We asked….They told. The High School Survey of Student Engagement (known as the Hessie) is a highly regarded survey measuring the academic, social, and emotional engagement of high school students across the United States. It is administered annually by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy at Indiana University. Since the survey’s inception, over 500,000 … Read more
A colleague from a neighboring school has sent the following link from the New York Times. It’s a cautionary tale of just how much can go wrong when the political focus is test scores and not learning. On New York School Tests, Warning Signs Ignored. When New York State made its standardized English and math … Read more
We need a broader vision of success. We believe that real success results from attention to the basic developmental needs of children and a valuing of different types of skills and abilities. We support parents and schools who are willing to set the bar high for children, and who understand that real success encompasses: Character … Read more
A PATH TO COLLEGE, CAREER AND CIVIC SUCCESS Talents, when revealed, need to be celebrated. Challenges, when discovered, need to be addressed. Problems, when they arise, need to be solved. This is never so true as when we are talking about our children — their health, their growth, their education and their development. It is … Read more
Some days just stand out. And this was one of them. First there was breakfast in the new dining room and conversations with high school athletes (there were two games from yesterday) and parents. Then the always weekly standout lower school assembly. Since last year we have taken away the 1960’s era sunken pit. Interesting … Read more
The coffee houses of the Enlightenment; the Paris salons of Modernism – two examples of the spaces conducive to innovation and new ideas. Here’s Steven Johnson on how good ideas happen to good minds and how they are incubated over time and in spaces where intellectual diversity thrives and connection happens. Could classrooms be like … Read more
From the NYTimes Scientifically tested tests …there are few indications that the multiple-choice format of a typical test, in which students are quizzed on the specific formulas and bits of information they have memorized that year, actually measures what we need to know about children’s education. Susan Engel was also on The Academic Minute on … Read more
First day of the new food service and a great lesson from the lower school lunch line. “I don’t eat salad.” “Just try it.”
Ever wonder what happens in an all-school assembly when all students and faculty pre-k through 12th grade gather in the James Earl Jones Theater? Along with all-school activities we we have these regularly scheduled throughout the year including Thanksgiving and the annual Peacemakers Assembly every winter. The welcome back assembly last week did not include … Read more
…what children want to learn to do.” Take a look at this from Sugata Mitra. There are some really important lessons here. Which one resonates with you?
Every year there are new hats on the shelf in the kindergarten. Every year there are so many opportunities for kindergartners to try on new roles and responsibilities. Kindergarten is known as the age of industry for a reason: Make a suggestion and these children are ready to take it on and try it on. … Read more
The PDS faculty took The Marshmallow Challenge this morning. Using 20 pieces of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string and a marshmallow: Build the highest freestanding structure with the marshmallow on top. Time allowed: 18 minutes Here’s a glimpse of what happened: Here’s the background to the project:
This video was produced by the New Brunswick, Canada, Department of Education. It reflects their thinking about our rapidly changing world, the future of education and the needs of their students. At PDS we are always thinking about our students and how to serve them best. As you watch the film – what are your … Read more
Part two of: The Age of Bricolage: School in the Change Blender: Technology is always disruptive: Think of the introduction of the printing press, or the combine harvester, or the typewriter. Think of the mechanical looms and the factory system of the industrial revolution that destroyed a way of life for cottage industry weavers. Some … Read more
When everything around is changing so rapidly that it feels like living inside a blender on high speed, habits and traditions can be comforting. As the year rolls along in any school there are the dates on the calendar – love them or dread them, those ceremonies, and celebrations – that are familiar, anticipated and … Read more