Stories

Here at Charlotte Prep, we’re committed to cultivating an environment where students engage in deep, transferable learning experiences that extend beyond traditional academic boundaries. To this aim, we have begun work using the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework to help teachers review our curriculum and infuse innovative approaches to curriculum design. 

While our entire faculty has worked in this endeavor, we’ve also had a small cohort of seven teachers who began working together last fall with a consultant from nationally recognized Authentic Education to re-design units within their curricula. This cohort came together in the fall and again in February for a two-day retreat at the Foundation for the Carolinas, where they engaged in supported work on curriculum design as well as cross-grade level and cross-discipline conversations, leveraging each other’s teaching expertise to enhance learning opportunities for students. Three more of our teachers engaged in a similar retreat experience with Authentic Education in June, and our entire faculty dove into a two-day workshop in August to design their own understanding by design units to implement in the first six weeks of school.

The outcomes of this collaborative effort are evident in the learning experiences that have emerged. For instance, in physical education, a badminton unit was transformed to not only teach the game but also to intentionally develop communication skills that transcend the court. In 8th-grade social studies, a unit on the Cold War delves beyond the basic facts to explore how American policy changed American culture, guiding students to identify and connect to institutional levers and inertia in a historical context and their personal interactions. In fourth-grade mathematics, students applied concepts of area and perimeter to design classrooms for the new lower school building, furthering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Kindergarteners learned the value of sharing their life experiences through oral and written expression, cultivating their abilities to express themselves clearly and meaningfully from an early age. 

Beyond our cohort, all faculty members have engaged in similar conversations to amplify learning experiences for our students, and our students reap the benefits of this collaborative work. Fifth-grade students, for example, delved into the world of artificial technology through a National Parks project in humanities, integrating AI technology with real-world applications. Third-grade teachers expanded upon the already successful Wax Museum experience to deepen student engagement, understanding, and cross-curricular connection. Even some of our youngest learners in Montessori kindergarten have benefited from new approaches to sight word practice and early reading strategies more closely aligned with lower school approaches, setting a strong foundation for literacy skill development. 

One of the many advantages of our right-sized school is the ease with which faculty can collaborate and make connections across grade levels. Whether teaching students several years ahead or behind their grade level, our educators support a cohesive learning community that nurtures growth and exploration – modeled by our teachers and embraced by our students.