Mustard Seed School

Language Arts

Programs, philosophy, and school life

Mustard Seed students develop a love for story and see the power of writing in the variety of materials that are used within the school. Each class relies on various combinations of big books, paperback books, library books, poetry and drama anthologies and the Open Court "Collections for Young Scholars." Rather than exclusively using a phonics or whole language approach, students are taught both phonics and how to read for meaning.

There is an emphasis on skills for "life-long language." In Kindergarten, a series of stories and thinking tasks prepare children for the need and desire to develop language. Very young students learn to identify cause and effect, to distinguish fantasy from reality, and to recognize patterns and irregularities. From the beginning students are taught reading behaviors such as predicting, skimming, clarifying and summarizing. Older students make the transition from children's literature to classic adult literature with the goal of initiating a lifelong fascination with the wealth of art and meaning in great works, based on delight rather than dread. Read aloud and silent reading times occur daily throughout the school for the enjoyment of books and the promotion of literacy.

Grammar, mechanics, spelling, research and study skills are taught as tools that serve the human communication processes. Study proceeds from a need-based and inquiry generated approach in the early years to an exacting standard of proficiency in the later grades. Students also continuously study vocabulary. In the upper grades, they proceed toward an understanding of word relationships and etymologies to arm themselves to interpret widening circles of meaning.

Mustard Seed emphasizes the development of writing skills which are taught formally as a process requiring prewriting and planning, drafting, revision, editing, and presenting or publishing. Students are constantly challenged to discover and clarify their thoughts and to express themselves coherently and effectively. Writing is integrated across the curriculum; students may write nature poems following a class hike or pen scripts interviewing famous Russian composers. Mustard Seed student writings are published regularly.