Grades 4-8

Why We Teach

To Gain Clarity and Sophistication In Thought and Communication, Both Oral and Written

Our language arts program focuses explicitly on teaching clarity and sophistication in thought and communication, both oral and written. Learning to write and speak well enables your child to better appreciate and understand what others have written and to develop confidence in communicating his own ideas. In our upper elementary and junior high language arts program, your child will study spelling, vocabulary, grammar and writing: these skills are the foundations of clear communication, and are fundamental to all learning. They deserve to be taught systematically, in a dedicated language arts program, not mixed into a generic "English" class.

Our son has become an eager writer. When he joined LePort in 6th grade, it was a struggle for him to get his thoughts on paper. He was in 6th grade – but he couldn't confidently write a well-constructed paragraph. He is very smart verbally, but he was just stumped by the writing process – a true anxiety-producing writer's block. Now, just 1½ years later, he takes a white piece of paper, and without any assistance from me, writes a beautifully constructed book report or essay. His papers start with a well-written introduction, have a concise logical argument and evidence to support it, and he ends with a great conclusion. Amazingly, he doesn't even have to think about how to do it any more: at LePort, they provide so much practice, that the students just acquire a habit of writing in a certain way."

Maritza A.

Spelling

An Individualized, Mastery-Based Spelling Program Based on Phonetic Principles

At LePort, we offer an individualized spelling program, with students testing into one of three possible levels. Our program covers ability levels equivalent to third grade through high school. In contrast to many schools which condone (or even encourage) "creative" spelling, we understand that habituating correct spelling is essential to freeing up the mind for more advanced tasks in writing—and to support reading comprehension.

Our program is mastery based and auditory. In each 15 minute spelling session, the child listens to his individualized program via an MP3 player. He learns the rules that govern the correct spelling of most words in English. Based on phonetics (the sounds of words), these rules are easy to remember and straightforward to apply. He then applies each rule he learns, and takes tests at his level. Every child continues through the program at his own pace, until he has mastered the spelling rules that govern the English language.

Throughout, we base our program on phonetic principles, and thus avoid random memorization. We enable our students to become proficient spellers efficiently, with little class time needed. Once he starts the LePort spelling program, it won't be long before you see your child spell with confidence and ease, thus demonstrating the power of learning by principles!

Vocabulary

Thematic, Conceptual Approach—and Plentiful Applied Practice

At LePort, we systematically build our students' vocabulary—because having a broad, deep vocabulary is critical to reading, thinking and communicating. Our students learn what it means to really understand a concept: they do not memorize definitions and recognizing them on multiple-choice tests. Instead, our students learn to identify the word's Latin or Greek roots, to compare and contrast similar words, to compose their own sample sentences, and to write creative paragraphs using several new words in context. Our students also keep a vocabulary binder in Literature: when they encounter new words, they look them up, use the skills they learn in vocabulary class to fully comprehend the words, and thereby make them a permanent part of their active vocabulary.

We have reviewed numerous highly regarded vocabulary courses available to educators—and, as none fully met our requirements, we developed our own in-house curriculum, which expands upon the word lists in the widely-used text Vocabulary from Classical Roots. Our program is built around two principles:

We teach vocabulary thematically. For example, one unit may focus on "Feelings", and all the Greek and Latin roots introduced in that unit (and the words with those roots) will be related to the broader theme. This gives students an organizational framework that helps them better learn, understand and remember new vocabulary, including how word meanings stem from their roots. For example, the "Feelings" unit may include such words as phobia (strong, irrational fear, root: phobos, which means fear), or enamored (in love with; charmed by, root: amo, which means love). This thematic approach is in contrast to many programs which give children haphazard word lists and expect them to memorize by rote.
We teach word meanings, not definitions. Unlike most vocabulary programs, in which students are just taught definitions to memorize, we teach concepts—i.e. the full meaning a word denotes. As part of this approach, we help students distinguish the precise meaning of words by differentiating them from related words. For instance, when learning the word "phobia", our students examine the distinction between a phobia and fear, rather than being left with the vague impression that the two are somehow connected. Because they understand the precise meaning of words, they take great pleasure in using new vocabulary to articulate their ideas more accurately, both in speech and writing. This better understanding also helps them to appreciate what they read; after learning a word, students often comment that they "see and hear it everywhere"! Finally, our approach to vocabulary ensures that students remember the words they learn: in a recent year-end vocabulary test, our 8th graders on average remembered the precise meaning of 85% of the vocabulary they learned in an entire year. We happily challenge anybody to name any other program which attains such high retention rates.

