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Murch’s instructional programs and child-centered learning environment focus on the whole child, appeal to the learning styles of a wide variety of students, and make the most of the diverse array of skills and abilities exhibited by all of the children within the Murch community. Using a blend of traditional and innovative educational techniques, Murch develops strong academic skills, promotes civic responsibilities, and fosters confidence within each child. The school’s highly regarded academic program is based on national and DCPS standards.
Academics
Reading & Writing: Reading and writing are fundamental at Murch. Teachers use a variety of literacy resources including authentic literature, Houghton-Mifflin reading series, and Reader’s Workshop to teach reading as a thinking process. The workshop model includes mini lessons, phonics, word study, and shared, guided, and independent reading. This model is also used in Writer’s Workshop to teach our students the craft of writing in various genres: personal narrative, essays, fiction, and poetry, across all grade levels beginning in kindergarten. Our two staff reading specialists work with students who need help getting to the next level of reading. Leveled libraries can be found in every classroom to provide independent practice in fluency and comprehension. Read more.
Math: The DCPS Mathematics standards are taught primarily through the innovative approach of Everyday Mathematics developed by the University of Chicago School Project. This spiraling curriculum is organized into six content strands: operations and computation; numeration; patterns, functions, and algebra; data and chance; measurement and geometry. The federal government’s What Works Clearinghouse has given Everyday Mathematics the highest rating of any commercially published elementary mathematics curriculum. Each strand is addressed at every grade level, building on and extending conceptual understanding to enable children to approach challenges from a firmly established foundation. Lessons provided by Math Solutions are used to provide students with additional opportunities to strengthen their understanding of mathematical concepts. Read more.
Science: The science curriculum focuses on hands-on learning, experiments and real world connections. The new DCPS science and social studies standards were adopted in 2006. Life science, physical science, earth and space science are taught through the inquiry method using FOSS Science kits and AIMS curriculum and materials. A well-equipped resource area contains science materials and kits available to teachers for planning and teaching hands-on science investigations.
Social Studies: The social studies program includes instruction in history, geography, economics, and government. The intermediate grades use the History Alive program along with trips and curriculum materials from the local Smithsonian Museums.
Resource Programs
Murch has an extensive resource staff to support not only instruction but also the social and emotional well-being of students. Our students meet at least once a week with specialized instructors in music, art, physical education, and library resources. Classroom teachers are encouraged to collaborate with resource teachers to combine the standards put forth by DCPS across subjects as much as possible.
Art: The art program at Murch involves the use of seven media: watercolor, printmaking, drawing, 3D construction, clay, moviemaking, and design. Each medium involves about four or five separate 45-minute lessons and progressively builds upon prior skills gained in the art studio. The program is designed to introduce and inspire all children to the works of artists from all periods and within all media. Although the children explore the ideas and styles of other artists, they are encouraged to inquire within to make choices about the direction their own work.
- Pre-K and Kindergarten: Children are given ample time to simply explore and interact with the media. Through active exploration they are introduced to relevant vocabulary that will later help them better discuss and describe their work to others. The concepts of line, color, shape, and texture play a large role throughout each unit. All units are intimately connected to themes related to their lives that month.
- First grade: Students build on the preliminary skills gained in pre-K and K and are introduced to more complex ways of using all media. We introduce the concept of movement expressed through art and hold longer conversations and art investigations about the process and choices at the end of each lesson.
- Second grade: As young artists explore the shifting of mood in art based on color, their role in the work becomes more visible. Composition and spatial relationships play a major role in all units with an emphasis on creating texture and form from painting to sculptures.
- Third grade: Students study ways to create the illusion of three-dimensionality in 2D work. Art investigation discussions in which students compare and contrast works of different media become part of all lessons. Young artists also begin color explorations, creating shades and tints. They start to create imaginary figures by recombining familiar figures and ideas though clay, painting or drawing.
- Fourth grade: We further analyze and discuss the significance of art, artists, and their own work in history during class conversations. During the year we take a closer look at the styles and techniques of individual artists and art movements. Young artists are encouraged to use this inspiration in their own work. The use of visual and actual texture and complementary colors to express mood are part of lessons in painting. Children are directed to notice, understand, and work with proportions of the face and body in all work that has figurative representation. We also explore ways to infuse pieces with personality.
