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Overview
Our goal is to provide an environment for adolescents that fosters self confidence, self knowledge, community identity, adaptability, academic competence and initiative, and a personal vision for the future. We believe that through such an environment adolescents can freely and honestly work to realize their potential as valued contributing members of society and work toward a peaceful and holistic world. The different elements which make up the program each play an important role.
The Adolescent is:
- An active, engaged, and self –directed learner
- A functional and contributing member of the class, school, city, and global community
- A functional and contributing member of the principal-teacher-student-parent team
- A responsible, independent individual, who honors commitments, possesses integrity, and is respectful
The Teachers are:
- Facilitators for learning
- Consultants for students
- Creators of a developmentally appropriate and challenging environment that meets the social, emotional and cognitive needs of the students
- Communicators with parents and community
- Role models
The School Structure offers:
- A learner centered environment
- A developmentally responsive curriculum
- A Montessori trained teacher with additional qualified adults as resources
- Parent-teacher-student partnerships
- Large blocks of uninterrupted learning time
- Peer and cross-age teaching and experiences
- Community partnerships to enhance and enrich learning
The Curriculum and Instruction includes:
- Trans-disciplinary themes
- Learning how to learn strategies
- Personalized learning plans
- Mastery learning, and coaching and exploratory activities
- Long term independent and cooperative learning projects
- Community building and social interaction with peers
- Meaningful and challenging work
- Activities for self-expression, self-knowledge, self-reflection, and self-assessment
- A pedagogical approach that values all nine intelligences and a variety of learning styles
- Activities that foster interdependence
- Activities that support learning economic independence
- School and community service projects
- Off site activities integrated with curriculum goals
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Text.Message.
Cut loose from computers and gadgets, middle schoolers generate their own electricity. Students engaged in a passionate discussion of the written word—that’s the ultimate wireless connection for encouraging creative thinkers, even in this digital age. | |
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Curriculum Back to Top
The curriculum is structured as a two-year program in which students receive courses in language,literature, writing, speech, Spanish, math, science, social studies, health, physical education, outdoor education, service learning, and fine arts. Literature, social studies, and science courses are structured on a theme with related writing assignments in support of strengthening understanding of material and communicating ideas. As students collectively study courses together, some receive Year A or B, for example, as seventh year, others as eighth year. Expectations of performance are appropriately greater for eighth year students.
- Language I/II - Language arts cover vocabulary, literature, grammar and mechanics, and writing.
- Speech I/II - Speech includes daily communications activities that focus on grace and courtesy, listening skills, notetaking;articulating ideas in group discussions, and making formal presentations.
- Social Studies I/II - Social Studies I covers geography and history.
- Mathematics - The math course uses the Connected Mathematics Project curriculum, a problem centered approach that guides students to develop understanding of key concepts, skills, procedures, and ways of thinking and reasoning in number and operations, geometry, measurement, algebra, probability and statistics.
- Physical Science - The physical science curriculum covers the study of Forces (Motion and Four Fundamental Forces); Structures (The Structure and Nature of Matter); Power (Power, Energy, and Waves); Changes (Work and Machines); and Balance (Chemistry and Future Technology).
- Life Science - The life science curriculum covers the study of Connections (Cells and Living Things), Exploration (Virus, Monera, Protista, and Fungi), Identity (Genetics), Systems (Animal Systems), and Interdependence (Ecosystems and Future Visions).
- Physical Education and Health I/II - The Physical Education program focuses on individual sports and aerobic activities. As part of the Health program, sudents explore issues of belonging, friendships, adolescent development,stress management, self-esteem, peer pressure, drug education, sexuality, nutrition, and balanced living.
- Spanish - Students learn to speak, read, and write Spanish, using a textbook, a workbook, and engaging in a wide variety of activities.
- Computer Literacy I - Computer activities are integrated into all subject areas, with word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, academic programs and simulation games covered in the process of work.
- Outdoor Education - Through overnight outdoor education immersion trips, students develop an appreciation for ecological issues and learn how to work on and with the land.
- Career Education/Service Learning - In economics, students run a class business, which they decide upon at the beginning of the year. For the business, the students keep an inventory of materials, buy supplies, sell the product, and keep track of income and expenses.
- Fine Arts/Electives - Students participate in a music class on a weekly basis and art is integrated thematically into each cycle of work. Areas of elective exploration vary each year with student interest and availability of outside teaching resources. Courses may include the following: photography, painting, video-making, sculpture, pottery, drama, carpentry, jewelry, philosophy and cooking.
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Faculty Back to Top
Directress
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Judy Beyer is our Middle School directress and Educational Coordinator. She has worked at Brickton since 1987, first as Children’s House (ages 3-6) directress and later also as the coordinator. In 1994, she accepted a new challenge and opened Brickton’s second Lower Elementary (ages 6-9) after completing the necessary courses for certification for ages 6-12. In 1996, she assumed the position of Upper Elementary (ages 9-12) directress. In May 2004, Judy completed all the requirements for certification in Middle School from the Houston Montessori Center. Brickton opened the Middle School under Judy’s leadership in the fall of 2002.
Judy earned her BA in English from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she was Phi Beta Kappa, and Elementary Teacher Certification from University of Washington. Her other training includes Developmental Gymnastics and Orff Music. She has taught geometry to Montessori trainees at MMTTC, where she received her Elementary and Pre-Primary Montessori Certifications. In addition, she has served on accreditation teams for the American Montessori Society.
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Specialists
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Kathy Hummel began teaching Music at Brickton in 1996. An accomplished musician, Kathy earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University and Orff Schulwerk certification from De Paul University. She has taught music in Montessori schools for over twenty years. Kathy provides music instruction using the Orff Schulwerk method for Toddlers, Children's House and Elementary students. She also instructs the Elementary students in chorus and band. Kathy teaches flute and plays in the Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band. |
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Yusept Vasquez is our Spanish teacher. Originally from Venezuela, Yusept earned her Bachelor's Degree in Social Science from the Universidad Jose Maria Vargas in Caracas, Venezuela. Since coming to the United States in 2003, she has taught Spanish in a variety of settings while completing the requirements for her Illinois Teaching Certificate. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Instruction: Bilingual/Bicultural-Elementary at Northeastern Illinois University. |
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Lila Yusen is a private Learning Disabilities specialist affiliated with Brickton. She is beginning her third year here at Brickton. In addition to seeing students privately, Lila provides support to the directresses through the literacy program and consultation. Prior to coming to Brickton, Lila had been in private practice for ten years after teaching in the public schools for ten years. Lila has her Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities and Supervision from Northern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary and Special Education from Northeastern Illinois University. |
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Academic Year Schedule and Tuition
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Program |
Hours |
Tuition |
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Core Days |
8:15 - 3:00 |
$13,390 |
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Full Days |
6:45 - 6:00 |
$14,120 | |
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