Students love learning new words! In one vocabulary class in 8th grade, students brought in over 50 hard copy examples (photocopies of newspaper articles, book pages…) of vocabulary words being used outside of class. They would come running up to their teacher during our supervised homework period, excited to show her a word they just came across in a book they were reading. Some even took photos of words on billboard signs and brought them to class. All of this shows their internal motivation to learn vocabulary, when it is taught properly: none of this was required for class!

Our vocabulary program starts with definitions—but even here we do more than most: our students don't assume that any definition is as good as any other. Rather, they learn to compare different definitions from various dictionaries for the same word, so that they develop an implicit sense of what makes for a good definition. But while the definitions are an endpoint for most schools, they are just the jumping off point at LePort. After learning the definitions, our students have the opportunity to work with the words, and to make them their own by thinking about them in a context relevant to them (not just the adults who write vocabulary books):

Example sentences that tie into the students' context, not those of adults. Our source text, like most, uses obscure sentences and introduces words in contexts unfamiliar to 6th or 7th graders. When we use example sentences, we relate them to our students' lives, taking into account their context—their background knowledge, age and interests. Contrast these two sentences: From the text: "Galileo tried to placate the Catholic Church in Rome by retracting his theory that the earth revolved around the sun." Our sentence: "When David was late for science class, he was quick to placate the irritated Mr. Peltz. David explained that he was out saving critters and then got distracted by a most interesting plant!" Which one will make the word real to a 6th grader?
Students actively use the concept in word analysis exercises. Our students:
Flesh out meaning ("What are different ways to manipulate someone? Why would someone ever use manipulation? Give lots of examples in your answer.")
Reason through meaning to make inferences. ("If you are apathetic toward sports, how are you most likely to feel and react if your team wins the baseball championship? What about if your team loses the championship? Explain your answer.")
Relate to other words/concepts to compare words with opposite meanings, or to pick up on subtle nuances between words with similar meanings ("Patronize is more specific than insulting someone—it's specifically treating them as a child or inferior. What are two statements that seniors could say to patronize freshmen in high school? What is an insulting statement a senior could say to a freshman that is not patronizing?")
Relate to their lives by thinking about how the words help them express things they care about more clearly. ("What accolades have you received in the past? What is at least one accolade you'd like to receive in the future? Why? What will you do to earn it?")
A broad range of activities, assignments and varied forms of evaluation motivate our students to apply their new knowledge and help them remember it. Among many other things, our students:
Complete fill-in-the-blank questions—to practice recalling vocabulary words they know based on context, which enables them to have just the right word at the ready when they write.
Write original sentences—so they can use their words with ease in their own speech and writing.
Regularly use new vocabulary words in expository writing. ("Concoct an outrageous story you could tell someone if they asked why you didn't get any work done over the weekend. Include at least EIGHT of the vocabulary words in the box below.")

Grammar

A Systematic, Sequential Grammar Program—Made Fun with Sentence Diagramming and "Editor in Chief" Applied Exercises

Correct grammar is what enables us to express clear thoughts. There is a huge difference between saying "I like baseball better than she" or "I like baseball better than her". What are you trying to say? How can you say it clearly without knowing the difference? You can't: Grammar is essential. Unless students have the language of grammar and understand it, they cannot improve their own writing and speaking.

