Curriculum

P.S. 178 is located in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. This Kindergarten through fifth grade school is a community of learners, encompassing children, staff and parents. We take pride in our diversity and strive to embrace a social compact of respect and acceptance. We are committed to an ethnically diverse student population, and heterogeneous grouping of children in a child centered, safe and supportive environment. Encouraging children to become self-directed, independent learners. We embrace dynamic curricula where both innovative and proven teaching methods are valued.

“If children do not learn the way we teach them, then we must teach them the way they learn.”

Literacy

P.S. 178 uses a rigorous, science-backed approach to teach literacy. Our goal is that students become fluent, independent readers and writers.

To support in all areas of we use multiple curriculums to reach our students in every area of reading and writing.

  • Expeditionary Learning to teach reading content
  • Heggarty to teach phonemic awareness
  • Wilson's Fundations and Just Words to teach phonics
  • Thinking Maps to support and teach the structure of writing

All of P.S. 178’s curriculum is aligned with the Next Generation standards and differentiated by teachers to meet the needs of our students.

  • Teacher reading with student

Mathematics

At P.S. 178, we use Illustrative Mathematics (IM), an inquiry-based curriculum designed to help students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and become confident, flexible problem-solvers.

Our math instruction emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, and meaningful mathematical discussions. Rather than simply memorizing procedures, students are encouraged to explore different strategies, explain their reasoning, and make connections between mathematical ideas and real-world situations.

Through hands-on activities, visual models, and engaging problem-solving tasks, students build strong foundations in number sense, computation, geometry, measurement, and other essential mathematical skills.

Our goal is to foster a positive mathematical identity in every student, helping all learners recognize themselves as capable mathematicians who can think critically, persevere through challenges, and approach problems with curiosity and confidence.