Mother Teresa Academy
About Us
Our faculty members are selected for their adherence to Mother Teresa Academy’s educational philosophy, based upon the Papal Magesterium which emphasizes the academic, physical and spiritual development of the individual. Students are encouraged to actively participate in the learning process and parents are expected to facilitate their child’s progress by supporting school policy, especially in the areas of attendance, conduct, homework and the dress code. Family members have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, both during the school day and after school hours. “Good teachers make perfect schools, for they are thoroughly prepared and well grounded in the matter they have to teach; who possess the intellectual and moral qualifications required by their important office; because they love Jesus Christ and His Church, of which these are the children of predilection; and who have therefore sincerely at heart the true good of families and country.” (Divini illius Magistri, 88) Mother Teresa Academy does not discriminate against individuals or families because of ethnic background, creed or disability. Mother Teresa Academy’s (MTA) academic program currently consists of pre-kindergarten through grade one classrooms, with intentions of adding a grade level each year as the student body progresses. The curriculum is designed to enable each student to achieve their maximum potential and is continually upgraded to include a variety of innovations. By limiting class size, we are able to accommodate multi-age learning activities and provide individualized attention. The MTA faculty embraces the reality that every child is a unique individual and acknowledges that learning occurs in a multitude of ways. MTA’s teaching foundations are based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and Piaget’s Theory of Constructivist Learning. Gardner’s theory proposes eight different “intelligences” composing the broad range of human potential. These intelligences are: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. The faculty at MTA are highly trained, educated, and qualified in these theoretical approaches. Our teachers incorporate the concept of multiple intelligences into their daily academic schedule in order to meet the variety of learning styles. In addition to incorporating Gardner’s theory, Piaget’s Theory of Constructivist Learning is valued and applied in the classrooms at MTA. The constructivist approach is a theory which posits that humans generate knowledge and meaning from their experiences. A constructivist approach to learning incorporates relevant experiences that require students to think critically and apply their new knowledge in their daily lives. Mother Teresa Academy has a strong math and science program and is diligently working to improve technology integration throughout the curriculum. Math and science are part of the students’ daily academic schedule and technology is incorporated wherever possible with the resources available to us. Our goal, at MTA, is to expand our efforts of assimilating technology into the curriculum as funding becomes available. When developing math and science lessons, the teachers at MTA are committed to providing engaging learning experiences that require students to think critically and encourage application of their knowledge outside of the classroom. Assuredly, math is a tool utilized daily in both personal and professional life. Teaching beyond rote memorization and ensuring that all students gain a conceptual understanding is a primary objective at MTA. For example, once a month, Mother Teresa Academy simulates a store, run by the student body. Students who are shopping learn to budget their money, while the students running the store are counting funds and learning how to give back change. Recently, MTA students hosted a bake sale to raise money for a charity. Similar to the school store, the students were in charge of receiving the money and giving change back. This event not only taught the students the value of charitable service, but also provided MTA students with an opportunity to learn math in a relevant, experiential situation. In addition to participating in practical math situations, students are challenged to be intellectual thinkers in the classroom. By encouraging guided discovery (activities where students attentively participate in their own learning through experimentation with materials) and the use of math manipulatives (concrete learning tools, such as counters and pattern blocks), students are challenged to solve problems through critical thinking while gaining pertinent subject-specific knowledge. Because the students at MTA are emerging learners, it is important that they know why they are being taught a particular subject, like math, and understand the thought process behind the material. For example, many of the students at MTA are learning addition and haven’t previously been exposed to this principle. Thus students are first taught the basic concept of addition and its utility outside of the classroom. Subsequently, the concepts introduced are reinforced as students explore addition through a hands-on, constructivist approach with the teacher occupying the role of facilitator. Moreover, and of particular import, math is further supported through cross-curricular connections; math is thus reinforced in other subject areas throughout the day. Such an approach demonstrates to the students that math is used everywhere, not just in isolation. Examples of cross-curricular connections integrated at MTA are writing about math (reading math problems and writing/drawing solutions), reading books about numbers, listening and singing math songs to learn concepts such as months of the year, acting out “more than, less than” problems, graphing favorite animals, and using math websites. Likewise, science education at MTA is given similar treatment. Science is taught employing the same philosophies and approaches to learning as math. Our students step into the role of scientists as they formulate hypotheses, perform experiments, and analyze the results. At their developmental stage, science is pure discovery. Consequently, the students become very passionate and enthusiastic about solving problems using The Scientific Method. Recent science experiments at MTA include: testing which objects will be carried by the wind, salt vs. nothing on snow, mixing substances to create a volcano, and using a thermometer to determine the temperature of selected liquids. Mother Teresa Academy also holds an annual science fair where students create projects or experiments, research their topics, and then present their discoveries to family and friends. This science fair requires several weeks of preparation and the students become very passionate as they engage in critical thought to produce and present a scientific product. The students learn valuable lessons about hard-work, preparation, and creativity; they learn to value intellectual pursuits. Technology is integrated into science as much as possible with the limited resources available. Just this Fall a group of students found a large “bug” at recess, captivating the attention of several of their other peers. One Kindergarten teacher recognized this teachable moment and together the students and teacher researched and discovered that the mysterious insect was a water bug common to the wooded areas of Clifton Park. The students located and watched video footage, learning the habitat and eating habits of this particular creature. Another example of integrating technology with science instruction is students’ regular use of a digital camera used to catalogue and track scientific data. For example, in October one of the classes carved a pumpkin and took a picture each day as it decayed. The students were able to witness the day to day natural changes of a pumpkin. Upon the first noticeable signs of decomposition, one student excitedly proclaimed: “it’s decaying!” Such excitement in science instruction is particularly encouraging.