Skip to main content

Blog

Authored by:
Vanilla Macias-Rodriguez, Science Teacher
There are many things we experience in our day-to-day life that we believe just can't be explained, like déjà vu, love, the amazing feeling that washes over you when you feel the warmth from the sun
Authored by:
Maren Holmen, Director of The Tutoring School
Even though the AP exams aren’t until May, now is the time to start your AP test prep, particularly if you aren’t taking an AP course.  (Yes, that’s correct—it is possible to take an AP exam even if you aren’t taking an AP course in that subject area!)  Because AP exams are what colleges use to judge whether or not you are granted college credit for your knowledge in a certain subject, they are more comprehensive and require a greater knowledge than an SAT Subject test.  Understandabl
Authored by:
George Higgins, Headmaster
Each generation has looked at the cost of private education and wondered if it was worth the money when there are free public schools available.  For some, those public schools can actually rival many of the good private schools.  But for most, there is a huge gap between the two programs in the quality of education received.
Authored by:
Michelle Koza, English Teacher
Andrew* was a demanding student. He was a challenge to have in class, since he appeared to have no filter when he was sharing his thoughts during discussion. He would interrupt me and his peers frequently, and he was notorious for not listening to others’ perspectives. He had many challenges in reading and writing, but he was extremely hard working. In the end, this made all the difference. As teachers we have to engage even our most difficult students, and I came to admire Andrew and his work ethic.
Authored by:
George Higgins, Headmaster
Perhaps you’re one of those people who have already applied to several schools for next fall and are now waiting to see which schools offer you a seat.  Hopefully, you will receive several letters and have many options.  With choices comes the hard part; what are the best private schools from the selection you’ve been given?
Authored by:
Ke Xin (Coco) Yang
My career at Beekman started in my second year in the U.S.  At first, I chose Beekman simply because I needed to attend a private high school in order to continue studying in the States. But I hoped the small-size classes could help me more than my previous public high school (which had 2500 students). By the time I entered Beekman, I appeared to be introverted because of the language barrier and did not have much of a plan for the future. With two years of help from Beekman, I am now able to study at a U.S. college and pursue a definite goal.
Authored by:
Maren Holmen, Director of The Tutoring School
The four-year high school model works for most students; it provides enough time to adequately learn all of the information that we expect students to learn before they go on to other institutions or start careers as well as enough opportunity to mature and learn those “soft skills.”  However, there is a segment of the student population who would strongly benefit from an accelerated high school program, enabling them to graduate in less than four years.  Who are these students and how can schools suppo
Authored by:
Deborah Doering, Art Teacher
I am an artist-educator actively involved in making socially-engaged art using a variety of technologies and techniques. When I came to The Beekman School to teach drawing and photography three years ago, I was not quite sure how to approach teaching drawing and photography to students who might not be very interested in “art” of any kind. Serendipitously, I had one very talented and passionate art student in my first class – but his passion was Manga and Anime, and these were art forms that were largely unfamiliar to me.
Authored by:
Maren Holmen, Director of The Tutoring School
Numerous articles (including our own on this blog) have been written about how to choose the right high school.  Clearly, this is neither easy nor easily quantifiable.  There are many references to making lists, doing your research, and asking questions of everyone you know.  These are all part of choosing the right high school—but it isn’t the core, in my opinion.   Myth:  There’s a right school for every person.
Authored by:
Vanilla Macias-Rodriguez, Science Teacher
I grew up believing mediocrity was unacceptable.  In the Macias household, the only acceptable report card grade to bring home was an A.  B’s were considered failing grades and only God knew what would happen to you if you ever brought home a C.  Neither I nor my siblings cared to test out that scenario.  We worked hard to live up to and exceed the expectations our parents placed on our shoulders.  Life has taught me that not everyone had that same experience.  In fact, I think my tough-love upbringing is becoming quite the rarity in today’s world and average is unfortunately becoming the a