About
RiverRun
RiverRun follows the
educational philosophies and methods of Maria Montessori - practicing the
‘study of life’; implementing a whole-child approach that considers the
intellectual, physical, creative, and spiritual dimensions of each student; and
providing an individualized educational experience.
The
traditional Montessori-based curriculum fosters
student initiative in the learning experience, features a great deal of
hands-on learning materials, leads students to immersion in thematic
studies, and focuses on achieving social harmony within its community
environment. Students work research-style, either independently or in small groups.
They move from the concrete to the abstract motivated by their own interests,
efforts, and experiences. Guided as appropriate by the directress, students
choose their own activities based on their curiosity, imagination, and level
of intellect.
RiverRun students
learn about geography, history, language,
mathematics, science, music, art, and everyday living. Physical
activity is also an important part of every
day.
We believe that the family is the first and
foremost educator throughout the child’s life and that learning occurs
within the context of the family. A solid connection between RiverRun and
our families is important to foster the best educational experience for
students.
School days
are from 8:50 AM to 3:05 PM per the school calendar.
Following is a
typical day at our school:
| 8:35 AM -
8:50 AM |
Student Arrival |
| 8:50 AM -
9:00
AM |
Morning Meeting |
| |
overview of the day and
sharing time |
|
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
3-hour Uninterrupted Work Period
|
| |
fosters student concentration
and in-depth discovery |
| 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM |
Recess and Lunch |
| |
recess in our outside play
area and then lunch in our classroom |
| 1:00 PM -
1:15 PM |
American Sign Language (ASL)
group lesson |
| 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM |
Studio Time |
| |
students participate in
art, music, physical education, cooking, science projects, and other
hands-on activities |
| 2:00 PM -
2:45 PM |
Writing Block (2x a week) or
Student Interest Projects (3x a week) |
| |
students are involved in many
kinds of writing activities and lessons including but not limited to
journal writing, exploration of poetry, and free choice
|
| 2:45 PM -
3:00 PM |
Read Aloud |
| 3:05 PM -
3:15 PM |
Dismissal |
RiverRun
strives to function as a community within a community and to actively incorporate the
wider community into its routine operations by way of curriculum content, field
studies, and
community visitors to the school. Below is a list of 2009-10 community
outings.
2009-10 RiverRun
Outings
Arm-of-the-Sea Theatre production of "Henry Hudson
and the River That Discovered Him" at
HVCC |
King Island Christmas at New York State Theatre Institute
| Five Rivers Environmental Center in Delmar for Maple Sugaring and Animal
Tracking | Tom Chapin at Proctors Theatre |
Joseph L. Popp Jr. Butterfly Conservatory in Oneonta | Camping with RiverRun families at Gilbert Lake State Park
. . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Key Components of a RiverRun Education
| Name Origin
| Location
“The elementary child has reached a new level of development.
Before he was interested in things:
working with his hands, learning their
names.
Now he is interested mainly in the how and
why...
the problem of cause and effect.”
- Maria Montessori
