Lower School

Our Traditional lower school program includes Kindergarten through 5th grade and offers a prepared learning environment that supports the academic, social, and emotional development of each child. Educational standards  align with Texas state standards, and provide the opportunity for students to achieve their maximum level of academic excellence.

Our instructional team consists of dedicated, creative, and energetic educators who are committed to implementing best practices to ensure student success. The team consists of the principals, teachers, academic support specialist, director of guidance, art and physical education teachers, and librarian. They take advantage of the many professional development opportunities and collaborate together to create a cohesive, aligned curriculum plan. This reflects an allegiance, on behalf of the educators, to academic excellence.

Small class sizes allow teachers to build a rapport with each student and determine each child’s learning style. This creates an environment that is both challenging and supportive, as teachers differentiate in order to meet their needs. Teachers recognize that inspiring and supporting students’ abilities fosters academic success which leads to a lifelong love of learning.

Robert M. Beren Academy students are active learners. When entering a classroom, you may observe students working independently to accomplish a task, reading and discussing text, working together to solve a challenging math problem, performing a science experiment, or jointly writing a story. Students are encouraged to work hard and will learn to think critically and resourcefully.

Curriculum Overview

Robert M. Beren Academy's curriculum includes programs that have been nationally vetted and implemented across multiple school types in an effort to meet the needs of each child individually.  Our teachers participate in regular training and mentoring, giving them opportunities for personal and departmental growth.  

Our Columbia Reading Program is based on fluency and proficiency in comprehension.  This national program begins in our First Grade classrooms and encourages mastery in reading by creating a differentiated learning environment, individualized skill building in the application of comprehension, and an overall love for reading.  

• Singapore Math is a curriculum that was designed in the 1980’s for the Singapore Public Schools. Since then, the curriculum has been widely adopted in various forms and has consistently ranked at the top in international math testing. The Singapore Math method focuses on mastery of concepts through intentional sequencing. It helps students learn to think mathematically and rely on the depth of knowledge gained in previous lessons. Singapore Math not only helps students become more successful problem solvers, it helps them gain a sense of confidence and resourcefulness because it insists on conceptual depth. This naturally prepares students to excel in more advanced math.
• Mystery Science is an innovative, standards-aligned, hands-on curriculum that teaches children how to think like scientists. Their phenomena-driven instruction helps students to better understand and communicate about the world around them through writing, discussion, and exploration. 
• Handwriting Without Tears is a handwriting curriculum that was developed by an occupational therapist. The curriculum is a developmentally based program designed to progress a child’s fine motor skills along with visual skills through fun and interactive activities. Handwriting is one of the foundational skills that leads students toward automatic word recognition. As students form letters, they are solidifying the alphabetic principle. 
• Sounds to Spelling is our kindergarten through second grade phonics program developed by a team of literary specialists and teachers that are dedicated to ensuring that all students achieve reading success. This program combines research- and science-based instruction that teaches the relationships between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language. This is integral for children to develop to support their reading and fluency. To read, children need to understand the alphabetic principle - the idea that letters represent the sounds of spoken language.

We are confident your child’s experience at Robert M. Beren Academy will be enjoyable and rewarding.

An Education for Life

Dr. Montessori’s philosophy is based on the principle that children learn best within an environment prepared to nurture and enhance each child’s unique development. Rather than following a fixed program or schedule, children learn by working with specialized educational equipment that captivates their attention, inviting them to examine, manipulate and discover. Individualized lessons are given by the teacher to each child.  The materials and method change in response to each particular stage of development in order to provide the most favorable response to each child’s needs. Our Montessori classrooms are mixed level groups, with first, second, and third grade together and fourth and fifth grade together. Each classroom functions as a prepared environment where peer and group learning take place. Children participate in activities designed to nurture cognitive, emotional, and social development. Self-motivation, independence and responsibility are fostered.

