UPPER SCHOOL CURRICULUM GUIDE 20012 - 2013
THE MASTERS SCHOOL 49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, New York 10522 914-479-6400 WWW.MASTERSNY.ORG
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Non-Discrimination Policy The Masters School shall admit female and male students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It shall not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its admissions policies, educational policies, scholarship programs, athletic and other school-administered programs. Further, The Masters School shall not in its employment policies or practices discriminate on the basis of gender, race, creed, color or national origin.
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 School Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Message from the Academic Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Academic Calendar for 2012-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Academic Program History and Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Planning Your Program of Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 English as a Second Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Off-Campus Programs of Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Academic Policies and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Academic Honors and Standing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Academic Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Academic Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Academic Resources and Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Office of College Counseling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Standardized Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Course Descriptions English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Modern and Classical Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 History and Religion Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Health and Physical Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Other Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
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MISSION STATEMENT The Masters School provides a challenging academic environment that encourages critical, creative, and independent habits of thought and a lifelong passion for learning. The Masters School promotes and celebrates academic achievement, artistic development, ethical action, athletic endeavor and personal growth. The School maintains a diverse community that encourages students to participate actively in decisions affecting their lives and to develop an appreciation of their responsibilities to the larger world.
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Fonseca, Ph.D. Associate Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adriana Botero Upper School Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Frost Dean of Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Priscilla Hindley ’66 Associate Dean of Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Weir Academic Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Goulian Ninth-grade Class Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ronica Bhattacharya Tenth-grade Class Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eileen Dieck Eleventh-grade Class Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew Ives Twelfth-grade Class Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jane Rechtman Director of Admission and Financial Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Downs Director of Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kevin Versen Director of College Counseling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathi Woods Director of Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Atlee Director of Student Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gillian Crane Director of Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Pereira Librarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Murphy
(The Masters School reserves the right to modify the school policies and course offerings listed in this guide.)
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Curriculum Guide
THE MASTERS SCHOOL
A MESSAGE
FROM THE
ACADEMIC DEAN
Some of you reading this guide are already attending school here at Masters; others of you are considering Masters for next year. Yet all of you have probably come to realize that at The Masters School, our expectations for the student tend to be different than those set by other schools. As is made manifest by the Harkness table, which plays such a prominent role in our educational philosophy, some of the most valuable learning that one can experience takes place in the company of one’s classmates. Such learning occurs as we interact with others and exchange ideas during the class discussion; such learning occurs as we engage ourselves in meaningful and open dialogue with others; such learning occurs as we develop the confidence to express our own views and the maturity to reflect upon and reevaluate those views. When we are gathered around the table, the classroom becomes a crucible, with the table acting as the catalyst that makes possible the free exchange of ideas and opinions. Then, perhaps in the classroom, or perhaps in a quiet time of introspection and self-reflection (which are also so critical to our learning and growth and self-formation), those ideas and opinions can then be refined and shaped, as the individual sees fit, or left unchanged. But even if left unchanged – and it is important that as individuals we feel comfortable maintaining those convictions that define us and that are sacred to us – we still have grown, intellectually and personally, when we consciously choose to listen to those around us, when we choose to consider those views not our own. For as the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, “the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” At Masters, our goal for the student is to learn not just to function but to flourish in a rigorous academic environment that champions the exchange and discussion of ideas, an environment that makes room for the views of others, an environment where differing opinions do not stop us from building strong and supportive relationships with each other. The relationship between student and school is a partnership, and as with any partnership, clear communication is needed for it to prosper. We encourage students to work closely with their teachers, to get to know them and their goals for each class. Please make sure that the policies and expectations, presented in the classroom and in this guide, are clearly understood. If you have any questions – whether you are a current student or considering us for the future – please don’t hesitate to contact the Academic Office. Chris Goulian Academic Dean THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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CALENDAR
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
FOR
2012-2013
The academic year is divided into fall and spring semesters. Below are listed the important academic dates for the Upper School. Some dates listed may be subject to change.
