Preschool

PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

Inspiring Through Playful Exploration

Inspiring Through Playful Exploration

Exploratory Classroom

We develop an environment in which emerging entrepreneurs playfully engage in designing solutions, and educators facilitate learning opportunities for creation & exploration.

Curriculum

Establish rigor by building connections to real-life experiences that engage students and are instructionally interactive.  Approaches to Learning emphasize the development of executive functions and an entrepreneurial mindset fostering initiative, curiosity and creativity.  This curriculum is guided by the Head Start Learning Outcomes Framework & the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework.

Instruction

Our students have three teachers, their peers, adults (primary care givers) and the environment.  They are learning from one another as they playfully interact on a regular basis, develop trusting & caring relationships with adults which allows them to feel secure and able to fully explore the world around them and engage with their environment which fosters a sense of belonging and sets the tone for learning.

Assessment

The education we are talking about has much more to do with the development of skills rather than the acquisition of content. Children can learn about any content as long as they have acquired the foundational skills to learn. Executive Functions, Perceptual and Motor skills, Social Emotional skills and Language and Cognitive skills are basic skills for life.

Elementary School

ELEMENTARY

Lincoln Elementary School is focused on educating balanced students, providing them with a child centered innovative curriculum that meets different abilities, interests and needs. We foster the development of global citizens by providing them with a resourceful, caring, learning environment. As a community, we work together to instill a lifelong love for learning in all our students.

ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM

Project based learning encourages higher order thinking skills, innovation and creativity.

Students learn to think and find different solutions to problems through exploration, observation, description, and prediction. The curriculum provides students the opportunity to take actions that involve knowledge of the world and the appreciation of differences.

In order to adequately prepare students for a smooth transition into the IB Diploma Program, they are exposed to linguistic and trans-disciplinary concepts, skills, strategies and attitudes that are consistent with the learner profile. The core competencies include reflective practices: an ability to show initiative, critically evaluate one’s own work and the work of others, reflect on progress and set goals.

Middle School

The Lincoln Middle School Philosophy

Education should focus on the mastery of an authentic skill set grounded in the development of critical thinking, written language, and computational expertise. Students must learn how to evaluate and interpret text, data, and other media in order to formulate logical conclusions. They must also develop the tools necessary to express their ideas in a fashion that lends credence to their developing expertise. This manifests itself in our inquiry-based classrooms through a focus on both content and disciplinary literacy skills in all curricular areas.

The arts and athletics are integral components of a well-rounded education. The arts foster creativity and engage our need to see the world beyond facts and figures. These benefits are not only relevant to the Arts, many studies show that students’ aptitudes in other academic subjects are raised when they are engaged in artistic expression and appreciation. Likewise, athletics provide students with an opportunity not only to develop an appreciation for the benefits of physical fitness but also to practice sportsmanship, problem solving, and teamwork.  Again, research clearly demonstrates that athletic involvement positively impacts students’ academic progress and issues of self-esteem and positive decision-making.

To be most effective as educators, teachers and administrators must create an emotionally safe environment that is both interactive and collaborative. The research on this is clear. When students are encouraged to actively participate and collaborate, rather than passively listen, they develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The primary role of the teacher in an interactive, inquiry based classroom is to facilitate, not disseminate, whenever possible. Such an environment accommodates a variety of learning styles and encourages students to present their opinions while respecting the opinions of others.

The key to establishing a positive school culture is to develop a proactive system of support that emphasizes students’ successes. Effective educators understand that students learn more when they are encouraged to take academic risks and think creatively about solutions to “unsolvable” problems and seek answers to “unanswerable” questions. This attitude should extend to the faculty as well. A focus on solutions, rather than problems creates a culture of innovation.

By establishing a consistent set of behavioral norms and acknowledging positive behaviors educators can effectively maintain a school climate of high expectations and achievement. All people, Middle School students included, are motivated by a desire to feel successful. Knowing this, the key to managing behavior among our students is to understand their motivations and provide avenues of success that promote academic integrity and discipline. By promoting and acknowledging positive behaviors publicly we as educators can instill in our students an intrinsic sense of principled behavior. In this sense, mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, not failures.

Educators must, whenever possible, draw upon the input of all stakeholders. Proactive communication is the single best way to develop and keep the support of the community. Again, research tells us that students must always understand the goals they are striving to achieve, but this is not enough. Parents are a child’s most powerful advocate and they too have a right to understand both our ultimate vision of student success and the means by which we will achieve it. Ownership of the process and the results should be shared by all.

In order for a team approach to extend to the community it must first function as a foundational component of the school culture. Again, research leaves little doubt that students accomplish more, much more, when teachers work collaboratively. This collaboration should be strategic and overt. Teachers must work together to develop, assess, and revise curricular decisions. They must be willing to share their expertise and to call on that of others. They must seek opportunities to grow professionally and to support their peers in doing the same. Strong professional learning teams are a fundamental component of successful schools.

