Cluster Classes

Our elementary art program is designed to enrich and engage scholars on the autistic spectrum. Instruction is based on the NYC Blueprint for the Arts, which provides a curriculum that is both exploratory and rewarding. Scholars are em-powered to express themselves in various art forms, including painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and sculpture. Exposure to artists, art concepts, elements and principles of design, are at the core of the curriculum.

Field trips to art museums are also a culminating experience that creates learning opportunities outside the classroom. With value placed on visual awareness, scholars gain a better meaning of their artwork and artwork of others.

Annually, scholars are challenged and encouraged to enter art competitions. As a result, our program has some of the most talented group of chosen finalists throughout NYC DOE. Their work has been showcased at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bronx Museum, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, The VSA Calendar and Lehman College Art Gallery to date.

Dance And Movement Class

On the 4th floor of our school is our dance and movement classroom. Students will experience a high energy learning environment that includes activities such as performing choreographed dances, participating in movement games and listening to a variety of music genres. Our goal is to provide our students the opportunity for physical development, creativity and self-expression.

Twice a year our students will take the stage to display their hard work and talent. The shows are truly inspiring to see and as they are a reflection of our students' great success.

Adapted Physical Education

At X188 the Mission of the Adapted Physical Education program was to provide students with disabilities accommodations necessary for equal and effective participation in Physical Education experiences. As Adaptive Physical Education instructors we believe that our students at X188 should be exposed to a variety of physical activities throughout the school year.

Many of our activities are designed and modified to effectively develop our students fundamental gross motor skills, and patterns with activities such as walking, running, jumping, skipping, catching, and throwing. Students have also been exposed to group games and modified sports such as Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Soccer, and Football.

Students of all grades have made tremendous strides since September and continue to improve dramatically moving forward. The effort amongst myself, and my colleagues has made this school year an exceptional one, in which I feel all our students have grown and developed their individual psychomotor, cognitive, and affective abilities.

Urban Advantage is a city council-funded organization designed to improve middle school students understanding of scientific inquiry. They achieve this by providing top quality professional development as well as class trip vouchers to NYC middle school teachers at NYC's prime science institutions: zoos, botanical gardens, museums and science centers. Students are shown how to collect data and gather research at these institutions in order to complete a long-term science investigation. UA schools receive an annual stipend to use toward science materials/supplies.

P188X has been a UA school for the past 10 years. This has contributed greatly to our science program as well as the learning demonstrated at our annual STEM fair.

Students will explore and apply technology to create works using multimedia resources such as literature, video, music, digital and recorded materials and using the internet.

There will be an emphasis placed on learning appropriate social skills to navigate multimedia based on Digital Citizenship resources from the Common Sense Media curriculum and NetSmartz.org. These resources compliment P188X Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies supports through learning, identifying and reinforcing appropriate behaviors.

The development of skills will be supported using augmentative and alternate communication resources when appropriate to facilitate access to communication. Students will have opportunities to integrate skills learned to plan, conceptualize and produce authentic work using desktop computers, smartboards, iPads, digital cameras, recorded books and other media.

Students will explore the world of woodworking through hands on projects. They will learn general shop safety rules as well as safe handling of common woodworking tools and stationary machines.

Projects will incorporate hands on problem solving. Students will work individually and in groups.

Creative thinking will be fostered along with Imagination and cooperation. Connections to other subject areas and the community will be made at every opportunity.

We are currently building a replica of an antique grandfather clock. We will create a book documenting the process. We are also building a step stool that each student will be take home upon competition.