FALL SEMESTER August
September
October
28
2, 4
Returning student registration
6
Fall semester begins
17
Rosh Hashana – no classes
20
Curriculum Night for parents
26
Yom Kippur – no classes
1
Last day to drop or add courses
8
Columbus Day – no classes
12-13
December
6
Curriculum Guide
New student registration
5
17
November
Preseason registration
PSAT exam for all grades 10-11 Family Weekend
2
First quarter ends
3
SAT exams (offered at Masters)
6
PLAN exam for all sophomores
16
Thanksgiving vacation begins at 3:00 pm
27
Classes resume
20
Winter vacation begins at 4:30 pm
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7
Classes resume
21
MLK, Jr. Day – no classes
24
Fall semester ends
25
Professional Day – no classes
26
SAT exams (offered at Masters)
January
28
Spring semester begins
February
18
Presidents’ Day – no classes
March
15
Spring vacation begins at 3:00 pm
April
2
Classes resume
5
Third quarter ends
4
SAT exams (offered at Masters)
CALENDAR
January
SPRING SEMESTER
May
6-17
June
THE MASTERS SCHOOL
Advanced Placement examinations
27
Memorial Day – no classes
31
Classes end
3-6
Final examinations
6
Grades 9 and 10 dismissed at 2:00 pm
7
Senior Awards ceremony
8
Graduation at 4:00 pm
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM
ACADEMIC PROGRAM HISTORY
AND
OVERVIEW
The Masters School is a college preparatory school for girls and boys in grades 5-12. The School is situated on a 96-acre campus in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a town on the Hudson River and half an hour north of New York City. Academic excellence, integrity, responsibility, and social concern have been guiding principles since the School was founded in 1877 by Eliza Masters to educate girls. The oldest daughter of a Presbyterian minister, Miss Masters was determined that her school would not be the typical "finishing school" for girls. Although her students in the very early years did not ordinarily go on to college, her school offered a liberal arts curriculum that included Latin, mathematics, and astronomy at a time when most girls’ schools limited their courses to needlework and penmanship. In 1995, the Board of Trustees voted to make the Upper School coeducational, to institute a boys’ middle school that would parallel the existing girls’ middle school, and to use the Harkness method of teaching in the Upper School beginning in the fall of 1996. The general intent of these decisions was to redefine the co-educational experience and to create an environment both challenging and comfortable for girls and boys. Nurturing the growth and development of each student remains a primary goal of education at The Masters School, and the Harkness tables have emphasized the collaborative nature of learning. A wide array of athletic, cultural, and community service activities enhance the overall school experience while offering varied opportunities for leadership skills and individual achievement. Today, Masters offers its students a rigorous liberal arts curriculum. Core courses provide a solid foundation in critical thinking, and electives offer multiple opportunities for students to explore individual interests. Classes are small, and the low faculty-to-student ratio fosters close working relationships between students and their teachers. In a diverse community of learners and leaders, students are challenged to grow as individuals and to develop the confidence to make a difference.
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THE MASTERS SCHOOL
ACADEMIC
PROGRAM
TEACHING AROUND TABLES – THE HARKNESS METHOD Named after philanthropist Edward S. Harkness, who through his generous donations to Phillips Exeter Academy in the 1930’s made possible the introduction of this new pedagogy, the Harkness method of teaching encourages students to play an active role in and take responsibility for their own learning. The table is an oval wooden table that seats up to sixteen students. Its shape and large size promote discussions involving all the students in the class and make the table an ideal setting for collaborative learning. Though methodology differs from subject to subject and from teacher to teacher, the basic principle of teaching around tables is to turn as much of the learning process as possible over to the students, who are expected to prepare thoroughly, participate daily, solve problems collaboratively, and when appropriate, lead class discussions on their own. The student's respect for a diversity of perspectives and desire to keep learning about the method itself are crucial to the success of the class. SCHOOL DAY The academic day for students in the Upper School runs from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The co-curricular period is from 3:30 to 5:00 pm, though athletes on varsity teams are usually engaged until at least 5:30 pm. Evening study hours for residential students run from 8:00 to 10:00 pm. Attendance is required for all classes, study halls, assemblies, appointments, and all other academic and co-curricular commitments. Class periods run for either 55 minutes or 110 minutes, with the longer blocks meeting mid-week. A, B, C, D, E, and F are considered major bands; M, N, and O are bands reserved for minor courses. An additional major band is formed by combining the O with the M or N bands. The schedule runs in a two-week cycle that allows for rotation. Classes that meet in the morning during Delta week move to the afternoon in Phi week; Delta afternoon classes become Phi morning classes. Monday’s sequence of bands changes slightly on Friday. Classes that meet during the middle third of the day generally stay the same from week to week. Weekday Schedule: 7:00 am – 7:45 am
Breakfast
8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Morning assembly and academic classes
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Tutorial period and extra help
3:30 pm
Sports and co-curricular program begin
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Dinner
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Study Hours
10:00 pm
All boarding students in their dorms
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM
THE DELTA PHI SCHEDULE Below is diagrammed the two-week cycle:
DELTA WEEK
Monday
Tuesday
Morning Meeting 8:00 – 8:25
Morning Meeting 8:00 – 8:25
Advisee Breakfast 8:00 – 8:25
Friday Morning Meeting 8:00 – 8:25
A
A
C
E
B
55 min 8:30
110 min 8:30
110 min 8:00
110 min 8:30
55 min 8:30
B Break 10:20
A
Break 9:50
55 min 9:25
10
Wednesday Thursday
Break 10:20
C
M
55 min 10:40
55 min 10:40
55 min 9:25 Break 10:20
O
M
C
110 min 10:10
55 min 10:40
55 min 10:40
D
N
N
D
55 min 11:35
55 min 11:35
55 min 11:35
55 min 11:35
Break 12:30
Break 12:30
Break 12:30
Break 12:30
Lunch and Flex Time
70 min 12:00
E
B
D
F
F
55 min 1:10
110 min 1:10
110 min 1:10
110 min 1:10
55 min 1:10
F
E
55 min 2:05
55 min 2:05
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THE MASTERS SCHOOL
ACADEMIC
(Lunch is served daily from 11:15 am until 1:15 pm.)
