At The New School, our students take charge of their academic lives.
Our curriculum focuses on applied learning, critical and creative thought, and mastery of academic skills – what we call “deep learning” – and is, we feel, an ideal preparation for college and life beyond. We know, too, that giving students choices in the direction of their work fosters “ownership” – students feeling invested in their work, positive about themselves, and inspired to set higher and higher expectations for their work.
STEVE ROUSHAKES, HEAD OF SCHOOL
Teachers/Advisors, the Academic Dean, and the Head of School work closely with our students and their parents to choose classes that stretch them intellectually and build skills while fulfilling their graduation requirements. Our students are given a great deal of choice, particularly in the high school, to encourage them to invest in their education. Rather than general classes (e.g., English 9, Chemistry 10, Social Studies 11), students choose from a generous selection of fascinating classes within each discipline (e.g., The Search for Self in Literature, The Chemistry of War, The Art and Science of Dreams). In essence, our curriculum focuses on applied learning and mastery of academic skills, rather than memorization of facts.