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March 14, 2008

From the Associate Director and Middle School Dean 3-14-2008

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March 14, 2008
Ann Meissner 

As I write this Friday Letter entry my phone continues to ring, bringing all kinds of wonderful news about high school acceptances. As you probably know, the process of applying to high schools requires a lot of time and energy in the fall and early winter of the eighth grade year. Families attend open houses and tours, eighth graders spend a day shadowing a student at high schools of interest, teachers write letters of recommendation, students study for and take SSAT and other standardized tests, and both parents and children complete written applications. Through this intensive process students and families come to know more about a range of schools, including boarding high schools as well as refine how they define a good match for themselves.

It is still too early in this process to publish the final list of high school acceptances but it is obvious by the information we have at this point that our students are being accepted into a wide range of schools, with many receiving multiple acceptances at their top choices. We have more students accepted at schools that are considered most difficult to get into than ever before, such as Lick Wilmerding, Lowell, Saint Ignatius, University, and Urban. I am unabashedly bragging about what I see as our strong academic program in the middle school!


I mention this because in this day of high-stakes testing, back to basics oriented standards and increasing concern about preparedness, it can be tempting to give into worries that a progressive style education doesn’t work. Families often select a progressive school for a younger child because the philosophy feels comfortable and reflects family values. And as the kids get older the perceived pressures of the “real world” often awaken a period of reevaluation. Parents ask themselves, “Did we pick the right school?” “Is this school still right for my child as s/he gets older?” Underlying these questions is often a concern about academic preparedness. Progressive education, while looking different than traditional approaches, actually prepares students in important ways that a more traditional approach cannot. As an article in the Spring 2008 issue of Independent School Magazine by Alfie Kohn states,

    Fortunately, what may have begun with values…has turned out to be supported by solid data. A truly impressive     collection of research has demonstrated that when students are able to spend more time thinking about ideas     than memorizing acts and practicing skills – and when they are invited to help direct their own learning – they     are not only more likely to enjoy what they’re doing but to do it better. Progressive education isn’t just more         appealing; it’s also more productive.

Kohn has spent many years researching and writing about progressive models and his review of research allows him to write,

    Across domains, the results overwhelmingly favor progressive education. Regardless of one’s values, in other         words, this approach can by recommended purely on the basis of its effectiveness. And if your criteria are more     ambitious – long-term retention of what’s been taught, the capacity to understand ideas and apply them to new     kinds of problems, a desire to continue learning – the relative benefits of progressive education are even             greater.

Teachers and staff of Presidio Hill get to see these higher order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation in action every day both in and out of the classroom. In the end, it is these critical thinking skills, students’ understanding of their own learning and a solid self confidence that impacts high school admissions.

If you would like to learn more about Alfie Kohn’s work please note that PHS parents have been invited to a parent education event at the Katherine Delmar Burke School. Unconditional Parenting: Beyond Bribes and Threats with Alfie Kohn will take place on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in Burke’s Gymnasium.  You can download a flyer about this event by clicking here.

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