Academics

The Montessori classroom meets state curriculum guidelines; however, the areas of study vastly surpass these guidelines. Areas of study include reading/literature, writing (creative and with a purpose), spelling, math, geometry, science (including emphasis on botany and zoology), geography and history. Instruction begins with the whole and moves to the detail. There is use of concrete materials and/or visual aid to teach concepts and explain the how and why of concepts. Lessons are taught to the class as a whole, in small groups, and individually.

Cosmic Education

Dr. Maria Montessori said, “We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe, and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.” (To Educate the Human Potential. 1948) Cosmic Education gives the children the “whole” and the ability to see how the parts of the whole are interconnected and their place in the world. It instills a sense of gratitude for everything organic and inorganic that came before them. It instills a sense of responsibility that rests with them to preserve the earth and make it better for future generations. Along with the realization that we must take care of our environment and universe for future generations, comes the realization that this cannot be achieved without peace. Five Great Lessons (presented as impressionistic stories) inspire and ignite the imagination, interest, and curiosity in the children rather than as a listing of facts are shared. These stories are: The Coming of the Universe and the Earth, The Coming of Life, The Coming of Human Beings, The Story of Language and Writing, and the Story of Numbers.

Mixed-Age Classrooms

Offering a mixed-age classroom promotes cooperation, peer tutoring, and friendships of various ages. When the community has a mixed-age group the older children offer help to the younger children, which assists the older children in perfecting their own academic and developmental skills. Through that mentoring, they enhance their own understanding. Younger children enthusiastically learn and are inspired and motivated by the older children. Eventually, the younger children become the leaders and role models. The interaction among the various age groups aids in communication, team building, and leadership skills. Children are often found complimenting each other on their work instead of comparing their work.  A teaching of the Rabbis says “Kol Yisroel Aravim Zeh La Zeh”; every Jew is responsible for the other. The mixed-age grouping gives way to putting this very special mitzvah into practice.

A Peaceful Community

It is written in Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers, that we should be like Aharon, (brother of Moses) a man who was “Ohev Shalom, V’rodef Shalom” “Lover of peace and chased after peace”. In this vein, an important emphasis is placed on Peace Education in our classrooms. The children learn the importance of respect for oneself, others, and the materials. Because there is an emphasis on creating a peaceful community, this leads to self-discipline and maturation within the child. A class meeting is held and each child has the opportunity to thank or highlight the strengths of another student. Comments that might be heard are, “I want to thank (child’s name) for helping me with the fraction material” or “I want to compliment (children’s names) for their work on the pin map.” Also in the meeting, students can share a concern that the class can then problem solve with them and provide suggestions of advice. Children are also taught to practice conflict resolution strategies so that they learn how to peacefully find satisfying solutions to conflicts that may occur. This atmosphere encourages application of the Torah’s commandment of Ahavat Yisroel, loving your fellow Jew.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten is the foundation for elementary aged learning. With this in mind there is a strong focus on setting up our students to be successful lifelong learners. This is accomplished through interactive learning that focuses on the whole child; socially, emotionally and academically.

Social Emotionally students learn to share their space with others, recognizing ways in which to be kind members of the learning community. Academically, students focus on the foundation for Torah and Hebrew learning with a large focus on Hebrew reading. Students work at their own pace to achieve the goals of basic Hebrew reading skills through play. They learn about Shabbat, Jewish holidays, Brachot, and Jewish traditions through fun hands-on activities and through songs. Students add to their morning Tefillah as part of their morning routine and circle time. They also discuss the weekly Parsha using drama, music, and art.  

