Parents and students think of the school day in much the same way everyone thought about it decades ago. Classes begin early in the morning and students finish in the mid-afternoon. While this plan may work for a majority of students, there are a significant number of students who have difficulty with fitting into the traditional school day for a number of reasons. This is why some schools have developed the ability to create an individualized curriculum.
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Most of us can remember being subjected to word problems, whether it was a happy challenge or a moment contributing to a lifelong math anxiety. A coffee merchant has two types of coffee beans, one selling for $3 per pound and the other for $5 per pound. The beans are to be mixed to provide 100 pounds of a mixture selling for $4.18 per pound. How much of each type of coffee bean should be used to form 100 pounds of the mixture? Why do I need to know this? Who decided what the right blend is anyway?
It should come as no surprise that, when the year ends, students and teachers are ready to part ways. The phrase, “If we never meet again, it’ll be too soon!” resonates with both parties. However, the saying doesn’t have to suggest a topsy-turvy year of mutual dissatisfaction. Rather, it can speak of something positive—the difficult yet rewarding path to personal growth.
Some history is easy to document. We have a wealth of primary sources to reference, and proof is as easy as pulling up news footage. But how do we teach the history about which we can't be quite sure, where we may not have any written documents, or where the records that exist are inherently suspect?
Like most specialized fields, education has its buzzwords. You’ve probably heard a few of them: grit, data-driven, student-centered, inquiry-based, flipped classroom, etc. Despite taking different approaches to education, all of these new perspectives on what teaching and learning could look like seem to be adding up to one big conclusion: college.
Last year we at Beekman added an introductory course in coding to our computer offerings. Since we are an iPad-based school, I settled on using the Swift programming language developed by Apple. Swift immediately got the attention of a lot of people, including companies such as IBM – and, believe it or not, Google. Swift also is a good development platform for iPad apps. With Swift, I could teach introductory coding one year, then app development the next year.
"Don’t try this at home!" This is the usual lament heard on TV or internet programs to warn against imitating a dangerous activity that you just saw. However, for my blog post today, I will be writing about something you should try at home! A fun, engaging experiment that enables you to determine the speed of light as Galileo Galilei, Hippolyte Fizeau, and Albert Michelson all did.
At The Beekman School, English teachers are given the freedom to personalize the curriculum by reading literature that’s not on most high school syllabi. While we don’t neglect the classics, we do spend the first week sizing up a class to determine what texts students might find especially engaging.
As a high school history teacher, I am frequently asked if I have any tips for high school history students. Yes! Be an intentional, critical and analytical reader. Look deep into topics. Read from multiple sources. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, to wonder, to change your mind.
The application process for an education program, whether it's high school, college, or a pre-K program, can be stressful. The best strategy is always to plan in advance, develop an outline, and take it one step at a time.
Although each school will have its own specific procedure, the private high school application process is generally the same at most schools. It's best to begin this understaking early in the fall of the year before you want to enroll in your new school.