Teachers guide students through a challenging curriculum supported by developmentally appropriate activities and multi-sensory teaching methods.
Students are encouraged to discover their individual strengths, explore their God-given talents and, through the school’s flexible and sequential learning program, strive for academic success.
CMDS is accredited by AdvanceEd, and is a member of the Memphis Association of Independent Schools, Tennessee Association of Independent Schools, and Southern Association of Independent Schools.
Explore the cmds curriculum strategy and design
STEAM Initiative
From building bridges to creating catapults to designing a house that will withstand an earthquake, CMDS students are exposed to a STEAM Initiative that forms the foundation of the academic curriculum at our school. Rather than teach science, technology, engineering, art, and math in a vacuum, our STEAM program integrates these subjects in an inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum that more closely aligns with what students will experience in high school, college and the workforce.
These days, students are used to working with technology. Active engagement is always more meaningful than worksheets. By learning and living out the engineering design process, our students must seek out information rather than just receive it from a teacher. We want to create an environment where students feel comfortable to take risks and try new ideas, while still remaining supportive and encouraging as they change and reinvent their ideas and creations. The STEAM Initiative gives our students the chance to tinker, create, collaborate and build!
Technology
We invest strategically in technology to support a balanced learning environment. In the classrooms, our students learn to use technology as a tool to research, evaluate, communicate, connect, create, collaborate and learn. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum, and students, beginning with our youngest in 2K, are taught a progression of skills. They develop coding skills and keyboarding proficiency, learn research techniques and experiment with a wide variety of applications and their functions. They also have many opportunities to connect and communicate with people across our nation and around the world.
Student Support Learning Support
Learning Support is designed to give academic support to students through work in a small group setting for a portion of the day. Our Learning Support teachers also give periodic learning support in the students’ regular classrooms as needed. Students are admitted to the program based on performance observations, teacher referrals and diagnostic testing. The Learning Support program promotes success through a combination of small group work in a separate setting, as well as individual assistance in the regular classroom.
Student Support Kudzu
The KUDZU program is designed for high-achieving students in second through sixth grade who need further academic challenges at an accelerated pace. Entrance into the program is based on exceptional classroom performance, work ethic, grades, and standardized test scores. KUDZU follows a multidisciplinary curriculum built around thematic units that are based on student interests and teacher recommendations. Students are challenged through a variety of teaching strategies, including manipulatives, learning centers, cooperative groups, thematic units, games, visual/dramatic arts, guest speakers, field trips and technology research.
Through active learning strategies, students develop their skills in math, language arts, leadership, social skills, creativity, technology, independent thinking, reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving. KUDZU students are challenged to reach their greatest academic potential.