First Grade

First Grade is a huge transition year for our young learners and so balancing age appropriate learning with interactive play based instruction allows for students to acclimate to the rigors of academic learning. Students continue to master Hebrew Language through the iTalAm curriculum, strengthening their reading, writing, comprehension, and spoken Hebrew skills. Students also begin to study Torah (the book of Bereshit) by first gaining a deep appreciation for Hashem and His beautiful Torah. Students gain primary Lashon Hakodesh  skills and begin learning to read and translate key pesukim from the Chumash. The weekly Parsha (Torah portion) is studied so that students gain familiarity with the stories and the mitzvot of the Torah. Parsha is also a vehicle for learning about Jewish values such as Kibbud Av V’Em (honoring parents) and doing Chesed (acts of loving kindness). The Jewish Holidays is a major theme of the year. They also continue learning about Tefillot (prayers) and Brachot (blessings), and celebrate their Mesibat Siddur in December, celebrating the milestone of Hebrew reading fluency. 

Second Grade

Students continue their Torah study using the skill based LeHavin U’LeHaskil curriculum for Parshiyot Lech Lecha and VaYera. They develop their Hebrew language skills through the iTalAm curriculum, focusing on grammar, conversational Hebrew, and creative writing. They gain a deeper understanding of the stories and lessons of the weekly Parsha (Torah portion), and the Chagim (holidays) come alive as the children learn the special laws and customs of each Chag. As they increase the number of Tefillot (prayers) that they recite, they learn the meaning of many Tefillot including the Shemoneh Esrei, the 19 blessings of the Amidah. In addition, they begin to study the basics of Halacha (Jewish law).

Third Grade

Students continue their study of Bereshit with Parshiyot Chayei Sarah, Toldot, and VaYeitzei through LeHavin U’Lehaskil. They continue developing their Chumash decoding skills and building their vocabulary as they begin learning how to read Rashi. Hebrew skills are developed further using the iTalAm Ivrit curriculum. The Jewish Calendar is a major focus in this grade level, as students explore the mazalot of each month as well as days of note, including the dates of Chagim. In Parshat Hashavua, students learn how to share a Dvar Torah at their Shabbat table. They deepen their understanding of the Halachot of Chagim. They continue developing Middot (ethical characteristics) and increase the number of Tefillot.

Fourth Grade

Students culminate their study of Bereshit, learning Parshiyot VaYishlach, VaYeshev, Miketz, VaYigash, and VaYechi, completing the Lehavin U’Lehaskil curriculum. They also begin learning Navi (Prophets), starting with the book of Yehoshua (Joshua) with a strong focus on connections to Eretz Yisrael and the state of Israel today. Emphasis is placed on reading comprehension and critical thinking. In Tefilla, the students begin to lead prayers as chazzan, increase their understanding of Tefilla, and the davening is less abridged. Middot are studied as they arise in the parshiyot studied. Chagim are studied with additional halachot and minhagim.

Fifth Grade

Students begin learning Sefer Shemot (Exodus) using the skills they have gained in the previous elementary grades. They complete the pinnacle parshiot of Shemot, Va’era, and Bo adding in additional commentaries to better understand the Peshat. In Navi, they continue with Sefer Shoftim (Judges) through project based learning. Students begin learning Mishna (Oral Law) using the Sulamot curriculum and the CoMDAT process of understanding a Mishna. The curriculum also offers students the ability to apply Halachic rulings to real life examples and put into practice the concepts being learned. Chagim throughout the year are explored through a halachic lens, with a deeper appreciation for minhagim and traditions that enhance the experience.

Upper Elementary (Fourth and Fifth Grade) Hebrew

Students in Fourth and Fifth Grade learn in a leveled learning environment using the Ulpan Or curriculum. Novice/Beginners is a safe space for students with limited exposure to Hebrew language, or for those who require extra support. Intermediate learners is a space for students who are comfortable with progressing at a slower pace. Advanced learners have the affinity and exposure to Hebrew language to be able to progress at a faster and more intense pace. Each level has differentiated learning within the learning allowing for multi-tiered learning to occur. Ulpan Or focusses on ensuring spoken language is enhanced with reading and written skills. The Jewish calendar, chagim, and daily life are explored through the learning platform.