PHI WEEK
Tuesday
Morning Meeting 8:00 – 8:25
Morning Meeting 8:00 – 8:25
Wednesday Thursday Advisee Breakfast 8:00 – 8:25
Friday Morning Meeting 8:00 – 8:25
E
B
D
F
F
55 min 8:30
110 min 8:30
110 min 8:00
110 min 8:30
55 min 8:30
F Break 10:20
E
Break 9:50
55 min 9:25 Break 10:20
C
M
55 min 10:40
55 min 10:40
55 min 9:25 Break 10:20
O
M
C
110 min 10:10
55 min 10:40
55 min 10:40
D
N
N
D
55 min 11:35
55 min 11:35
55 min 11:35
55 min 11:35
Break 12:30
Break 12:30
Break 12:30
Break 12:30
Lunch and Flex Time
70 min 12:00
A
A
C
E
B
55 min 1:10
110 min 1:10
110 min 1:10
110 min 1:10
55 min 1:10
B
A
55 min 2:05
55 min 2:05
THE MASTERS SCHOOL
PROGRAM
Monday
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM 12
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS The graduation requirements as outlined below were approved by the Board of Trustees in January 2007. Any student who enters Masters after ninth grade must have a copy of his or her official transcript sent to us from his or her previous school. The Academic Office will determine those courses from other schools for which to give credit. The School reserves the right to have students take courses similar to those that may have been taken elsewhere if deemed necessary or desirable for fulfilling our requirements. Please note: Diplomas are given only to those students who have successfully fulfilled the graduation requirements and who have passed all of their courses by the end of senior year. Subject
Requirement
English
Four years
Math
Three years, through at least trigonometry
Languages
Three years of high-school study, in the same language, through at least an introductory literature level
History
Three years of history, one of which must be United States History
Religion
A half-credit course in world religions, typically taken in the sophomore year
Science
Three years of science, two of which must be composed of laboratory science courses
Computer Science
All students must demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers and other related technologies as well as online and other electronic resources
The Arts
The equivalent of a half-credit course in any of the visual or performing arts to be taken in grade ten, eleven, or twelve. Ninth graders are also required to take the yearlong minor Humanities course, covering the visual arts, music, dance, acting, and drama)
Public Speaking
A quarter-credit course to be taken in grade eleven
Health
A quarter-credit course to be taken in grade eleven
Physical Education
Four years
ACR
The Athletic Credit Requirement must be fulfilled by all students by the end of sophomore year
Curriculum Guide
THE MASTERS SCHOOL
OF
STUDY
By referring to the graduation requirements outlined on the previous page, students can map out an anticipated academic program over their careers at Masters. Majors designate full-credit courses that meet for approximately 220 minutes a week; minors are courses that meet for approximately 110 minutes or less a week. All students are expected to take a minimum of five credits in major courses each year and remain in good academic standing. A sixth major in any year may be added only with the approval of the Academic Dean. Physical education is required every term (see HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION). Members of the Academic and College Counseling Offices work with individual students to plan and help monitor their academic progress through the Upper School. The academic advisors for students in grade nine, ten, and eleven are the Class Deans and the Academic Dean; for grade twelve the academic advisors are the college counselors. Students are also encouraged to discuss their progress and future courses with their advisors, teachers, or the department chairs. They are invited to drop by the Academic Office at any time, and parents are welcome to call if they have any questions.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
PLANNING YOUR PROGRAM
THE COURSE SELECTION PROCESS Our goal at Masters is for each student to be placed in those classes that present the most appropriate challenge to his or her educational development at that point in time. While each year there are required courses to take, there are also electives and some options to consider. The student is directly involved in this process. Returning students are given course selection forms in the spring along with other placement materials for the following year. The expectation is that students and parents review this form together and consider the courses most appropriate to take for the coming year. In the spring term, students meet individually with their academic advisor to discuss placement. After the end of the year, a finalized list of the courses that will be scheduled for each student will be sent home to students and parents. The scheduling of courses is done over the summer, and individual student schedules are distributed during registration at the beginning of the fall term. Please note: Only students who return their course selection forms to the Academic Office by April 15 will be given priority when it comes to selection and scheduling of courses. After June 1, any requests for courses or course changes will be considered conditional upon enrollment and availability of the course or courses requested. Upon enrollment, new students are sent a placement packet that has a course selection form, a language selection form, three placement questionnaires for the student’s current math, language, and science teachers to fill out, and a THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM
