Blog
Why Enroll In a College Prep School? What’s Different About It?
It seems that the college admissions process continues to feel more competitive and stress-inducing with each passing year, whether we like it or not. To prepare for that challenge, it is necessary to find good college prep programs that will prepare you for those expectations. If you’re close to finishing the 8th grade and beginning to look for the best college prep high schools, you probably already know why this type of program is so important. If your goal is to attend college, those four years of high school must teach you the skills required for a successful transition into higher education. It’s more that just life skills, as vital as they are in this process. There are specific academic preparations that will be part of your four-year program. College prep high schools know the skill set that universities assume you possess when you join their student body, and high school teachers are including those in the lessons they develop during your time in their courses. This is...read more
Notable Student Success Stories: Linli Chin
After teaching for over 16 years at Beekman, it's nice to take a moment to reflect on all the amazing years and think of the highs as well as the lows. Earlier this quarter, the teachers got an opportunity to do a vlog entry on student success stories. One that stood out in my mind was of a former student, Emma, who was in my Algebra 2 class about 11 years ago. When she first came to Beekman, Emma seemed introverted, quiet and shy, but being in a school with under 100 students, and in a class with only three other students, does have its advantages. We are able to work together on the material at the student's pace, answer any questions they might have along the way, and really get to know and connect with them on a personal level. Having this opportunity made it easy for Emma to feel safe and she began to open up to the students in the class and the teachers at the school. She started to be more engaged with the other students in the class and showed signs of actually enjoying...read more
Early Decision: What Happens if You Back Out?
Early Decision (ED) is a very appealing application option. Students who apply early decision know their admission decision before the New Year and, if accepted, they are set free from the grueling college application process. For many students, knowing their college plans as soon as possible is a huge relief. Applying early decision is very tempting; however, students must be cognizant of that to which they are agreeing. The early decision application is a binding contract where, by signing the agreement, a student is committing to enroll at a first-choice institution if accepted and then withdraw all applications to other schools. Not only does the student sign the agreement, her parents and school counselor do as well. This is not a decision to be made lightly. A student should only apply ED if she is 100% certain that this school is her dream school and the best possible match for her. But what if a student changes his mind? What if he gets accepted to another school that he...read more
Notable Student Success Stories: Ian Rusten
I taught at a very large public school for a number of years. I had about 34 students in each class, which makes it very challenging to provide each student with the individual attention and support they deserve. Then I became a teacher at The Beekman School. What a change it has been! I teach in a small townhouse setting with small class sizes that allow me to tailor the lessons to my student’s interests. The largest classes at Beekman have 9 or 10 students. As a result, I can provide each of my students with individualized attention. During my first year at the school, I had a student who was very shy. She did not want to say a word. At our school you notice this kind of thing. I knew that English was not her first language, and wondered if this contributed to her shyness in class. However, once she started turning in her homework, I realized that she was a wonderful writer in English! I had the opportunity to stop her after class on day and complimented her on her writing...read more
Personalized Learning: What We Can Learn from the One-Room Schoolhouse
Imagine this: a one-room schoolhouse, filled with students of all ages. I’m sure you probably have a picture in your mind that is similar to a scene out of “Little House on the Prairie”—and a sense that this is an antiquated and out-dated mode of education. The concept of one teacher working with a variety of students who are at different levels doesn’t tie in with our image of a modern/technological society. However, personalized learning does just that. As any teacher can tell you, a classroom of 15 different students is a classroom with 15 different levels and specific learning needs. Technology is helping teachers (and students) meet the individual needs of a particular course while keeping the benefits of a group setting. Flipped classrooms, online problem sets, and search engines help solve some of the problems hindering true personalized education in traditional schools. But does this mean that the computer does the teaching? Absolutely not! This access to technology...read more
More than Greeks: Foundations of Western Culture
The Tetractys There was a man here, Pythagoras, ...living in voluntary exile. Though the gods were far away, he visited their region of the sky, in his mind, and what nature denied to human vision he enjoyed with his inner eye. -Ovid, Metamorphoses, Bk XV When I went to high school, it was taught that Western culture was the inheritor of the achievement in thoughts and beliefs of the ancient Greek philosophers. Figures like Pythagoras gave us great theorems of geometry, such as: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 and taught that the whole of reality was generated and governed by numbers. It was (and still is) taught that Pythagoras, along with Plato, Socrates, and the rest were the foundation of rational thought and philosophy. But, while that is all well and good, so much was and is left out. What is selectively taught leaves an incomplete view of these men and their contributions to western culture. And what wasn’t and isn’t taught is that they were all mystics. They...read more
Mind the Gap Year
If you’ve ever been on the London tube, you’ve seen the signs that say, MIND THE GAP. Given that it’s college application season, my message to parents is, “Mind the gap year.” I know what you’re thinking: “If my child took a year off before college, she’d never go back to school. She’ll become a GAP salesclerk for life.” My response is, “Not if you handle the process correctly.” First, let’s talk logic. The notion that all 18-year-olds are somehow ready to matriculate is ludicrous. Young children don’t learn to read at the same age; some boys get facial hair at 13, others at 16. Eighteen-year-old students do not suddenly move in lockstep, each fully prepared to choose a major and work towards it. Your Starbucks barista or assistant cheese cutter at Eataly might very well be a college drop-out—possibly demoralized by the fact that she failed because she didn’t want to go in the first place. Moreover, you, the parent—for your hard-earned $50,000—have nothing to show for the year but a...read more
College Placement - Finding What's Right For You
There are approximately 4,500 colleges in the United States. Whether your child wants to attend a traditional four-year institution, community college, musical conservatory, or an art institute, higher education is a viable option for everyone. As a college placement counselor, if I had to choose the most important thing for students and families to remember about the college process it would be that college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. For seniors, the college process has been built up since kindergarten. Now, after just a few short months in the fall, it is finally coming to an end and many students are ready to take control of their education and be accountable for their future. While it is an exciting process with so many possibilities, it can also be draining, time-consuming, and sometimes crushing. There is a lingering fear of rejection that hangs over students’ heads throughout the entire process. If they don’t get accepted to a top-name school, they may feel...read more
Preparing for College
What does college preparation mean? Quite simply, it’s being ready to embrace and succeed with the rigors of college by the time you receive your diploma. That is a four-year process that requires focus, discipline, and planning. Many students are unsure of how to prepare for college in high school. When should you start preparing for college? The process begins in the 9th grade and continues through your senior year of high school. Always take the highest level of the core academic courses that your school offers and that you feel you have the educational foundation in which to do well. That means avoiding AP Chemistry if your strengths are in the humanities. Most people have areas of strength and weakness. Unfortunately, you’re still going to have to take some upper-level math classes even if you are a stronger student in English. Make sure your transcript reflects your areas of strength while continuing to get the highest grades that you can in the subjects that aren’t...read more
"Don't Boo--Vote!"
This week marked the final presidential debate prior to Election Day 2016. In just under three weeks, we will head to the polls and select our next president. For history teachers, election years provide a wealth of ready-made lesson topics and fuel for class discussions. However the premise has been tested this year, as the election has become increasingly contentious and the political debates have become personal instead of substantive. Faced with these realities, the election has become a more difficult one to properly address in a classroom setting. Nonetheless, I strongly believe that my role as a history teacher encompasses more than merely teaching about the past. Regardless of the ultimate outcome of this election, there is no question that this is a historical election year and one that future students will encounter in their textbooks some day. This fits with one of the ideas that I like to convey to students, that they themselves are historical subjects. With this in mind,...read more