Curriculum
Test scores and measures of achievement will tell you where a student is, but they don’t tell you where a student could end up. - Carol S. Dweck
Curriculum
For many schools, curriculum is solely based on material memorization, concerned on the student's ability to score well on tests and assessments. Signature Preparatory K-8 is unique in the sense that we focus on preparing our students for real-world experiences, not preparation for a single test. Using our curriculum to influence our student’s interpretation and application of the material, our children are prepared for a successful academic career and future.
Signature Preparatory implements the following comprehensive Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) curriculum:
- Into Reading (K-5)
- Into Literature (6-8)
- Into Math
- Into Social Studies
- Science Dimensions
Our guiding principles are influenced by Doctor Carol Dweck, who has pioneered a new way of thinking about motivation and success in life and in academics.
Using Professor Dweck’s ideas about Growth Mindset, combined with innovative and unique material programs like Into Math and Into Reading, Signature Prep provides students with a curriculum unlike any other.
Growth Mindset
Signature Preparatory’s curriculum is rooted with the beliefs and guiding research of Growth Mindset. In a 2012 interview, Professor Dweck defined the ideas of a fixed and growth mindset as such:
In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that's that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don't necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.
Related to the Growth Mindset
With a Growth Mindset, however, students understand that effort plays a large role in learning. No matter where you start, you can achieve anything as long as you are willing to put in the work. Students with a Growth Mindset are not afraid to make mistakes or to be wrong; rather, the goal is to learn and progress, even if academic success does not come “naturally” to you.
By utilizing this idea, we are helping students tap into their true potential and begin their careers as lifelong learners.
Teaching for All Styles of Learning
Our highly qualified teachers have access to a wide variety of tools and resources, empowering them to play a more active and personal role in student learning. They use rich multimedia, including video models, video instruction, and adaptive technology, to deepen student learning and help our K-8th graders master the material. Signature Prep teachers also use their resources to track student progress, allowing them to provide immediate intervention or extra attention when necessary.
Ultimately, this leads to a higher level of understanding for more students.
K-8 Academics in Henderson, NV
Signature Preparatory’s research-based curriculum supports teachers, empowers students, and helps create the next generation of learners and leaders. With the right knowledge and the right mindset, students are set up for success in their academic careers and beyond. Learn more about Signature Prep’s curriculum, campus, and more by scheduling a campus tour. Ready to apply? Start the application process online! We look forward to sharing our school with you.