For example, is it correct to say "between you and I" or "between you and me"? Most people would choose the former, whereas the latter is actually correct. To understand why, a child needs to know the language of grammar: one cannot explain that the latter is correct because we use the objective form of the pronoun after a preposition, unless one actually knows what "the objective form" or a "pronoun" or a "preposition" is! Nor can we expect children to correct sentence fragments or subject-verb disagreements or dangling modifiers, if they have no knowledge of these terms and how to apply them.

Without knowledge of grammar, children are left with comments that their writing is unclear or incorrect, but do not know why or how to correct their mistakes.

As important as grammar is to communicating, its deepest importance is that it is a prerequisite of thinking precisely. Thinking is done in words, and grammar is the study of how words relate to one another to form thoughts. Rigorous training in grammar helps a student develop the capacity to engage in sophisticated thinking.

Grammar, thus, is a key tool for learning how to write, think and speak clearly.

In contrast to many schools, where grammar is no longer taught as a separate subject, at LePort, we give it the importance it deserves. We have researched over 30 grammar programs and have integrated the best elements from each to develop our own proprietary curriculum that teaches the most important skills in the clearest manner and most logical order.

Through LePort School's unique program, your child will master the fundamental terms of grammar (parts of speech, parts of the sentence, phrase, clauses and punctuation) and will be able to apply them correctly, both orally and in writing. To the surprise of many parents, our students actually love grammar class: by integrating methods such as sentence diagramming and amicable grammar competitions, our students enjoy learning this critical skill.

Our students master the grammar program via the following elements:

LePort students learn grammatical concepts—from parts of speech to parts of the sentence, to phrases and clauses. We practice with extensive oral reviews, and adhere to a clear, cognitively appropriate sequence. We integrate fun games, songs, and fun competitions to add interest and motivation.
They apply grammar in written exercises to test real understanding. We go much beyond multiple choice pattern recognition here. Our students are asked, for example, to write a paragraph on direct objects, which includes an explanation of what they are, which pronoun case they call for, which type of verb takes them, and an example sentence that uses a direct object. (Note how we have a writing assignment in grammar class. This is an example of the integration between subjects that happens throughout the LePort curriculum.)
They diagram sentences—that is, they analyze sentences to understand the function of each word, phrase and clause in the sentence, and the relationships among them. This graphical analysis of sentences plays to different students' strengths, from linguistic to mathematical to visual. It lets our students experience grammar like a logic puzzle—and they love it!
They play Editor in Chief—a daily program in which students must spot errors in a given excerpt, fix them and rewrite the excerpt. The errors are in mechanics, grammar, punctuation, spelling or word meaning, and thus require students to apply skills learned in all parts of the language arts program. This exercise also prepares them to edit their own work in writing class, and in the writing assignments that occur in all the other subject areas.

Writing

Thinking Skills and Joyful Self-Expression—Made Possible with Step-by-Step Instruction, One-on-One Feedback, and Practice, Practice, Practice

Strong oral and written communication skills are essential to all levels of education, from kindergarten to college—and to living a successful life beyond formal schooling. From the earliest stages, children need to learn the mechanics and the process of writing, and to practice applying it. Our goal is to foster increased understanding, logical thinking and the joy of self-expression through our writing program.

We explicitly teach our young writers how to form an argument, organize ideas, gather evidence, and get straight to the point. As he progresses through our carefully structured writing program, each student hones his ability to identify, clarify, structure and prove his ideas. In doing so, he will internalize the proper thinking methods essential throughout his life—i.e. he will learn how to think.

Many children (and adults!) feel overwhelmed and unmotivated when asked to write. They assume that "writing is just not for me", that they lack some innate talent that good writers just have. At LePort, we know that writing is a skill that each child can learn and enjoy if he has access to the right program. Our structured program builds skills sequentially, gives the student a chance to practice, practice, practice on topics he finds interesting, and provides him with modeling and coaching from enthusiastic teachers who understand how writing really works.

