The Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach is the cornerstone of Bodine School’s academic curriculum used as intervention for our students’ reading challenges daily.
Orton-Gillingham Instruction
Bodine School’s faculty members receive ongoing professional development in Orton-Gillingham (O.G.) methodology. The O.G. approach is widely accepted as the most effective language-based, multisensory approach to teaching individuals with dyslexia or who have related struggles with reading, spelling, and writing.
One of the many benefits to being O.G. trained is that it gives a teacher the ability to provide an individualized approach to helping each student with his or her unique learning needs. As the Mid-South’s leader in remediating children with dyslexia and related reading differences, Bodine is committed to providing a multisensory approach to instruction for students who think and learn differently.
In recent years, Bodine teachers have completed hundreds of hours of graduate level coursework in O.G. Teachers and staff at Bodine hold the distinction of Classroom Educator and Associate Level ceritfication through the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE). AOGPE is internationally renowned for its leadership and expertise in training teachers to support dyslexic learners.
A Typical Day at Bodine
During the critical morning hours of classroom instruction each day, our students are actively immersed in the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach to language instruction. They use sight, hearing, touch, and movement to connect letters with sounds. OG remediation is delivered in class sizes of 10 students or fewer.
In the afternoons, Bodine School looks like a typical elementary school. At all grade levels, co-curricular classes are incorporated into the weekly schedule; these courses include Art, Innovation Lab, Library, Music, and Physical Education.
Innovation Lab
If you take a moment and look around you, you will quickly realize that we live in a world of innovation. In fact, our school was created because one of its kind didn’t exist in the Memphis area. Our school is rooted in innovation, and that fact is perhaps most apparent in our Innovation Lab classes, which are included in each grade level’s weekly schedule. Innovation Lab incorporates the fields that are collectively known as STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The lessons learned in Innovation Lab don’t just prepare a student for middle and high school; we are preparing them for the world!
Arts
Bodine School seeks to foster students’ creative ability and artistic expression. Students possess stores of creative energy which, when expressed in drawing, painting, writing, music or dramatic arts, become a valuable source of pride and accomplishment. Such creativity is incorporated throughout the curriculum through the use of creative learning in content areas. In addition, Art and Music classes are incorporated into each grade level’s weekly schedule. Throughout the year, our students participate in schoolwide activities such as musical productions and art exhibitions.
Athletics
Bodine School’s athletics are overseen by Coach Marko Pavlovic. All of our students meet with Coach Marko for P.E. class 2 times per week. Our P.E. classes focus on the development of teamwork, good sportsmanship, and physical, social, and emotional skills, and students are introduced to a wide variety of sports and activities. In addition, Coach Marko manages Bodine’s afterschool soccer and basketball teams. Our Fall and Spring soccer teams are open to boys and girls in grades 1-6, and our Winter basketball team is open to boys and girls in grades 1-6.
