~ Core Faculty ~

THIS PAGE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED

“I teach because I love children. It is my way of serving society, to make this world a better place. Because these children WILL do so! The reason I teach at Hearthstone is because it's a loving environment for the children, and it's a school that I feel is serving the children in the best way possible. Children have the right to an education that nourishes them in such a way to be whole, healthy, wise, and loving human beings...an education that academically prepares them ... and that assists them in being good stewards of our planet.
— Miss Kitty Keyser - Nursery/Kindergarten

Ms. Keyser is a Certified Waldorf Teacher, and has taught at Hearthstone since 1996.

First Grade

In the First Grade, students rotate between Mathematics and Language Arts as their main lesson throughout the year. Each subject is taught as a block in 4 to 5 week time periods before being rotated.

During Language Arts the letters and sounds of the alphabet are brought to the child through fairy tales to engage their imagination. Much of their work also involves retelling the stories they hear and drawing letters from the stories. The students write words and practice tongue twisters that illuminate the sounds they are learning. Language Arts is taught through fairy tales, fables adn riddles, consonants, vowels, spelling, reading and drawing.

During mathematics the four processes are introduced through a wizard who takes the child on a journey to meet King Plus, Queen Minus, Princess Divide and Prince Multiply. Even the colors of these processes are important. Much of the math work is verbal math with reinforcement in rhythmical motions of stomping, skipping, jumping and hopping during circle to the count of the times tables.

Additional first grade classes include Spanish, knitting, cooking, watercolor, form drawing, cooperative games and practical activities.

Second Grade

The Second Grade curriculum revolves around Saints, legends and fables. Reading, writing and grammar are taught through creation of the main lesson books, books in the classroom, poems and songs. Lower case, letter formation and cursive writing are introduced and practiced.

The Second Grade mathematics curriculum lessons address addition / subtraction facts, times tables, number patterns, time, and money. Fact families and skip counting are discussed throughout the year.

Holidays are celebrated with play performances, music, poetry and art projects.

Third Grade

The Third Grade curriculum follows the rhythm of the year:

Farming: The Harvest- Examine the importance of farming as the basis of human existence. Overview of grains; visits to local farms. Study farm animals and their relationships and interdependence between elements of farm life. Class activities: clear, prepare and plant in our garden beds.

Shelters/House building: A look at how humans protect themselves from the elements. A survey of indigenous forms of housing including geographic factors. The class will visit construction sites to observe and learn current construction practices and will build a structure on school grounds using hand tools.

Arithmetic: Continue practice of the four operations along with word problems and number patterns. Linear, liquid and dry weights and measurements will be explored through experiential lessons and class work. We will study the origins, use and significance of money. A classroom store/market will introduce record keeping, computation and estimating.

Language Arts: The Old Testament including Genesis, The Patriarchs, Exodus, Rise of Israel including Sampson, Ruth, David and Goliath. Class work will include cursive writing, grammar, vocabulary, drawing and composition.

Other third grade classes include Spanish, music, water color, form drawing, recorder, cooperative games, cooking, and hand crafts.

Fourth Grade

Fourth Grade curriculum in brief: {to come}

Middle School

Middle School Curriculum in Brief:

Math: Algebra I topics including integers, algebraic expressions, solving basic equations. Problems include working with variable equations, formulas; graphing linear equations. Factoring and multiplying polynomials.

Chemistry - Atoms, elements, acids, bases. The history of atoms. The Periodic Table.

Nutrition- The basic needs of the human body. What does the body need nutritionally?

Geology- Study of the Earth's crust. Class trips include study of river erosion and cave observations of Skyline Caverns.

Machines and Hydraulics--a hands-on experience of taking apart a motor and discussing how it works.

History: Monarchs and kings are explored through a play written and performed by the class. The Industrial Revolution and how it changed the world, including inventions and the true stories behind them.

Current Events: “the class becomes a newsroom”as students read newspapers and magazines and watch television to learn about and discuss current world events.

Geography: The class will choose a country to report on including the history, government, culture, education, religion and current events. They will draw a map, flag, native plant and an historical site of that country.

Crafts: Chip carving and the use of the sewing machine.

Life skills: We will learn about ourselves. Respect for ourselves and others; personal Responsibilities, health, strengths and weaknesses. Values. Finances. Mediation.

Middle School classes also include Spanish, music, physical education, pottery, form drawing, art, cooking and crafts.

High School

“What I love about teaching at Hearthstone is that 'the glass is half full, not half empty.' Anything can be achieved if it is wanted badly enough, this is the attitude generated by both students and faculty. What better lesson can one learn in life?”

Torry Keane, high school english literature and history teacher. Ms. Keane has taught at Hearthstone since 2003.

High School Curriculum:

As the teenager becomes aware of the many contrasts in life, they begin to seek lawfulness in all things. They are interested in their origins and why the world is the way it is. They begin to envision concept of balance—in nature and in human actions—and in the process, transformation and interdependence are observed in opposing forces. History and physics are the main lessons. In physics, the studies of the properties of the universe are explored. In history, we will learn about the social conditions and events that shape our understanding of these properties.

History:   Students study the origins and evolution of the universe, life, mankind, human thought and scientific and technological development. Other topics include the formation of the solar system; theories of the origin of life on Earth, the fossil record; early human settlements and migration in Mesopotamia and North and South, the European explorers and native inhabitants, the social and political structures of colonial America slavery, immigration, colonization. Also included are the revolutionary ideas of the Enlightenment to the birth of modern democracy.

Physics: The evolution of human understanding of the universe from Aristotle to String Theory including relativity, quantum mechanics, vectors, scalar quantities and the search for the Unified Theory. Newton’ s laws; force, energy and motion. Sound and light waves.

English: Creative writing, vocabulary, current events, public speaking and debate. Focus on Steven Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time” and Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience”; on local journalism/politics using local newspaper articles on county issues. Examine critical thinking; science fiction writing, poetry.

Latin: First year structure and grammar.

High School classes also include Spanish, music, photography, physical education, pottery, form drawing, art, cooking and crafts.

~ Adjunct Faculty ~

Foreign Languages

Monik Plonka will introduce students to the Spanish language through songs, rhymes, tongue twisters, games such as bingo, recipes and activities. She incorporates these into her curriculum or uses them to build student awareness of Hispanic culture. Younger students learn numbers, colors, the alphabet and also basic terms to help them communicate in Spanish. Older students learn to write, speak and read Spanish through books, popular music, literature, poetry and real life examples.

Music

Frances Miller, has B.A. Degree in Interdisplinary Studies. She graduated from the Royal School of Music in Kenya with distinction in violin and piano. She has done a private study in violin, piano and theory at Pennsylvania Academy of Music. She attended the Violin Performance Program at Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

Frances chose to teach at Hearthstone “because many of the community's core values seem to fit with mine — holistic, creative education that honors spirit. The relaxed atmosphere with small classes resonates with me, and the natural beauty surrounding the school makes it kind of irresitable.”

Gardening

Liz Shaw

In the Hearthstone gardening class, students get an opportunity to be good stewards of the land. The children get to work together in creating and maintaining the vegetable gardens, culinary herb garden, the medicinal herb garden, the flower gardens, the woodland trail, and the school landscape. Many things are learned in this outdoor classroom setting, from proper use of tools and growing useful plants, to getting to know wild plants and respect for nature.

Pottery

Jill Fetterman.

Photography

"Photography is one of my passions. I hope to help all students find their talent, and gain the knowledge and confidence they need to achieve their goals. We each see the world differently. It thrills me to see the world through the students' eyes." Torry Keane (see above).

Life Skills

Torry Keane (see above).