Before a new student enters LePort, she may well be right to feel overwhelmed by writing assignments: in most cases, she has never received the required knowledge of the writing process, the necessary training to develop her writing skills, or the support she needs to complete them. The majority of schools, whether public or private, do not offer systematic writing programs at all, and thus leave their students frustrated, with no way out.

At LePort, we recognize that writing, just like mathematics, needs to be taught step-by-step. We offer:

Clear, motivating assignments appropriate for a student's context and maturity level. We never give your child a blank page and a topic, and just expect her to write. We offer detailed assignments, with clear requirements. The writing we select is relevant to the child's life and values, and helps him explore further topics he is studying in other subjects, from history to science. We never demand writing that is over our students' heads, such as asking them to take sides on the issue of nuclear power in fourth grade, or the Arab-Israeli conflict in sixth grade, topics they may well encounter at other schools.
Skill training. We introduce new skills one at a time, in a logical sequence. Whether it is writing sentences with quality adjectives, writing sentences with varied openers, such as participial or prepositional openers, or writing paragraphs with effective transitions or clear summary statements, we provide plenty of examples and dedicated practice opportunities for each topic.
Process training. We first model, then practice, each stage of the writing process. We show our students and let them practice how to locate relevant information, take notes (paraphrase/summarize), develop an outline to organize notes, create a rough draft, integrate quotes effectively, and edit their work for clarity and coherence.
Practice, practice, practice. Our students apply what they learn on a variety of assignments:

Paragraph writing (narrative, descriptive, persuasive, expository)
Letters (business, friendly, thank-you, polite request)
Short stories, dramatic scenes, and poetry
Journal entries
Research reports
Book reviews

In addition to instruction and practice in writing class, our writing program is applied throughout the curriculum in varied forms, including reports in science, speeches in history, essays in literature and paragraph descriptions of problem solutions in mathematics.

High standards made attainable with detailed reviews and one-on-one feedback. Our teachers monitor as students write, and review all writing the students deliver. Students receive feedback in one-on-one student-teacher writing conferences at each step of the way, which helps to clarify any confusion and highlights areas for improvement. We promise that your child will never receive a paper back with just a grade or cursory comment (such as "Good Job!"). At LePort, we take our job of teaching writing as seriously as we expect our students' to take theirs. We provide detailed written comments and corrections at each stage of writing, and expect each student to rewrite their work however many times it takes, until the writing reflects their best effort and ability.

With this level of support and guidance, our young writers experience less and less writer's anxiety the longer they study at LePort. We enable them to make real, attainable improvements in their writing skills.

I am an attorney, and I really appreciate LePort's writing program. It's really unique: because they are a small school and have very high standards, the kids will do many re-writes of their assignments. And that's how they actually learn—by doing draft after draft, correcting their mistakes under the guidance of their teachers, and learning to become better writers in the process. Many schools just can't do that—and what does a child learn, when he writes something once, then gets a grade and that's it?!

-Susan F., LePort Parent, Mission Viejo

Who We Are

Expert and Enthusiastic Literary Guides Who Thrive To Share The Experience Of Great Art With Our Students

We hire passionate people who love the literary arts, and have a strong background in working with children. We look for subject-matter knowledge, a love of education, and people who live their own lives joyfully and pursue their goals and values with relish. Typical profiles of our literature and language arts teachers are a theater actor who cannot wait to share her love of the stage; a children's author who truly understands and can communicate the elements of an unforgettable story; a masters in literature graduate who can guide advanced students through sophisticated literary works.

We follow LePort Schools' general training approach, and adapt it for literature and language arts:

Initial training period: observation in class of experienced teachers; assignment to read each literary work, review lesson plans, and discuss teaching approach with the Department Head; and supervised initial teaching period with twice-weekly feedback sessions.
Ongoing support: classroom management workshops, weekly observations by other teachers; weekly meetings with Head of School for professional development; ongoing review of graded student work by Head of School to ensure consistency of quality and standards.

