Academics at St. John Bosco Schools*
The goal of education is the student himself, to form his mind and his character in such a way that he can live his whole life, so far as possible, in a way that is consistent with the truth about himself as a human being created in the image and likeness of God. We often say that we aim to achieve this through an integrated curriculum. But what does this mean? And how is the curriculum integrated?
Just as there were two complementary dimensions to our vision of education—conveying a definite body of knowledge and forming certain aptitudes, qualities of character, and habits of mind in the student—so too is the curriculum integrated in a similar, twofold way. The first is through the content of a historically based curriculum, rooted in an understanding of the human person as a creature, created in the image and likeness of God. From this starting point, the curriculum presents history as a coherent story propelled by the human desire for God and God’s coming to meet, inflame and satisfy that desire in Christ. The second dimension integrates the curriculum in the student himself, by cultivating in the student aptitudes, habits, and qualities that shape his approach to all subjects, and bind them together into a unity.
Each of the core disciplines has its role to play in the building up of the whole and each has its own more specific set of objectives for the different stages at which it is being taught. Quite simply, at each stage there are things we want children to know, things they ought to be able to do, and habits, dispositions, or aptitudes they ought to have acquired or be acquiring. Considering these in detail and in light of the general objectives of each subject, and considering each subject in light of the overall end, teachers in specific subjects and at specific stages can see how each stage builds upon the previous stage, how their work contributes to the ‘finished product’, and how they can tailor specific classes and methods to serve these ideals more effectively. The curriculum is divided into the following developmental and historical segments:
|
Lower Grammar Stage
Pre-K: The Fairy Tale Year
Kindergarten: The Cradle of Civilization Year
Grade 1: The Greek Year
Grade 2: The Roman Year
Upper Grammar Stage
Grade 3: The Medieval Year
Grade 4: The Modern Year
Grade 5: The American Year
Logic Stage
Grade 6: The Ancient Year
Grade 7: The Christendom Year
Grade 8: The New World Year
|
St. John Bosco Schools recently partnered with St. Jerome Academy (Hyattsville, MD) and the team of scholars who designed their curriculum plan to revise the SJBS curriculum. Click the image above to view the new SJBS plan. (Please note that the .pdf file is approx. 15 MB and will take a few minutes to download.)
|