Academics
Humanities students undertake a college preparatory curriculum which allows all of its students to choose the classes they want. Prep's educational mission is broad: The whole student is the subject. In contrast to the scope of this mission, however, Prep's courses are thematic and focused to facilitate deep investigations of self and world and the meaningful generation/acquisition of knowledge. Teachers and departments have autonomy in curriculum design. The small classes are heterogeneously grouped by ability and age and include special needs students, allowing for a student-centered pedagogy and the discovery of multiple intelligences. Prep teaching embodies the conviction that work is the basic medium of self-actualization and discovery. Self-reflection and revision are essential work habits, and primacy is placed on multiple drafts and critique. Students are required to pass the English, math, science, and history Performance Based Assessment Test with at least an 80. Unlike traditional public high schools from the state of New York, Prep does not take the Regents examination except the English Regent. The Performance Based Assessment Tests (PBATs) are much more difficult than the regents exam. Students are to create a paper in the subject area showing their mastery of the material. To present a PBAT, students at prep must have completed the course for the given subject. All students must acquire 44 credits in order to graduate. Students are encouraged to take college classes during their junior and senior years at college now.
Read more about this topic: Humanities Preparatory Academy
Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)