Staff Profiles

Lindsay Journo
Department Head: Literature and Language Arts

Mrs. Journo received her Honors B.A. and B.Ed. from York University, and her Honors Specialist Certification in the Teaching of English from the University of Toronto. Before joining LePort Schools in 2003, Mrs. Journo worked as an administrator and teacher of English and history at private schools in Toronto, Canada, where she specialized in writing curriculum, leading teacher training workshops, and creating classroom resources.

Zev Barnett
Literature and Language Arts Teacher

Mr. Barnett received an Honors B.A. from the University of Toronto double majoring in history and literature. It was during his undergraduate career that Mr. Barnett first came to appreciate, among others, the likes of Emily Dickenson, William Shakespeare, and Victor Hugo. A first introduction to these literary giants only served to whet his appetite, and he subsequently went on to complete an M.A. at George Mason University. Given his passion for literature, Mr. Barnett found the prospect of beginning a teaching career at LePort to be an irresistible opportunity. When asked why, he said: "At LePort Schools English class not only focuses on teaching the content of a book or poem, but also focuses on communicating an enthusiasm for writing and reading. What benefit is it if a student is taught the plot of Romeo and Juliet, but learns to dislike Shakespeare? What I want to impart, more than anything else, is a love of literature."

Naomi Benjamin
Literature & Language Arts Teacher

Ms Benjamin graduated cum laude from the Honours College at College of Charleston with an A.B. in Classics and a B.A. in English. Writing and language have always been important to her, both in her own creative projects and in her professional experiences, such as her semester as a certified ‘Writing Lab’ tutor. She especially enjoys examining the way language is expressed through art and film. During her time at college, she spent six months studying abroad just outside of London, UK, an experience which saw her as a member of the university’s cross-country team and Chamber Choir (with which she sang on tour in Europe). Ms Benjamin has also always enjoyed interacting with children, especially during the four years she spent as a day-camp counsellor for 5-8 year olds. She hopes to instil in her pupils the same love for literature and language that have been a central part of her own life.

In her spare time, Ms Benjamin enjoys playing the piano, singing, running and working on her own creative writing projects.

Sarah Biddle
Literature and Language Arts Teacher

Mrs. Biddle received her Honors B.A. in History from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. Before moving to California, she was a registered nurse and worked part-time as an assistant teacher in a Montessori school. Mrs. Biddle spent two and a half years teaching at a private school in Aliso Viejo, where she taught literature, language arts and math, before joining LePort.

Mrs. Biddle is proud to be a teacher at LePort Schools because of its commitment to excellence, high standards and continual improvement. When asked why she changed to a career in teaching, Mrs. Biddle replied: "I love to watch children's minds blossom and grow. I love to see them discovering truths, making connections, and applying new knowledge to their daily lives. I especially love to see their faces shine with pride after succeeding in grasping a new idea or mastering a difficult skill." In addition to teaching, Mrs. Biddle enjoys ballroom, country and Latin dancing, reading great literature, and spending time with her family.

Tiffany Bithell
Literature, Language Arts and History Teacher

Mrs. Bithell has lived in Orange County her whole life. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Long Beach, with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a concentration in History/Social Science. As part of her degree program she also earned her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.

Prior to joining LePort in 2008, Mrs. Bithell has had the opportunity as a substitute teacher to teach a wide range of subjects to students in grades K-8. As well, her long-term placements have given her the opportunity to develop curriculum that is engaging and challenging for students. Mrs. Bithell particularly enjoys LePort Schools' private school setting because of its close-knit environment and stimulating curriculum. In addition to teaching, she enjoys reading, traveling, doing crafts, and hiking with her husband and dogs.

Lauren Donahoo
Literature and Language Arts Teacher

Orange County native, Ms. Donahoo, has been teaching almost as far back as she can remember, starting with teaching her younger brother shapes and colors when she was only a preschooler. She received her B.A. from Cal Poly Pomona University, where she graduated magna cum laude and was actively involved in the University Honors Program. It was in college that Ms. Donahoo's teaching adventure formally began, as she worked to design and teach a variety of theater classes for children in the local community.

