Comprehensive Literacy

The reading program at Cook-Wissahickon School is based on the Comprehensive Literacy Framework outlined in the Core Curriculum. The components of the Literacy framework include:

• Read Aloud – Teacher models fluent expressive reading in various genres.
• Shared Reading – Teachers directly teach skills and effective reading strategies at the student’s proficiency level.
• Guided Reading –The teaching of explicit skills at a student’s instructional level. The instructional level is the level where students learn new information most effectively.
• Independent Reading – Students spend time each day quietly reading Books of interest which they select.
• Writing – Effective writing practices are taught to children through modeled writing, interactive writing, guided writing and independent writing activities students are provided with supports through this process to help them become proficient writers.

The Comprehensive Reading Program addresses all the components of a research-based developmental reading program. There are a wealth of materials that students use to support the learning of literacy skills at Cook - Wissahickon School. The Harcourt “Trophies” series is used as a basis to teach skills at a proficient level for all students in grades K-5.  There are a variety of reading materials used to teach guided reading at the student’s instructional level. In grade 6 through 8, "Elements of Literature" is used as a basis for teaching proficient reading skills for students.  The focus of the Comprehensive Reading program is to have students become independent readers who can analyze and interpret text using critical literacy perspectives.

The 100 Book Challenge Program is one of the programs used to connect reading in school with reading at home through partnerships with parents. Our library is a wonderful source for students to research information and to choose books for independent reading pleasure.

Everyday Mathematics

The Everyday Mathematics Program is the program mandated by the Philadelphia School District. There are two major goals of this program: To substantially raise expectations with respect to the amount and range of mathematics that children can learn; to provide materials for children and support for teachers that will enable them to meet these higher expectations.

The Everyday Mathematics Program provides a curriculum that emphasizes conceptual understanding while simultaneously building a master of basic skills. This curriculum is a research- based curriculum that recognizes how children learn, what they are interested in and the future for which they are being prepared.
Some ways the Everyday Math differs from textbook-centered instruction include:

• It is consistent with the ways children actually learn mathematics
• Mathematical content is taught in a repeated fashion, beginning with concrete experiences
• Allows children to revisit content in varied contexts
• Daily routines and games are a necessary part of the program
• Assessment is closely linked with instruction
• There is a Home-School partnership built in

Everyday Mathematics is organized into the following content strands:

• Data and Chance
• Geometry
• Measurement and Reference Frames
• Numeration
• Operations and Computation
• Patterns, Functions and Algebra

Library Media Center

The Cook-Wissahickon Library Media Center has undergone major changes in the last few years.  It all began on Philly Cares Day, 2002 when volunteers from Roxborough Manayunk Savings and Loan came to restain and refinish our library shelves.  New books  totaling $20,000 were purchased with PSSA funds and a Link to Learn Grant from the State of Pennsylvania provided new Macintosh computers, digital still and movie cameras and a printer.  An interactive Promethean  Board with a media projector was purchased last year and completes our high tech computer area.

Through an Artist in Residence Grant in the spring of 2003, artist Abdul Ahmad and Cook-Wissahickon students created a beautiful wall mural using some of our own students as models.

All new tables and chairs were purchased for our students and thanks to our Home and School Association, two beautiful new sofas which now provides an enjoyable reading area next to our new 100 gallon fish tank. New carpeting, painting and new lighting finished off our spectacular new Library Media Center!

Technology

Cook-Wissahickon is a fully wired school. Every room is hard wired with fiber optic cable as well as wireless capability. All classrooms have 3 or 4 computers with Internet access. Our Library Media Center (LMC) has 33 new eMac computers all with Internet access.

Our school was selected to be part of the second cohort of schools to become an Instructional Management System (IMS) School. This initiative will provide a variety of web-based instructional supports that will give teachers and principals online access to the core curriculum, supporting resources, student data and benchmark reports. It will also give teachers immediate feedback on student performance. This selection also means that our teachers received a laptop computer and professional development to help maximize the use of these new resources.

Our students use the computer as a learning tool. Our 1st through 8th grade students are actively involved in a web-based teaching site, First in Math and our 2nd through 8th graders practice for the PSSA using a program called Study Island. Both programs can be accessed from a home computer. Some students are working with a web-based reading site entitledAchieve 3000. All students use Microsoft Office and iWorks to create documents, spreadsheets, podcasts, brochures, comic life comic strips, movies and PowerPoint or Keynote presentations, etc. 

We also have 8 classrooms that are outfitted with Promethean boards which are interactive teaching tools. Using this student’s becomes part of the lesson and they love it. Along with the boards, many classes have a device called Expressions, which enables the children to all vote and submit their answers. All of these interactive devices include the entire class in all of the lessons and creates a fun atmosphere for learning.