Private College Preparatory School in Chicago

Latin School of Chicago:
Latin School of Chicago, located adjacent to Lincoln Park on the North Side is an independent, co-educational college preparatory school for students in junior kindergarten through grade twelve. Latin, the oldest independent school in the city of Chicago, was designed to provide students with a rigorous college-preparatory education with a curriculum that was heavily influenced by classical studies and the study of the Greek and Latin languages, hence the name “Latin School." Latin is still taught from sixth-grade onwards. This academic load is balanced by a wide array of outside opportunities to play sports; be in the Middle School play; participate on a competitive math, science, or chess team; work on the student newspaper; perform in the band or chorus and more.

Education Programs:
Latin School of Chicago provides its students with a rigorous and innovative educational program in a community that embraces diversity of people, cultures and ideas. Latin inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence. Whether in junior kindergarten or twelfth grade, our students take initiative and actively engage in their own learning. They develop confidence, courage and tenacity. They learn to think independently and work collaboratively. They acquire leadership skills and the desire to make a difference in the world.

Our curriculum covers all the traditional core subject areas—math, science, English and language arts, social studies and foreign language—but we use a range of innovative, creative ways to present the material.

English:
The primary goal of the English program is to teach and model the skills necessary for students to effectively articulate responses to literature, the world and themselves. Students are taught to read, think and write in a careful, critical and creative manner. The English Department is committed to developing strong writers through gradually building up the curriculum as students move through sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. A student-directed writers workshop, which emphasizes pre-writing, organizing, drafting, editing and revising, allows for a variety of writing opportunities.

Math:
The aim of the mathematics curriculum is to provide students with a strong background in algebra and to solidify the arithmetic fundamentals that have been developed in the lower school. As students are introduced to greater levels of abstract thinking, they are taught to apply these tools to more complex forms of problems and problem solving.

History and Social Studies:
We the study of ancient history, modern world cultures and American history to explore the development of the global and local world from ancient to modern times. Students analyze people, places and the issues they face by learning and practicing the skills of the social sciences. Further, students are challenged to see issues from multiple perspectives and engage in the study and pursuit of local and global citizenship.

Science:
The science program strives to give students the knowledge and skills needed to ask questions, start discovering answers and communicate ideas about themselves and the world around them. An experiential, inquiry-based approach is at the heart of middle school science teaching and learning. To create well-rounded students with strong critical thinking and problem solving skills, the scientific process is used as a way to understand scientific content.

Languages:
The Languages Department strives to provide a strong linguistic foundation in Chinese, French, Latin, or Spanish. Students develop speaking, listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing skills. They learn about culture and are exposed to a variety of materials, including print media. In the curriculum a special emphasis is placed on oral proficiency.

Arts:
In the studio art class, students explore art elements, principles and techniques in different media. Students create drawings, paintings, prints and collages. The faculty guides students to assess work through the use of rubrics. In addition, they use a problem-solving approach to art education, encouraging students to learn about art by creating art.

In music classes, students participate in band or chorus and are introduced to relevant literature. Their course of study culminates in musical presentations during the year. In dance, the curriculum is designed to further improve students’ ability to demonstrate their conceptual understanding of space, time and dynamics by teaching the necessary compositional components used in creating dances.

Physical Education:
In physical education classes, students meet as a grade and are then divided into four or five groups. Depending on the unit, they may be divided by gender (e.g. swimming is a single-sex unit). All students participate in sex education, nutrition and cardiovascular health in addition to sport and fitness units. Students receive an introduction to skills used in a variety of sports and activities and develop hand-eye coordination, tracking and striking. Higher grade students build upon those skills in more advanced games and activities. Finally, students focus on advanced skills, positioning and game strategies, and are given the opportunity to choose their own units in the spring