math placement exam for the student to take. As we cannot finalize a new student's placement until we get these materials back, it is very important that they be passed along to the appropriate individuals and returned to us as soon as possible, certainly before June 1st. We also must have a copy of each new student's official final transcript before he or she can begin classes at Masters in the fall. New international students must provide a transcript translated into English. Below you will find listed by grade a general overview of each year's academic program. Students for whom English is their first language or who have demonstrated fluency in English are considered mainstreamed. Students for whom English is a second language (ESL) and who have not yet demonstrated fluency in English are enrolled in ESL courses in English (see ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE). More information about specific courses or a department's philosophy and sequence of courses can be found in the course descriptions at the end of this guide. Please note: The School reserves the right to cancel any course due to insufficient enrollment; some upper-level courses and electives may be offered in alternate years. Enrollment into some elective courses may be limited or restricted to upperclass students. Students will be notified if they need to make an alternate selection.
THE NINTH GRADE PROGRAM Ninth grade serves as an introduction to the Upper School. All ninth-graders who are not in ESL courses must take English 9, World History I, mathematics, a foreign language (French, Spanish, Latin, or Mandarin), and science. Two minor courses are also required for ninth graders: Freshman Seminar and Humanities, the latter of which has art, music, dance, and drama components. Students may choose to enroll in a minor course from a selected list, and Physical Education is required. THE TENTH GRADE PROGRAM All sophomores are expected to take five major courses in addition to the two required minor courses, World Religions and Physical Education. English 10, mathematics, foreign language, World History II (which complements English 10 and World Religions), and science are all required majors. Tenth grade is also a good year for fulfilling the arts requirement. All students also take the PSAT and PLAN during the fall of sophomore year (see STANDARDIZED TESTING). All students must also fulfill the Athletic Credit Requirement (ACR) by the end of sophomore year. THE ELEVENTH GRADE PROGRAM All juniors are expected to take five major courses in addition to physical education. Among the major courses, English 11, mathematics, United States History, and foreign language are required in the eleventh grade, and science is strongly recommended. Several elective 14
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THE MASTERS SCHOOL
THE TWELFTH GRADE PROGRAM All seniors are expected to take five major courses in addition to Physical Education and any of the other graduation requirements that have not yet been fulfilled. Among the major courses, English is required, and mathematics, history, science, and a foreign language are once again strongly recommended. Students enrolled in English 12 select, from among the several options offered, two semester-long Senior Seminars to be taken over the course of the year. Seniors have several electives available to them in the other subject areas as well. The college counseling process for seniors continues through the fall and winter terms (see OFFICE OF COLLEGE COUNSELING).
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
courses, both majors and minors, are offered in the visual and performing arts. If the student's schedule permits, both of the required minors, Public Speaking and Health, are added. Students take the PSAT in the fall of junior year and the SAT and ACT in the spring (see STANDARDIZED TESTING). In the winter and spring term, students formally begin the college counseling process and have their initial consultations with their appointed college counselor (see OFFICE OF COLLEGE COUNSELING).
Please note: Seniors must pass all of their courses in order to graduate.