It’s about putting people first. Educational standards, initiatives, and programs are of little consequence if our most valuable resources, the teachers, are not appreciated. Teachers are professionals with whom we have entrusted our most precious assets, our children. They care about their students’ success, reflect on their practice, and work tirelessly to meet their academic, social, and emotional needs. We have world-class teachers and they provide a world-class education.

Finally, schools should be places of excitement and fun. All people, not just middle school students, learn more when they are happy. Schools should be a place that students look forward to attending. We want to hear laughter in the hallways and see smiles on students’ faces; this is achievable through an engaging curriculum, social programs, and positive attitudes among teachers, administrators, and parents.

High School

Lincoln School has a highly challenging program of studies in a variety of subject areas. An integrated curriculum prepares students to meet university standards throughout the world and to follow a variety of career paths. The program includes a focus on the student’s intellectual growth in the academic areas as well as instruction that promotes the student’s personal and social development. Our curriculum and instruction are focused on developing the skills, understandings, and knowledge necessary for students to find success regardless of their ultimate career path.

The chart below outlines the program of study for High School students. A minimum of four high school credits in each of four high school credits in each of the core courses is required for graduation. All students are required to complete the following number of credits in each area:

A minimum of 32 credits is needed for both the Costa Rican Bachillerato and the U.S. High School diplomas. However, in special situations or circumstances, students may be permitted by the Secondary School administration to graduate with 30 credits. This policy may be applied, for example, to students who are transferring from schools in the U.S.A.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB) is sponsored and administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.  The IB Diploma Program is offered to students in the final two years of secondary school.  This is a rigorous program that provides students with the intellectual, social, and critical perspectives necessary for success in college and the adult world.

IB diploma graduates gain admission to selective universities throughout the world. Some colleges and universities may offer advanced standing or course credit to students with strong IB examination results.

The six IB groups and the courses within each group offered at Lincoln are the following:

• Group 1: Literature and Language Study: English and Spanish courses in Literature or Language and Literature (including cultural topics).
• Group 2: Language Acquisition: French B, Spanish B
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies: History of the Americas, Business and Management, Economics, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Informational Technology in a Global Society.
• Group 4: Experimental Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
• Group 5: Mathematics: Math Analysis and Approaches, Math Applications and Interpretations
• Group 6: Arts and Electives: Visual Arts, Theatre, Arts, a third modern language, or a second choice from Groups 3 or 4

Advisory Program

The High School Advisory Program is designed to provide students with a faculty advocate and a small group environment in order to focus on individual character development as well as communication and collaboration skills, and an opportunity to develop and complete service-learning projects aligned with the IBO CAS program and to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. All high school students take part in the Advisory program. Students are assigned groups in the ninth grade and stay in their group for all four years of high school. Ideally, the advisor will stay with their group for all four years as well.

Advisory group sessions may take a variety of forms. At times students will complete structured activities in order to meet specific goals. Other sessions may consist of opportunities for students to plan future experiences or projects, complete individual or collaborative reflection on past experiences and personal growth, or participate in one-on-one conversations with the faculty advisor in order to ensure that all service requirements are met and uploaded into the ManageBac system.

Students will complete at least one service project aligned to specific UN Sustainable Development Goals during each year of high school. In eleventh grade, students’ projects must consist of a minimum of 30 hours in order to meet MEP requirements. In addition, students at all four grade levels will engage in consistent activity outside of normal school hours that can be attributed to either “creativity,” “activity,” or “service” as defined by the IBO CAS program guide. Advisors will work with students to identify suitable experiences and projects in order to meet the requirements of Lincoln School, MEP, and the IBO and to document these experiences within ManageBac.

College Counseling

Lincoln School College Counseling Department Mission

Lincoln School college counseling department aims to empower students and families to set and reach post-secondary educational goals based on student strengths, passions and talents. Counselors seek to provide a communicative environment where students and families can discuss, ask questions and learn. Engaging students frequently, helping them gain greater insight to who they are and discover viable options for life beyond Lincoln is the mission of the department.

The Lincoln School College Counseling Department is served by three highly qualified college counselors. The department provides group and individual services to students and families grades 9-12 on every aspect of the college process from career exploration to application assistance.

The Department can be reached at collegecounseling@lincoln.ed.cr or +506-2247-6600 ext. 698, 621 or 692.

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Important Sites for Lincoln Students and Parents

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• www.maialearning.com  – MaiaLearning site sign in for all Lincoln school students and parents
• www.collegeboard.org – Registration for the SAT test but also a great source for researching colleges, careers and majors
• www.actstudent.org – Registration for the ACT test.
• www.ets.org/toefl – Registration for the TOEFL test.
• www.IELTS.org – Registration for the IELTS exam.
• www.commonapp.org – Registration for the Common Application, a universal application used mainly by US Universities but also some Canadian and British universities as well.
• www.ucas.com – Universal application for all UK universities as well as a search function for British universities