Summer is a busy time of learning for the faculty at St. Luke’s

Preparation for the upcoming school year is in full swing at St. Luke’s Episcopal School(SLES). For the third consecutive summer, SLES teachers gathered for two weeks in July to write curriculum, with the expertise of Dr. Laura Allen, Professor and the Director of Certification and Assessment at Trinity University. Allen noted that few schools realize the importance of curriculum and assessment and provide teachers the time necessary to develop and refine it.

“In studies of how top ranked countries sustain high levels of educational performance on exams like the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA as it’s commonly known, curriculum development is key. Finland, for example, provides up to 200 hours per year for teacher professional development, with much of it focused on writing curriculum geared toward student needs. St. Luke’s is a learning environment where teachers are supported in these types of efforts and given the time and autonomy to continually refine a traditional curriculum with the skills required for the 21st century.”

Current curricular enhancements include adding performance-based assessments to each quarter to ensure students not only gain knowledge but can apply and transfer knowledge to new contexts and real-world situations. For example, in seventh-grade science, students study genetics by creating their own aliens and alien families using genotypes and phenotypes, then conclude with examining pedigrees by working backwards through observable genetic traits.

Centrally located in Alamo Heights, St. Luke’s Episcopal School welcomes students Pre-K3 – Grade 8 in a dynamic community of learners dedicated to academic excellence. For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Margaret Ann Casseb macasseb@sles-sa.org or (210) 826-0664.

 

 

Picture:

Right: Dr. Laura Allen, Professor and the Director of Certification and Assessment at Trinity University

Left: Karen Kerstetter, SLES Pre-K3 Teacher