- Fifth grade: Students explain and discuss their techniques and ideas as part of an ongoing conversation. One-point-perspective, proportions, and expression are expected as part of every piece produced. Artists in these grades often create works with thought of the viewer in mind, such as advertising for their peers in other grades or making movies for younger viewers.
Read Art Dispatches
Library: The media center serves as a vital hub for meeting, teaching, and learning at Murch. In addition to our collection of more than 10,000 volumes, we have a computer center. Library class time is often used to support classroom studies or to provide research tools. Younger students often get to hear a story, while older students do short research projects. Students may check out books for their own reading pleasure during library period, at lunch, and after school. With a little guidance to identify "just right books," students continually expand their horizons. Read Library Dispatches
Music: The goal of the music program is to develop a love of music, an understanding of music technique, and foster musical creativity in every student. Exposure to a wide variety of musical styles and instruments helps children explore their own musical talents. Read Music Dispatches
Physical Education: All Murch students participate in weekly physical education classes where the importance of discipline, sportsmanship and cooperation. Students explore movement and learn skills for lifelong participation in physical activity. Younger students focus on improved motor skills, coordination, and the pure fun of movement. Older students enjoy the challenges of team work, skill-building, and personal accomplishment.
English as a Second Language
Murch’s ESL program is highly effective in helping students conquer the difficulties of learning and applying a new language. We have two ESL teachers working with our students.
Special Education
Murch provides special education instruction and related services. Students requiring these services participate in the regular classroom setting to the maximum extent possible and in “pull-out” services as appropriate. In addition to math and reading specialists, professional experts on staff include a psychologist, occupational therapist, nurse, and speech pathologist.
Pre-K & Kindergarten
Students in pre-K and Kindergarten enjoy a warm, nurturing classroom environment in their own building. (For space reasons, one pre-K class is held in the Main Building.) Each class has a full-time teacher and a full-time aide. Classroom activities stress the importance of learning through play and hands-on exploration of the world around us.
Responsive Classroom
To enable optimal student learning, Murch follows the principles of Responsive Classroom throughout the school. Responsive Classroom is an approach to elementary teaching that emphasizes social, emotional, and academic growth in a strong and safe school community. Responsive Classroom complements encourages students to see their school and classroom as a community of learners made up of unique individuals, each deserving respect.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Classes frequently trek over to Politics & Prose two blocks away to meet in person the authors they’re studying in class. Field trips beyond our neighborhood take advantage of our proximity to national treasures (National Symphony Orchestra, National Museum of the American Indian, National Gallery, National Museum of American History), historic sites (Gettysburg, Duke Ellington’s Neighborhood) and working farms (Butler’s Orchard, Homestead Farms) to support specific learning units. We also bring in exciting personalities, performers, and speakers for such on-site activities as author visits, “backyard” nature tours, traveling planetariums, and puppet shows.
Schoolwide Applications Model School (SAM)
Murch is one of 16 SAM schools in DC. The Schoolwide Applications Model (SAM) redistributes supports, services, and resources into the general education setting through enhanced staffing, intensive professional development in the summer, and technical assistance on integrated service delivery throughout the school year. The District assigns Academic Intervention Coaches to our school to help the administration and leadership team create a safe and orderly learning environment and increase academic achievement for all students. To accomplish this, we SAM is a “response to intervention” (RtI) model, which means using individual student achievement and behavior data to identify the supports students need to progress with grade level expectations. Frequent and on-going assessments help determine the instructional approaches best suited to meet each student’s needs.
As a SAM school, we look to Responsive Classroom as our Positive Behavior Support to create a safe and orderly learning environment. If students start to struggle with grade-level expectations or with school behavior expectations; we design individual or small group interventions. Sometimes this may mean convening a Student Support Team (SST) to develop specific interventions targeted to meet individual student needs. We also our classroom assessment data, DIBELS data, DC-CAS data, and student behavior data to provide supports and services inside and outside of the classrooms.
Another goal of SAM schools is to take a second look at the assessments for our students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). We want to identify areas of strength and progress towards IEP goals so that integration strategies into classes with non-disabled peers can be planned and implemented with parent advice and support.
Being a SAM school means developing an even stronger partnership with parents and families in order to do the very best job we can for our students. Our promise is to keep parents informed of student progress. Please feel free to contact
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Murch’s SAM coach if you have questions about SAM and what it means for your child.
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