HONORS, ACCELERATED, AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) COURSES Courses in some subjects may be offered at the basic, regular, honors, accelerated, or AP level. The honors or accelerated section of any given course requires its students to work at a faster pace and exposes them to more difficult material or a more challenging workload than would a regular section of that course. An AP course is a year-long, college-level course that follows the curriculum designed by the College Board. Each course culminates in an exam given in May that provides students with an opportunity to earn college credit. All students who enroll in an AP course are required to take the AP exam for that course. Because of the demanding nature of AP course material and the high level of discipline and commitment required by the student, it is not recommended that any student take more than three AP courses in a given year (see STANDARDIZED TESTING). With the exception of AP courses offered in the junior and senior years, no course in English, history, the arts, or any of the minor courses is sectioned by level. Students under consideration for placement in honors sections of mathematics or science, for accelerated sections of foreign language, or for any AP course must meet the criteria outlined by each department. The placement process involves careful assessment of each student to determine whether these criteria have been met. Parents and students are reminded that enrollment into these courses is selective, especially for AP courses, the curricula for which are designed for those students who have demonstrated the ability, mo-
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM
tivation, and discipline to work on the college level for the duration of the course. Student performance, progress, and potential as well as daily attendance, preparedness, class participation, and the energy and attitude that the student brings to the group dynamic are all considered when making these placement determinations. At his or her discretion, the department chair may require any student being considered for an honors, accelerated, or AP course in that subject to submit a writing sample or take a placement test. While the student is an important part of the placement process, and the student’s requests are carefully considered, placement decisions for all courses are made by the faculty on the departmental level and are not finalized until after the end of the academic year, once the student’s final grades and reports have been reviewed. The departments reserve the right to revise placement decisions. Please note: Because honors, accelerated, and AP courses require students to work at an advanced pace in order to complete a specified curriculum, at any point during the year, if in the judgment of the department a student is not doing acceptable work or accumulates an excessive number of absences or becomes an impediment to the progress of the class, that student may be removed from the class or moved to a regular section.
ENGLISH
AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE
The ESL program is open to international students learning English as a second language. This program is designed for English language learners; however, students entering the program must already have some mastery of the language, as our introductory ESL classes require an intermediate level of English proficiency. The goal of the program is to prepare students for and support them through the rigors of mainstream coursework by teaching skills and covering material that will accelerate their English language learning. Our hope is that by providing international students with special classes in addition to their mainstream courses, they will develop the skills and the confidence to express themselves effectively in English and will thereby acquire the means to become fully engaged in all aspects of community life here at Masters. The ESL students’ level of English proficiency is monitored regularly through standardized testing and teacher assessment. As their English language skills improve, these students become eligible for regular classes, with the goal being that they will be mainstreamed in all subjects by senior year. ESL courses are offered by the English Department and include Literature and Composition, Advanced Literature and Composition, Language Arts II, and Language Arts III.
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Curriculum Guide
THE MASTERS SCHOOL
OF
STUDY
Each year, The Masters School offers qualified students the opportunity to apply to semester programs that provide rich, alternative learning experiences. The School participates in three such programs as charter members and also presents other educational opportunities, such as School Year Abroad and department-sponsored educational travel. The School will send up to a total of six to eight students to semester programs each year. Sophomores and juniors who are interested in applying to one of these programs for 2013-2014 must first submit to the Academic Office a written statement explaining why they want to attend their program of choice. In this statement applicants should also explain why they feel the program will serve to advance their educational experience and how it will serve to fulfill their educational goals. This statement by the applicant must be signed by both the student and the student's parent. Along with the applicant's statement, students must also submit a statement written and signed by their parents supporting their candidacy for the particular program. Both statements are due by February 1 at the latest, though preferably earlier.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS
Once received, the student and parent statements will be reviewed to determine whether the student is eligible for consideration by the program. The candidacy of any student who is not in good academic or disciplinary standing or for whom time away from Masters would be prohibitive to his or her academic progress will not be approved. Those students who are approved should then submit their applications directly to the program of interest, which will then process the application and decide whether or not to offer the student admission for the following year. Applications are available from the Academic Office or online from the programs themselves. Please note that the various programs have agreed only to consider the applications of those students whose candidacy Masters has approved, and that juniors applying for senior year will only be considered for the spring semester. Admission decisions from these programs can be expected by May. Students accepted to off-campus programs must work with the college guidance staff well in advance of their departure in order to complete any stages of the college planning process that will be conducted during their absence. Please note: Applications are normally restricted to these three semester programs.
CITYTERM Our own CITYterm, situated on the campus of The Masters School, attempts to raise significant questions about the nature of urban life through an intensive study of New York City. Texts include traditional printed works as well as the city itself, which also serves as the program’s primary THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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classroom. Students focus on questions of how knowledge becomes understanding and finish the semester with an intimate knowledge not only of New York City but also of themselves as learners. For more information, visit the CITYterm website (www.cityterm.org).
