Pedagogical Approach
Henry Street School teachers combine solid research and practical wisdom to provide a powerful learning experience for every student.

In terms of school and classroom structures, the school will strive to keep each class to 25 students for English language arts and math classes and no more than 30 in other classes. This is to promote strong relationships between teachers and students and between peers and to maximize the opportunity for individually tailored instruction. Students will be grouped heterogeneously, except in specific instances such as Ramp Up classes where students are grouped based on past performance on a short-term basis to provide specific, intensive support. Students and teachers will be teamed to support interdisciplinary instruction and flexible use of time (e.g. block scheduling) to provide opportunities for in-depth, uninterrupted projects, performances, field experiences, etc. Also, students and teachers will stay together over two or more years whenever possible, allowing for the deepening of relationships supportive of high level learning.

Generally, our pedagogical philosophy reflects the view that students do not learn merely by receiving information, rather they learn through the active manipulation of ideas in a way that allows them to construct knowledge and develop their own understanding. Reflecting that view in literacy development, for example, Henry Street School will utilize a balanced literacy approach which emphasizes these key strategies:

In support of this approach, classroom libraries will consist of children's literature, including fiction, poetry and non-fiction books that appeal to a variety of different interests, to better engage students in reading and writing. The school library will particularly feature titles that are international in focus.

Each subject requires an instructional approach that is appropriate for that content matter. As students progress class to class, year to year, they will develop the thinking and investigatory techniques that are specific to various disciplines. For example, rather than passively learning about science, students will learn scientific facts and concepts by conducting scientific investigations. Students will not only learn important dates and events in history courses, they will learn to think like historians in the manner in which they conduct research and develop persuasive arguments. The study of world languages will emphasize the use of language to communicate, especially with students and adults abroad through virtual exchanges and travel, and to explore world cultures in an authentic manner by investigating written and other resources in the native language.

Nevertheless, to the extent that it is possible to generalize about the Henry Street School approach to pedagogy, it will be an inquiry-oriented approach framed by certain bedrock assumptions. First, at the beginning of any lesson or inquiry, students need to know the purpose of an assignment and what they will have to do to demonstrate mastery. Second, students' prior knowledge needs to be brought to light as a basis for developing interest in the topic (motivation to learn) and as a basis for teachers to tailor instruction with particular learners in mind. Students then need multiple opportunities for exploration, individually and in groups, using a variety of informational resources. In that context, they need opportunities to re-think and reflect on ideas as they are emerging, and to receive constructive feedback. Finally, high-level learning requires the opportunity to consolidate and express what has been learned through authentic products and performances. Here, "authentic" refers to performance assessments that have value beyond school; that is, beyond just documenting students' competence.

An inquiry-oriented approach does not mean, however, that teachers will never lecture or otherwise provide direct instruction. In fact, direct instruction will often be used within a workshop model of instruction in which a lecture or other form of didactic instruction is used to set the stage for students' exploration. As the assignment progresses, teachers take on the role of coach or guide in facilitating student learning.

Reinforcing the themes of collaboration and interdependency that permeate HSSIS, the instructional program will emphasize group work and cooperative learning. Our approach will be mindful, however, that merely putting students in groups is not an effective instructional strategy. Care must be given to develop effective and fair group learning processes, including special attention to equalizing the status of learners in the group, and to the value placed on each individual's intellectual contribution.