Instructional Support Programs

List of 5 items.

• The Learning Center

   

  The Wright Learning Center is a designated space adjacent to the library. It is available to Middle and Upper School students to receive additional academic support during their school day. This quiet location, staffed by Brimmer faculty, can be accessed daily on a drop-in basis or assigned during free periods as needed.

   

  In addition to academic support, the Learning Center can help students with organization and other study skills. The Center is open during most study halls and reading periods.

• The Math Lab

  The Math Lab is an integral part of the Learning Center. It is a place where students can catch up on homework, practice for upcoming assessments, or review lessons with the Math Specialist. The Math Lab is open every day, and the lab supports students in both the Middle and Upper School. 
  
  The Math Specialist coordinates learning goals with all of the math teachers. Working with students individually and in small groups, the Math Lab helps students to stay on track in class, develop stronger mathematical foundations, and feel prepared to meet the curricular standards.

• The Upper School Writing Center

  The Writing Center is a resource that provides both writing support and extension for students. Located adjacent to the library, it is staffed by Upper School humanities teachers. The center is available for students to drop in during free periods or study halls, but students can also set up appointments in advance.
  
  Students can receive support on written work for all classes, and they can come during any stage of the writing process: brainstorming, outlining, drafting, or revising. For students in need of regular support, it is possible to have the Writing Center as a block on their weekly schedule.

   

  In addition to this support, the Writing Center Director also guides MS and US students through the process of producing and submitting their work to scholastic writing contests. These contests have included the Bennington College Young Writers Awards, The Letters about Literature Competition sponsored by The Massachusetts Center for the Book, The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and the Will McDonough Writing Contest sponsored by the Boston Sports Museum.

• Peer Tutoring

  Peer tutoring is a student-led initiative available to Middle and Upper School students. Peer tutors are carefully selected through an application process that includes teacher recommendations.

   

  Interested students may reach out to a peer tutor with a similar free period to set up a meeting time. Peer tutors offer support in the content areas of math, writing, science, and world languages.

• English Language Support

  For Brimmer’s international students and those whose first language is not English, we offer an English Language Support (ELS) program that provides individualized assistance.
  
  The ELS program provides students in Grades 6-12 with a strong foundation for success in a mainstream classroom setting: writing, reading, speaking, and listening. The ELS teacher works closely with humanities teachers in particular to provide students with the support to best understand, organize, and follow through on assignments in the subject areas that are most difficult for nonnative speakers of English—history and English classes. As students become acclimated to approaching and successfully completing projects, the ELS classroom becomes a place for enrichment—where students read short stories and novels, usually with a cultural focus, and where regular writing practice, vocabulary skill-building, and grammar are stressed alongside active participation in discussions and the development of presentation skills. 
  
  

  In the Upper School international students may be enrolled in Foundations of English for Non-native Speakers or Academic English for Non-native Speakers. These courses are focused on preparing students for the rigors of high school and college writing and help prepare international students for success.