Brewster Academy offers a unique take on the boarding school experience. We recently had the opportunity & pleasure to ask BA's Dean of Studies, Peter Hess, what Brewster's approach to boarding school means to students.A graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges (B.S) and the University of Minnesota (M.Ed. Special Education), Peter joined BA in 1988 and held a number of positions (instructional support and math center teacher, team leader, and director of lower school) prior to becoming Dean in 2005.
Many thanks to Peter for taking the time to participate in our Q&A series.
Question (Q): What's different - for the student - about going to school and learning within the Brewster program?
Peter Hess (PH): This is a comprehensive question. There are lots of ways that a student's learning experience is different at Brewster. The first thing that springs to mind is the individual attention that students get. The whole program is designed to be more responsive to individual needs - from leveled outcomes, to instructional adaptations, to the Instructional Support program - we are very intentional about serving all of our students well.
This individual attention is also characterized in the relationships that students build with their teachers. Comments like the following are common reflections at Brewster:
"Brewster is a lot different then past schools because the teachers really know you more as a person, and are more involved with you in and out of the classroom. They learn about your personality and how to teach you best, and there is always time to go talk to them because even when you aren't in class you see them all over campus," Mike '09.Another key difference is our recognition system, which rewards students for meeting responsibilities independently. As a whole, students want to 'earn status' and are motivated to meet expectations in the classroom, in the dorm, and on the athletic field. In any given marking period more than 80 percent of our students earn the privileges associated with the recognition status that they have earned. Some of these privileges include studying in the dorm at night (instead of a classroom), taking "nights out," exclusive use of the library mezzanine lounge area, and use of the Student Center during study hall.
Q: How does the Brewster program shape the student's classroom experience differently?
PH: The key component of our program that makes the classroom experience different is our commitment to the concept of 'best practice'. Brewster supports practices in the classroom that have a proven record of positively influencing student learning, and we put lots of structures in place to help ensure that these practices are implemented with integrity.
What does this mean for the student? It means that when information is presented in class, students can count on having lots of opportunity to do activities in class that call on them to practice and get feedback on their learning. It means that when they are working within cooperative groups, the activity will be structured so students have to help each other, teach each other, and check on each other's learning.
Q: Does Brewster place any special, different, or unique requirements/performance-demands/responsibilities on students?
PH: Brewster is committed to the concept of mastery learning. Students must demonstrate that they have learned the requisite content and reached a requisite skill level on assessments to progress in the curriculum. If a student fails to demonstrate mastery, the teacher assesses the reasons for lack of mastery and then works with the student toward mastery and further assessment. This helps ensure that no student is allowed to progress through the curriculum without staying up to speed.
The other demand that we place on students is to demonstrate their learning in authentic ways. More and more we realize how important it is for students to develop the 'habits of mind' that call on students to inquire, apply, synthesize, research, create, and problem-solve. This has always been part of our design, but we are now looking at even better ways for students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of formats. Technology is an invaluable resource in accomplishing this goal.
Q: What are the different feelings, perspectives, and experiences felt by students as they pursue academics and classroom experiences at Brewster?
PH: It is hard for me to speak for students but some tangible evidence comes from surveys done by students on each of their teachers twice a year. These surveys are overwhelmingly positive (average item ratings over 3.4 on 4.0 scale) and reflect the high level of respect and appreciation that Brewster students have for their teachers.
Comments made by students include:
"Ms. Chaffee is a great teacher! She uses many great techniques to help EVERYONE to learn, and she moves at the perfect pace, and gives us SO many opportunities to ask questions and study in class, so if we have questions we can ask our team, or her. She is also big on STAD groups which is also [great], cuz it really helps us learn and help each other a lot! Ms. Chaffee is an awesome teacher! Keep up the good work!"Q: Given that the student's academic work occurs within a defined teaching team, how does this shape/effect the student's interaction and relationships?
"I thought history was a boring subject but with Mr. Weeks it is fun. The learning environment is very comfortable. Everyone is involved. Mr. Weeks also tries to tie in real life scenarios with the topic we are doing."
"Ms. Cornwell is a very good IS [instructional support] teacher. She has helped me with setting goals for this year and also has helped me organize and manage my time. Her IS block isn't like a study hall, which is good, but from time to time she will help me organize my thoughts to write a history paper or an English paper."
PH:When we first implemented this structure 13 years ago, there were some concerns expressed by students. Now that it is very much a part of the way we do things, students are used to it. Students interact quite a bit with students on other teams whether it be at meals, in athletics, on clubs, or on weekends.
Q: What's the greatest affect of the Brewster program on students/what does every student know or experienced upon graduation?
PH: The biggest affect the program has had on how students are different by the time they graduate is that Brewster students have shown that they can handle challenging academic tasks in a responsible manner. They have developed skills that will allow them to be successful in college. As evidence, 96 percent of our students return for their sophomore year in college (the national average is about 70 percent). On a 5-point scale, students rated how well they felt Brewster prepared them for college at 3.8. Nearly 70 percent of graduates say that Brewster gave them an academic advantage in college. More than 92 percent of the graduates of the past six years (1999-2004) have said that if they were to do it over again that they would attend Brewster.
Q: What's the best praise about Brewster's program that you've heard from an alumnus?
PH: We get a lot of positive feedback from alumns on how the Brewster program has helped prepare them for the challenges of all areas of college. Here's just one recent comment from a 2006 graduate: "Over the past few months I've really had time to reflect on my years at Brewster and have come to realize that they have not only changed my life in a positive way, but have truly allowed me to achieve and put me where I am today. ... I've been able to maintain a 3.94 GPA throughout my first year and a half, am playing varsity lacrosse, and having a great time in college. ... You folks at Brewster support the students and do so much to ensure that we are set up for college and the rest of our lives."
Visit www.brewsteracademy.org to learn more about the school and it's programs.
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