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ent-Centered School d u t S e h T For nearly 100 years, Cheshire Academy has prescribed to the educational model which places students at the center of learning. The teaching philosophy was introduced by Arthur N. Sheriff, who tutored students while attending Yale. Rather than lecture, Sheriff, who became headmaster in 1922, encouraged teachers to provide topics and ideas for discussion and invite students to respond and expand on the subject.
The student-centered educational model introduced by former Headmaster Arthur N. Sheriff in the 1920s is not only practiced at Cheshire Academy, it’s woven deeply into the culture of the school and remains its foundation for teaching. “Meeting students where they are and taking them beyond where they imagined possible,” a motto based on Sheriff ’s views, remains the pinnacle of the school’s pedagogy more than a half century after the headmaster’s tenure. The model begins in the Academy’s classrooms where students are encouraged to be active learners. Associate Head of School for Academic Affairs Julie Anderson notes, “The students are experienced in the nature of self-directed learning.” Studentcentered learning means an active learner rather than a passive learner, Anderson said. Teachers don’t provide a “stand and deliver” method, she added. “It’s not an all-knowing teacher.” Science Teacher Lauren Kelly, who was chosen for the D. Robert Gardiner Excellence in Teaching Award for the 2014-2015 school year, said she has pushed problem-solving back to the students. “We have more conversations, less classroom lecturing.” She no longer gives lab handouts, but instead, lets students choose their experiments. “You take away the required assignment, and it’s amazing what they come up with,” Kelly noted. She asks her students to pick something they’re interested in and explain why. “I often hear, ‘I can’t wait to do this.’”
Being active is the key: active in inquiring knowledge
In a majority of the classrooms, the Harkness teaching method is applied. The method utilizes a large, central table where the teacher and students sit. There are no individual desks, no front of the room. “It allows for more interaction between students,” Anderson 20
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said. Being active is the key: active in acquiring knowledge,” she added. “They are problem solvers and reflective.” All students learn differently, said Roxbury Academic Support Program Director Leslie Barry. “We get to the crux of what makes them tick and how they best learn.” Roxbury instructors look at what are the strengths and barriers, she added, and figure out what gets in the way of their learning. The process begins, Barry explained, by asking how students think of themselves as learners. Teachers gauge the confidence level through discussion and questionnaires. One example is an online survey called “VARK,” which measures visual, auditory, reading, and kinesthetic strengths. From those results, students learn strategies and how to approach learning. A key skill which is improved by the Roxbury program is what’s known as executive function. This mental process helps students connect past experiences with present action. Strengthening this process allows students to improve in planning, organizing, and remembering details. Overall, small classes and individual attention creates a process in which learning becomes part of the student, Anderson said. “They are involved in the acquisition of knowledge. They are self-directed, independent learners. Teachers work to provide clear expectations about the desired outcomes, about what they will master.” The Eighth Grade Program at Cheshire Academy is a dynamic, project-based interdisciplinary program. Designed to elicit wonder and broaden horizons, the program creates confidence and expands a world of possibilities for middle school students. The semesterlong projects feature two journeys of inquiry that are learning partnerships among students, faculty, peer mentors, and leaders in the field. Classroom experiences are supported by special events, speakers, and field trips to provide rich educational and recreational curriculum beyond the classroom. Over 30 faculty members are