OXBOW The Oxbow School in Napa, California, offers a program that places the visual arts at the center of its interdisciplinary, project-based curriculum. By engaging students in the creative process, Oxbow fosters a deep appreciation for creativity in all areas of life beyond the classroom. The program satisfies the academic requirements of college-bound high school students while exposing them to college-level studio arts practice. For more information, visit the Oxbow website (www.oxbowschool.org). HIGH MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE High Mountain Institute (HMI) provides a unique combination of academic and wilderness experiences to a select group of high school juniors and seniors. Students live and work on the forty-acre alpine campus and explore the Colorado Plateau during a series of learning expeditions. Students guide their own learning by making hypotheses, testing them in their surroundings, and sharing their results in ongoing community discussions. For more information, visit the RMS website (www.hminet.org). SCHOOL YEAR ABROAD Launched by Phillips Academy, Andover, in 1965, School Year Abroad was created so that American students could reap the benefits of living in a foreign culture without delaying graduation from their home schools or compromising their applications to selective colleges and universities in the United States. The program’s goals are to give high school juniors and seniors a deep understanding of another people and another way of life through near-total immersion in a foreign culture and to provide students opportunities to grow in responsibility, in self-reliance, and in tolerance as they face the challenges of living abroad. Every year the program sends approximately 60 eleventh and twelfth graders to each one of their unique schools in Beijing, China; Rennes, France; Viterbo, Italy; and Zaragoza, Spain. For more information, visit the SYA website (www.sya.org).
ACADEMIC POLICIES
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PROCEDURES
COURSE EXPECTATIONS At the beginning of each course, teachers distribute a document outlining their expectations for the course and for the students. In addition to presenting the teacher’s goals, the document also outlines policies on homework, tests, and other types of assignments and assessments; expectations concerning class participation, preparation, and behavior; curricular and other pertinent information for the course including office hours 18
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ATTENDANCE All students are required to attend morning assemblies, all classes and study halls, and meet all other academic and extracurricular commitments; they are expected to be punctual and prepared. The School will determine which absences are excused and which are unexcused. For students whose absences total 15% of the number of periods for a major course and 30% of the number of periods for a minor course, credit for that course will ordinarily be denied, and the student will be withdrawn from the course. Please note: Teachers are not required to re-administer tests or quizzes or accept or give credit for assignments missed or not submitted because of an unexcused absence or tardiness.
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and contact information. It is crucial that students take time to understand fully the expectations outlined in this document and to discuss with their teachers any questions or concerns they might have.
Students who miss school due to an illness or other excused absence should work with their teachers to reschedule due dates and missed tests or quizzes so as to complete all outstanding work in a timely manner. Students who miss more than five consecutive days should consult the Academic Dean upon returning to school (or sooner, if possible) to develop a plan for making up missed work. Absences from school due to observance of religious holidays are considered excused provided that parental notification has been received in advance by the Office of the Dean of Students. Teachers try to avoid conflicts with religious holidays as much as is possible, though students and parents should be mindful that the School does stay open during some religious holidays and that lessons continue. Students who are absent from school because of a religious holiday will be given an equivalent opportunity to make up any assignments or tests missed during the absence. No student will be penalized for an absence due to religious observance, and no student will be expected to make up missed work on the first day after such a religious observance but should arrange prior to the absence a revised timetable with their teachers. We encourage students both to work ahead and catch up as quickly as possible. Please read carefully the entire attendance policy in the Student/Parent Handbook.
HOMEWORK Students generally should receive homework for every class that they take. Up to 220 minutes of homework per week is a reasonable expectation for Upper School major courses; honors, accelerated, and especially AP courses may require more time. Homework is assigned at least one week at a time, with the assignments for the week ahead given to students in advance. Students in AP classes can expect to be assigned homework over the Thanksgiving, winter, or spring vacations. THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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Students with incomplete grades or serious academic difficulties may be required by the Academic Dean to complete outstanding assignments or work on specific projects during these vacations. As homework plays a crucial role in our students’ educational development, it is essential that they do their homework regularly, that they prepare their assignments thoroughly and conscientiously, and that they submit them in a timely manner. It is also imperative that there be a clear understanding between teacher and student when it comes to expectations regarding any help that might be received on homework. On occasion, students may need help with their homework or other assignments, in which case their first recourse should be their teacher. Students are also encouraged to seek help from other teachers or from parents, siblings or friends, in accordance with the policies of their teacher. Please keep in mind, however, that such help should always be given with the intention of helping students better understand and master the concepts and skills presenting difficulty so as to empower them to do the work independently. Assistance should not be in the form of helping students do the actual work or of checking the work for correctness. While a teacher may design assignments, units, or even an entire course for students to work collaboratively with one another, unless otherwise stated in the assignment or in the policies of the teacher as outlined in the course expectations, homework should represent the individual student’s own best work, and students should understand that they are to do all assignments independently and not collaboratively. There are several important reasons for this, one being the need of the teacher to have an accurate and reliable means for gauging the student’s individual ability and progress at any given point in time and to discern any problems or deficiencies that need to be addressed. A second critical reason is our desire to work towards building in every student a sense of self-reliance and confidence when it comes to tackling homework and other assignments. Lastly, a clear distinction of individual versus collaborative ownership and authorship of work plays a vital role in upholding the School’s high standards of academic honesty and integrity. Please note: Teachers are not required to accept or give credit for assignments that are submitted late.
