An extended school day provides for more time devoted to instruction and for a broad, rich curriculum that includes—in addition to English language arts and mathematics—science, social studies, music, the visual arts, physical education, and dance. Ascend’s curriculum blends teacher-led instruction, cognitively-guided instruction (CGI), and college-style discussion from the earliest grades.
In Number Stories, students explore a single problem, devise their own approaches, and contrast them with their classmates’ solutions.
Students work independently to solve the problem their own way.
Three children, selected by the teacher for the varying sophistication and efficiency of the procedures they tapped, present their solutions.
In the discourse, children see how each of the three approaches arrived at the same answer. The beauty of math is revealed, and deep conceptual understanding is built. Students are excited to engage a more efficient procedure next time.
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Beginning in the earliest grades, students develop a love of literature, as they think critically about texts, and engage in rich discussions with their peers.
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Watch how Ascend’s approach to mathematics ignites students’ curiosities and fosters a community of intellectual risk-takers. The three components of our math program ensure that students develop a deep conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts.
We equip our students with the broad capacities, prized in any era, which will allow them to flourish—whatever the future brings. At Ascend, liberal learning liberates.
Ascend has developed a warm and supportive culture rooted in Responsive Classroom in the elementary grades—departing from a punitive and proscriptive disciplinary model associated with high rates of referrals and suspensions. Classroom communities nurture students’ sense of belonging, and by creating calm, orderly environments, Ascend schools foster children’s social and emotional competencies, obviating the reliance on punitive consequences.
In the lower school, our joyful culture builds students’ capacities to self-manage. Positive language replaces warnings and threats as students learn empathy and collaborative problem-solving.
Every morning in each class, students and teachers gather to greet one another, share news, and warm-up for the day ahead. Throughout the day, teachers talk about what students are learning and what excites them, rather than how they are behaving. Teachers’ language promotes learning, a sense of belonging, and self-discipline. When students do misbehave, logical consequences allow them to fix and learn from their mistakes while preserving their dignity. In this environment, Ascend students learn social skills—cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control—that allow them to succeed academically and socially; the day can be spent enjoying academic, artistic, and extracurricular activities.
Brooklyn Ascend Lower
205 Rockaway Parkway
Grades K–4
Brownsville Ascend Lower
1501 Pitkin Avenue
Grades K–4
Bushwick Ascend Lower
751 Knickerbocker Avenue
Grades K–4
Canarsie Ascend Lower
9719 Flatlands Avenue
Grades K–4
Central Brooklyn Ascend Lower
465 East 29th Street
Grades K–4
Cypress Hills Ascend Lower
396 Grant Avenue
Grades K–4
East Brooklyn Ascend Lower
260 Shepherd Avenue
Grades K–3
East Flatbush Ascend Lower
870 Albany Avenue
Grades K–4
Flatbush Ascend Lower
123 Linden Boulevard
Grades K–4
© Ascend Public Charter Schools 2023