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The way we plan and structure our curriculum in Lower School is why our students love to learn. Our approach and practice is founded in the belief that students learn best when they can see connections to big ideas, they can come to their own conclusions, they can construct meaning through inquiry and they are allowed to take risks.
We take this belief and create six conceptually based IB Units of Inquiry to provide opportunities for students to contextualize their learning, to make connections to other ideas and to inquire into the world around them. Students develop knowledge and understanding of big ideas, underpinned by traditional subjects like math, reading, writing, social studies and science. Instead of teaching traditional subject areas in isolation they are tied to bigger concepts making them more meaningful for the students.
Creative skills, verbal and nonverbal expression, empathy and aesthetic appreciation are all developed through our Visual Arts program. Students are encouraged to draw on their imagination, providing them with opportunities to communicate distinctive forms of meaning, develop their technical skills, take creative risks, solve problems and visualize consequences.
Our Music curriculum is designed to help students develop an understanding and appreciation of music, as well as acquire the practical skills needed, to cultivate a life-long source of enjoyment and personal satisfaction. Students learn music composition basics through various games, folk dances and rhythmic activities.
Whitby's approach to PE helps is to stimulate children to grow – physically, socially, and emotionally. Skills are developed through a wide variety of physical activities and designed to ensure maximum participation by all.
The PE program is internationally designed as an opportunity to develop cooperation, teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving. Our creative Adventure Challenge requires groups to work together collaboratively to solve problems and accomplish a common goal. In Movement Composition, students broaden their understanding of how physical activity can be used for the development of basic motor skills, as well as how movement can be used to communicate feelings, emotions, and ideas. In Games, students also learn to recognize the challenges presented by games, the importance of rules, and how they define the nature of a game. Individual Pursuits and Health-related Fitness balance our PE curriculum by developing basic motor skills and recognizing and appreciating the value of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Your child will begin using a variety of age-appropriate educational hardware and software technologies in the Lower School to enhance their learning, support them in the inquiry process and to develop their conceptual understanding. Lower School students are assigned Chromebooks for the school year to practice typing skills, reinforce key math concepts, create presentations, read eBooks, and learn coding.
We have adopted a flexible learning model that encourages collaboration and team teaching between the classroom teachers, the Librarian/Media Literacy Specialist, and the Technology Specialist with support from the Director of Technology to identify technologies that can be used to enhance, engage and support student learning.
Your child can continue their learning after the normal school day ends by enrolling in our fee-based enrichment class offerings, referred to as WECCP classes (pronounced we-chip). The goal of the WECCP program is the same as during the academic day—to meet the spectrum of whole child development—cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically, focusing on the traits identified in the learner profile.
The program is a wonderful opportunity for the student to explore something new, pursue a passion, enhance their skill and develop new friendships with classmates. The after school classes have the added benefit of supporting families who want an extension of the academic day to support their needs.
We offer an average of 30 classes each fall, winter and spring semesters. The classes are taught by Whitby faculty and outside instructors who are highly experienced and fully vetted by the WECCP Program Director.
