Vedanta Elementary School Life

Smiles and laughs are common in the Vedanta Academy Elementary School as students enjoy learning and enjoy their school life. As students feel valued and realize success they build their self-esteem and self-confidence to levels which allow them to feel right with who they are and realize what they can achieve.

Through a variety of Active Learning Strategies students become more confident and critical readers and writers. They not only read and spell the words but also increase their comprehension using critical reading skills and decoding strategies. Programs like Rewards Reading, Six-Minute Solution, ACID Marks and RAP Reading help students with fluency and comprehension. Active Reading involves activating prior knowledge, focusing attention, anticipating/predicting, organizing/integrating new material, reflecting, summarizing and producing a tangible product.

Accelerated Math is one of a number of numeracy strategies employed in Vedanta Academy Elementary School to ensure students confidently master each mathematics skill required to move ahead. Additional work with manipulatives and visual aids bring home the math concepts for the students who often require a "concept picture" to fully understand complex concepts.

Elementary students round out their learning with subject variety and exploration such as science, social studies, language, technologies, art, music, performance, dance and physical education. We believe that the child's entire learning sphere is developed by access to a variety of new and stimulating subjects.

Each lesson plan is designed have the children proceed through carefully planned mental activities designed to maximize learning while keeping it active and fun. The structured lesson plan also helps each child stay focused.

Each day at Vedanta Elementary School begins and ends with special teacher time called Check In and Check Out. The teacher sits one on one with each child to help him or her organize homework, concept cards, notices etc. before heading home, as well as finding out how the child's day went. Each morning the one on one time is used to make sure needed homework and assignments have been done and returned as well as to find out what is new in each child's life. This process dovetails with home life as parents review their child’s Check Out Folder each evening. General notices, homework assignments and messages from the teacher are easy to locate in the folder. Parents may communicate daily with the teacher by sending items or notes in the Check Out folder.

Our maximum class of 18 allows our teachers and teaching assistants to maximize classroom time with each student; challenging those who need to be challenged and helping those who need help.

Vedanta Academy Foundation Skills Assessments are at or above both Provincial
and District averages for Grade 4