Meritas Teachers Earn Accolades by Demonstrating Excellence in Education

CHICAGO, Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Meritas Family of Schools is made up of thoughtful educators who are focused on continuous academic and social growth for each student. As such, teachers throughout the Meritas family are earning accolades that demonstrate the quality you will find in any Meritas classroom around the world.

Meritas, with nine K-12 schools in an international network of over 11,000 students around the world, includes schools in Arizona, China, Florida, Nevada, Mexico, Switzerland and Texas. Meritas schools have educated more than 50,000 students and have over 50 years of proven academic success with inspiring teachers at its foundation.

Meritas is focused on retaining, training, supporting and recruiting the most talented teachers and administrators. Educators become a part of a collaborative environment focused on student growth as well as professional development. Meritas teachers are challenged, held accountable and experience a tremendous sense of passion and support.  

One shining example is Dr. Anja Werthenbach of College du Leman in Geneva, Switzerland, who was recently awarded the annual Meritas Excellence in Teaching:

"Dr. Werthenbach was selected for her boundless energy and enthusiasm both in the classroom and beyond," said Mac Gamse, CEO of Meritas. "Her endless search for innovative ways to teach her subject and her determination to further her studies in the field of education due to genuine interest should be applauded.  She is a true role model and continues to raise the bar for Meritas educators."

Music is of great importance in the Meritas tradition. Through the Meritas Strings™ program, students in schools across the Meritas network learn to play the violin in the first grade. Our goal is that Meritas elementary school students achieve a level of fluency so that they can benefit from the musical, social and academic lessons it has to offer.

Ashley Jordan, the Performing Arts Director and music teacher at Leman International School in Chengdu, China, is another Meritas paradigm of education. In her time as a Meritas educator, Ms. Jordan has been able to establish a music program including a musicianship-based curriculum for Middle School, a dynamic experiential-based curriculum for all primary students and an after-school violin program for Grades 3 through 8. Her students have performed on campus, at local hospitals, at the U.S. consulate, and at several city-wide events, gaining an array of enriching experiences. Ms. Jordan's teaching skills, passion for music and ability to organize events on campus and in the city have had a profound impact on the development of her students.

Additionally, Meritas students gain inspiration from teachers who share their passion. This school year, Kenny Britt of Lake Mary Preparatory School in Lake Mary, Florida, will join members of the USA Rugby League's (USARL), Jacksonville Axemen, and the USA National team, to launch a youth Rugby League camp that is garnering international attention.

"We believe that our teachers help ignite the spark to student success," said Mac Gamse. "The Meritas Family of Schools fosters achievement in all areas, whether it is in the classroom, on the sports field, or in conversations with students from around the globe. Student success and academic achievements are primarily due to student-teacher relationships and each teacher's day-to-day monitoring of student progress. By recruiting and nurturing our educators, Meritas is able to have a profound impact on the learning process and the outcome of our students' educational experience."

Meritas' top-performing teachers from around the globe lead by example and challenge each student to make optimal progress through the Meritas Academic Plan (MAP). The MAP is a roadmap of time-tested and proven instruction methods that hold Meritas schools and teachers accountable for each student's academic progress and personal growth. Key components include small group class sizes and differentiated instruction, teaching high-order reasoning skills, development of Personal Learning Plans (PLP) for each student, emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking. Meritas provides consistent feedback and collaboration with parents, including student-led parent/teacher conferences. This personal approach ensures that teachers get to know each child's unique strengths, goals and learning style that enable them to flourish and reach their academic potential.

Experts in the field of education can attest to the success of differentiated education – the heart of Meritas' MAP. According to a 2005 study by C. Tieso entitled The effects of grouping practices and curricular adjustments on achievement, "Tieso studied 31 math teachers and 645 students and found that differentiated instruction was effective for keeping high-ability students challenged in heterogeneous classrooms. In this study…students who were taught using a differentiated curriculum that supplemented the textbook curriculum and were placed in various groups according to their performance level demonstrated significantly higher achievement on the post-test than did high-performing students who were taught using the textbook curriculum and whole-class instruction…especially for gifted students."

Student growth is tracked annually through Meritas' proprietary Individual Growth Assessments, which are based on student results from the Educational Record Bureau's CTP-4 tests. Finally, through Touchpoints, students are able to garner unique learning experiences by interacting with students from other Meritas schools around the world to work on understanding some of the world's most pressing issues. As a result, Meritas students go on to their top-choice universities with the critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills needed to excel in life.

About Meritas

Meritas is a worldwide family of college-preparatory schools that provides highly personalized education to more than 11,000 K-12 students at our nine schools across the globe. Meritas dedicates itself to helping each student reach their highest potential, both academically and socially. Meritas student's go on to become critical thinkers and ethical leaders who succeed at their top-choice university and contribute to society throughout their lives. For more information, visit www.meritas.net.

Source of Study

Tieso, C. (2005). The effects of grouping practices and curricular adjustments on achievement. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 29(1), 60–89.

SOURCE Meritas Family of Schools