ACADEMIC DETENTION If a student fails to submit an assignment on the day that it is due, the student can be assigned by the teacher to academic detention for that afternoon. Instead of reporting to his or her co-curricular activity, the student must report to a supervised detention at 3:30 to work on the assignment and stay until 4:45 pm. Even if the student completes the assignment during that time, he or she must stay for the duration of the detention and can 20
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STUDY HALL All students in grade nine and ten are placed in a supervised study hall during free periods. After the fall semester, ninth and tenth graders on the Dean's List are exempt from study hall. Those tenth graders who made the Dean's List for the spring semester of ninth grade are exempt from reporting to study hall during the fall term. Any student, for academic or disciplinary reasons, can be put back into study hall at the request of the student's advisor or at the discretion of the Class Dean, Academic Dean, or the Dean of Students.
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work on other assignments. Three or more assignments to academic detention will result in the student’s parents’ being notified. Continued assignment to academic detention will lead to an academic review and may result in the student’s being placed on academic probation.
EXAMS Exams are given in early June. These are comprehensive exams that cover the year’s coursework and count as 15-20% of the final grade for the course. Exams are given for all major courses; no exams are given for minor courses. The exam schedule is posted for students at the end of April and mailed home to parents. Students who discover that they have a conflict (i.e., two exams scheduled at the same time) should make arrangements with the Academic Dean for rescheduling the exam in conflict. All exams are held in the gymnasium unless otherwise specified. Students are expected to be at the exam site at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the exam. Students who are late for an exam are not given additional time to compensate for their lateness. No materials or devices may be brought into the exam site unless prior approval has been given by the teacher or the Academic Dean. All exams are two hours in length; they are designed to present to students what is reasonable for them to complete within those two hours with time to spare. The School's policy is to offer all students 50% extended time, or one additional hour, on exams. The majority of students do not choose or need to avail themselves of this opportunity, and after two hours all students are permitted to leave the exam site. Those students who feel that they can benefit from the additional time are invited to make use of it. Please note: All students are expected to take their exams on the days designated on the exam schedule. Teachers are not required to re-administer or give any credit for an exam missed due to an unexcused absence.
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GRADING SCALE The following grades are used to represent the assessment of the quality of student work and performance: 90 – 100
A
Excellent work
80 – 89
B
Good to very good work
70 – 79
C
Satisfactory work
60 – 69
D
Unsatisfactory but of sufficient quality to be granted credit; promotion to a more advanced course in the same subject will ordinarily require summer study
59 or below
F
Failing – no credit is granted; repeating the course over the summer or the following year is required
The Registrar calculates cumulative grade point averages for students at the end of each term for internal purposes, such as determining eligibility for the Dean's List and Honor Roll, and for external purposes, such as official transcripts. However, the School does not rank students by grade point average. Courses taken on a pass/fail basis, such as Physical Education, are not included in the calculation of the grade point average (see TRANSCRIPTS). Please note: Only grades earned for courses taken at The Masters School are used in calculations of grade point average.
REPORTING OF GRADES AND COMMENTS At the midpoint and end of each semester, the teachers prepare progress reports on each of their students. Numerical grades and narrative comments are recorded and sent to parents. Components that figure into the calculation of the term grade include classroom performance as well as daily preparation and participation. These reports also indicate the student's effort over the course of the term, the exam or project grade (if applicable), an assessment of subject-specific skills, and the number of accumulated absences. SCHEDULE AND COURSE CHANGES Scheduled courses must be attended until an official course change form has been approved by the Academic Office and the student has been given a new schedule. A schedule or course change may be initiated by the School if a student is deemed to be in an inappropriate level or to correct enrollment imbalances among sections of the same course due to other schedule changes. Every effort will be made to make these adjustments as early as possible in the school year. A student who wants to initiate a schedule change must request a course change form from the Academic Dean. The form must be signed by the student's current teacher and prospective teacher and approved by the student’s 22
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Please note: The School does not assign students to any specific section of a course based on preference for a particular teacher or band in the schedule.