Ms. Donahoo has extensive experience in private tutoring, having tutored in subjects ranging from primary reading to high school geometry. She has also developed and taught classes for several different summer drama camp programs. Prior to teaching at LePort, Ms. Donahoo worked as a teacher's aide at a private school in Laguna Niguel. In addition to the joy she receives from teaching and learning, Ms. Donahoo takes pleasure in reading, baking, playing games of all varieties, surfing, dancing, and spending time with friends and family.

Jane Erickson, Ph.D.
Language Arts Teacher

Ms. Erickson received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Yale University. During her intense study of cognitive development, Ms. Erickson had the opportunity to work with hundreds of children at a number of different elementary schools. She has lectured and published on issues in Developmental Psychology and has been sought after as an education consultant by well-recognized companies, including Hit Entertainment (creators of Dora the Explorer). In addition, she has received awards for her college-level teaching, including the prestigious Prize Teaching Award from Yale University.

Ms. Erickson is thrilled to be a member of the LePort team, where she can contribute to an outstanding curriculum delivered by dedicated teachers. She finds nothing more rewarding than watching children's curiosity nurtured into a lasting understanding and deep appreciation for the world, giving them the confidence to pursue and succeed at any endeavor they choose for their future.

Jillian Gabbriellini
Literature and Language Arts Teacher

Ms. Gabbriellini graduated from Sonoma State University with a B.A in English and a minor in Psychology. She is a trained reading and language specialist, who has taught students with language-based learning disabilities for over five years using both the Lindamood Bell and Kumon methods.

Before joining LePort, Ms. Gabbriellini worked at the Logan School for Gifted and Talented Learning in Denver, Colorado, where she taught third and fourth grade. Ms. Gabbriellini is honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the incredible education that LePort imparts. In addition to teaching, Ms. Gabbriellini also has a passion for writing young adult fiction. She is a published author and is currently seeking representation for her second novel.

What We Deliver

Clear Writers and Confident Speakers Who Find Joy and Ease In Expressing Their Ideas, and Are Superbly Prepared For Success at the Most Demanding Schools and Colleges

At LePort, we pride ourselves on turning reluctance into willingness. By providing our students with a clear process to follow, equipping them with the tools and skills they need to execute, and giving them opportunities to write about topics they know and are interested in, we convert reluctant writers into willing ones, and eager writers into skillful authors.

Our students can organize their thoughts and express them clearly and confidently. They are able to read their own work to ensure the content is logical, clear, and convincing, and that the style is sophisticated, accurate, and powerful. They relish reading printed works to enjoy stylistic achievements and to catch errors.

Presenting her teacher with a newspaper article, one student was utterly dismayed that it contained a "dangling participle". We have a "Wall of Shame" in which students can display errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation in printed materials and signs; unfortunately, they abound!

We understand that instruction in language arts results in students who are better READERS. Our students have the tools to decipher sophisticated vocabulary, to take in complex sentence structures, and to follow challenging arguments. Because they have been taught the art of word choice, sentence construction, and thought organization and communication, they are able to apply these skills in understanding the thoughts of others.

In the text "The War Against Grammar", a professor bemoaned the fact that his college students could not locate the subject and predicate in the opening sentence of the Declaration of Independence. Given this same test, our 8th graders were able to diagram the entire sentence (i.e. state the function of every single word)—most of them in less than 15 minutes!

Our students are beyond prepared for the language sections of standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT and are excellently prepared to succeed in the most challenging high school and college classes. Our students can read and understand the most complex texts; they have learned and remember a deep and broad vocabulary; and they are eager and skilled writers. They have the thinking and language arts skills they need to succeed in high school, gain admission to top colleges, and thrive in their studies and careers.