51勛圖厙

School Life

For boarding school students, and many teachers, the campus is home. Explore dormitory living, get expert advice on learning and living away from home and learn more about what can be done to help your child transition to and succeed in boarding school. Find resources for parents, teachers and students. Well cover sustainability, boarding school jargon, and corporal punishment. Read first-hand accounts from parents of boarding school students, find graduation gift ideas, and learn why small classes are effective.

View the most popular articles in School Life:

A Year At A Swiss 51勛圖厙 School

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A Year At A Swiss 51勛圖厙 School
This article provides an insightful glimpse into the unique experience of attending a boarding school in Switzerland. It explores the enriching academic and cultural environment offered by these institutions, highlighting the benefits of international exposure, rigorous education, and diverse extracurricular activities. The author shares personal anecdotes and testimonials from students, shedding light on the holistic development and lifelong friendships fostered in Swiss boarding schools. Whether considering a boarding school experience or simply curious about this educational pathway, this article offers valuable insights into the world of Swiss boarding schools

Editor's note: In 1957-58 my cousin Peter Denis attended a boarding school in Switzerland. He very kindly answered my questions about his time abroad at school. ~Rob

What prompted your parents to send you to boarding school overseas? Which school did they send you to? How did you get there?

My parents wanted me to improve my French. So they sent me for one year after high school and before university to , Chailly sur Lausanne, Switzerland. I was the third in a series of five people who had followed such a plan. The idea was to live in the boarding school together with the students doing regular studies. I was enrolled to learn French, which I had already been exposed to over eight years growing up in my hometown of Montreal, Quebec. This Swiss school had a French second language program with dedicated teachers to accommodate students from around the world. The 18 students in my class came from the US, Norway, Sweden, Iran, and Germany, to name just a couple of the countries.

There was no penalty for speaking English, but if you were going to survive, you had to learn French. Once your French was at an acceptable level, you were placed in the regular classes.

I traveled to Le Havre, France, via a Cunard steamship from Montreal. Then I spent five days in Paris

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Schools in the NEPSAC Founders League

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Schools in the NEPSAC Founders League
The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council was founded in 1942. It has grown from eleven schools to over one hundred sixty schools. More about NEPSAC and private school sports here.

The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council was founded in 1942 as an informal association of prep school athletic directors in New England. What is very gratifying to see after over 70 years is the growth of the organization from the original eleven schools to a membership currently in the 160 range. That growth is proof of the importance which private schools attach to their athletic programs.

As I have stated many times, sports programs are not an optional extra in private schools. Sports programs are integrated fully into the education of young people in private schools which take the saying of the first century Roman poet Juvenal seriously. "Mens sana in corpore sano" which means a healthy mind in a healthy body. Private schools adopted this approach from the beginning. As a result, you won't find many private schools where sports are not compulsory. Sports are an integral component of most private school programs. Most schools set aside a weekday afternoon when the entire school engages in a variety of athletic activities. As you scan private school websites, explore the athletic offerings. One of them is sure to appeal to your youngster. Moreover, as she settles into her new school, you will soon discover that she is trying out several different sports, including some which you never thought she would try. The final point which I must make about private school sports is that they teach young people to integrate exercise into their daily lives. And that

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Spotlight on Sports

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Spotlight on Sports
This article highlights the diverse range of sports offered in boarding schools, emphasizing how athletics are an integral part of a comprehensive educational program. It explores various sports such as crew, football, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, indoor racquet sports, riding, soccer, swimming, and track, showcasing the opportunities available for students to develop physically and emotionally.

Spotlight on Sports

I have assembled this spotlight on sports in boarding schools so that parents and prospective students can explore the incredible variety of athletics that boarding schools offer.

  • As I have pointed out many times, participating in sports is not optional in boarding school.
  • Athletics are one part of a comprehensive program most boarding schools adopt to educate the whole child in mind, body and spirit.

What do you do if your child is not athletically inclined?

  • Don't worry. 51勛圖厙 schools are accustomed to students with just about every background you can think of.
  • Your child will surprise you after a few weeks at school by exclaiming, "Mommy! I love sprinting!"

If you live within driving distance of her school, even better.

  • You can attend games. We used to enjoy driving up to the old girls' campus of Kent School on Skiff Mountain to watch our daughter play field hockey.
  • The toughest issue with boarding school athletics that your child will encounter is which ones to select.

Crew

Sixty-nine schools offer crew. Most schools assume that their students have never rowed before. As a result, they offer a solid grounding in the sport combined with all the ergonomic requirements.


