Why the American Curriculum ?

The American Curriculum is a rigorous, standards-based system that aims to educate the whole child. It has a syllabus rooted in the standards introduced by the Common Core Standards of Massachusetts that encourage learners to think critically, demonstrate creativity, and ultimately, make sure the students are well prepared to attend university.

.. Teachers in DNS are responsible for delivering an academically challenging curriculum that meets each student’s needs and provides opportunities for social development, promotes students’ physical health, and invests in students’ moral growth ..

The American Curriculum uniquely values a personalized learning approach through which teachers strive to differentiate and scaffold instruction; elective disciplines and after-school activities allow students to pursue subjects that pique their interests and talents. On the other hand, students’ progress is assessed daily and is effective for determining students’ understanding of a particular subject. This is accomplished through a variety of low-pressure ways such as class discussions, group work, graphic organizers, writing assignments, peer assessments, quizzes, reflections, and projects. These assessments allow teachers to quickly realize when students understand or are struggling and also to create a learning portfolio that encourages students to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, parents have online access to grades for all assessments, giving them a complete picture of how their children are doing at any point during the school year.