site garden, children make local connections to agriculture, food systems, and good nutrition. Learning takes place outdoors as well as indoors, as the children delve into the study of the origins of their foods, the life cycle of plants, and other environmental issues. The children enjoy the fruits of their labor by participating in weekly cooking classes. The garden is an integral part of the school’s wellness plan and accentuates the necessity of locally grown food to the sustainability of our environment. Check out the Cobblestone Garden Blog!

Community Meetings

Building community is a key component of our educational program. Weekly community meetings celebrate student accomplishments and establish ways to solve problems. Each class level decides the agenda for these meetings and they are an important opportunity for students to engage in the democratic process. Once a month, the entire school participates in a Town Meeting.

Community Service

Cobblestone encourages students to look beyond its own environment to build awareness of how we impact the world. Each year, students choose a community service project to support. Past projects have included raising funds to purchase an animal through the Heifer Project, collecting ingredients and making a meal for a local homeless shelter, and participating in a neighborhood clean-up effort.