"Since Grotons founding in 1884, rowing has been a prominent sport. Girls began to row as soon as the school became coed in 1976. Groton rows in 4 person shells with a coxswain to steer the boat

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To Harkness or Not To Harkness

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To Harkness or Not To Harkness
Whether a school uses the Harkness Table or doesn't use the Harkness Table is a matter of teaching style worth exploring in some detail.

My apologies to Shakespeare! Whether a school uses the Harkness Table or doesn't use the Harkness Table is a matter of teaching style worth exploring in some detail. That is what you and I shall do in this little essay.

What's a Harkness Table? It is a table, depending on how you look at it. Some would say it is a method. We will look at Harkness from all angles so that you can understand it and decide whether sending your child to a school that uses Harkness Tables is something you value.

Background/History

First, the Harkness Table gets its name from a wealthy philanthropist, Edward Harkness. He graduated from historic Saint Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. In 1930, he gave $5,840,000 (approximately $60,000,000 in 2015 dollars) to Phillips Exeter Academy with the stated purpose, among other things, of changing the way students were taught. About one third of Edward Harkness' gift was used for the tables and necessary alterations to the classrooms in which they were installed. The rest was used for a host of other projects at Exeter, including adding new teachers and halving the class size.

In Harkness' own words: What I have in mind is (a classroom) where (students) could sit around a table with a teacher who would talk with them, and instruct them by a sort of tutorial or conference method, where (each student) would feel encouraged to speak up. This would be a real revolution in methods.

Interestingly enough, the

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Packing for School

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Packing for School
What are you allowed to bring to boarding school? What are you not allowed to bring to boarding school? Answers to those questions and more.

Here's what we are looking at. Your daughter heads off to boarding school in a two months. She's got a horse and a cello and a raft of sports equipment including skis and field hockey sticks. You're going to need a truck to get her to school, right? It all depends. Let's review the items and equipment schools will allow her to bring and things she should not bring. Bear in mind that every school has its own unique rules and regulations concerning what can be brought on campus and what cannot.

Incidentally I remember quite vividly load our Dodge Caravan full to the brim with what I can only call 'stuff'. I never knew one young lady would need so much 'stuff' when she went off to boarding school. But she and her mother had determined what she needed and what could be left at home for another trip. I was comforted to discover dozens of other over-loaded vehicles at the school when we arrived to move our daughter in. And most of the fathers looked just as bemused as I did.

Horses

Let's start with the horse. Riding is an integral part of many boarding school athletic programs. If riding is important to your child, investigate the equestrian programs offered by the schools which you are considering. Our daughter had ridden in seventh and eighth grades. Fortunately for us, her interest in that expensive pursuit had waned by the time she was ready to go off

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Recent Articles

Schools in the NEPSAC Founders League
Schools in the NEPSAC Founders League
The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council was founded in 1942. It has grown from eleven schools to over one hundred sixty schools. More about NEPSAC and private school sports here.
A Glimpse into 51勛圖厙 School Life at Hawaii Preparatory Academy
A Glimpse into 51勛圖厙 School Life at Hawaii Preparatory Academy
One of the most common questions families ask when exploring boarding school options is: What does a typical day look like for a student? Beyond academics, they want to understand how students live, learn, and grow within the communityhow daily routines shape not only their education but also their independence, friendships, and character.
How to Choose the Right Performing Arts 51勛圖厙 School: A Checklist for Parents and Students
How to Choose the Right Performing Arts 51勛圖厙 School: A Checklist for Parents and Students
Every year, thousands of gifted young artists apply to top performing arts boarding schools, yet most families approach the selection process without a clear roadmap. Knowing what to look forfrom teacher qualifications to alumni success ratesmakes all the difference in finding a program where you can truly flourish.

Featured Schools

Featured Schools

School Life

FOR PARENTS
This section covers issues and concerns for parents of boarding school students. Explore corporal punishment, get expert advice on preventing hazing, and read first-hand accounts from parents. Learn what to do if things go wrong, see what boarding school students do in the summer, and get words of wisdom from a reluctant parent.
FOR STUDENTS
Here youll gain knowledge about student life at boarding school. User our glossary of terms to learn boarding school jargon, discover the importance of a partnership between school, parent and child, and find great gift ideas for the boarding school graduate.
FOR TEACHERS
The articles in this section are related to teaching at a boarding school. Learn more about what is being taught, why small class sizes work, and the impact of sustainability on boarding schools. Youll find a list of eBooks about boarding schools, be able to view pictures of boarding school life, and explore course offerings.