SUMMER COURSEWORK All failed courses must be repeated either at summer school or in the following year at Masters. The summer school that the student attends must be accredited, and the course to be taken must meet with the approval of the department that offered the failed course. Students who have passed a course but who have not demonstrated sufficient progress to merit continued study at the next level in that discipline will ordinarily be required to do remedial work over the summer in order to develop or improve the requisite skills and understanding.
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advisor, the department chair, and the Academic Dean. If the change is approved, the student's schedule will be adjusted, and a new schedule will be issued. All requests for changing year-long courses must be made during the drop/add period, which ends on the fourth Monday of the first semester.
Students who wish to pursue an accelerated course of study over the summer with the purpose of skipping a level must first consult with the Academic Dean and the department chair of the subject in question. Summer courses taken for such purposes do not count towards fulfilling any graduation requirement, though they may enable the student to accelerate. The program of study must be taken at an accredited institution and must meet with the department’s approval. These students must also pass a placement test administered at Masters by the chair of the department before starting class in the fall. Please note that a student who takes an accelerated course of study and passes the placement test may still be denied entry into the advanced course if the department determines that the student is not adequately prepared for study at that level. Please note: No credit towards graduation is given for summer work except when making up a failed course, in which case the failing grade is not removed from the transcript but remains as part of the student’s permanent record.
TRANSCRIPTS The transcript is the official record of grades earned by the student during his or her time at Masters. All grades, including failing grades, become part of this permanent record. Only grades earned for courses taken at The Masters School appear on the transcript and are used to calculate grade point average. Grades from semester programs or summer school do not appear, though mention is made of such outside course work on the Masters transcript, and copies of all supporting documents are sent along with our own transcript in the application process. Official transcripts will only be sent to another institution, though upon request, parents may have an unofficial transcript sent to them. Please allow two business days for the processing of all transcript requests. THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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ACADEMIC HONORS
AND
STANDING
DEAN'S LIST Students who qualify for the Dean's List must have a term grade point average of 90 or above with no grade lower than an 85. Ninth and tenth graders on the Dean’s List are exempt from daytime study halls for the term. HONOR ROLL Students who qualify for the Honor Roll must have a term grade point average of 85 or above with no grade lower than an 80. CUM LAUDE Induction into this nationally-recognized honor society is one of the highest distinctions a junior or senior can be awarded. Areté (excellence), timé (honor), and diké (justice) embody the three ideals of the society. Cumulative grade point average, the difficulty and overall number of courses taken, as well as other assessments of student achievement are used for determining candidacy. GRADUATING WITH DISTINCTION Those seniors who are noted for high achievement in a particular discipline throughout their years in the Upper School can graduate with distinction in that subject. The criteria for distinction vary among the departments, but among the criteria that might be considered are the number of courses taken by a student in the particular discipline; the level of difficulty presented by those courses; the grades earned in those courses; the student’s devotion, enthusiasm, and level of commitment for the subject; and the recommendations of the student's teachers. Students earning such distinction receive a letter of recognition from the department along with their final term reports. ACADEMIC AWARDS At the end of every year, each department may give an award in recognition of the most outstanding student in that subject or to the most improved student in that subject. Two sets of awards are bestowed, one upon seniors and one upon students in grades 9-11. Additionally, juniors who have distinguished themselves as students and as members of the school community are awarded book prizes from several prominent colleges from across the country. THE BLUE SHEET A student who is in danger of failing a course or who is otherwise experiencing academic difficulty may be placed on the Blue Sheet, a weekly progress report circulated among the student’s teachers. (Any student may also be placed on the Blue Sheet at the request of the advisor.) The Blue Sheet serves as a mechanism by which the advisor, the Class Dean, and the Academic Dean can monitor the student’s progress. The teachers assess the student’s performance and record any concerns, which can then be communicated to the parents by the student’s advisor. If the faculty continue to have serious concerns about a student’s progress, the student may be issued a formal academic warning.
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As a result of this initial warning, a letter is given to the student and is sent home to the student’s parents stating the concerns raised and outlining specific measures to be put into place for the student. These measures may include scheduling the student into study halls during all free periods and monitoring the student’s weekly academic performance. Other measures may be implemented as needed. Such measures are meant to give the student the opportunity and necessary structure to improve academic performance. If the student’s academic performance does not improve, a subsequent warning may be issued, which would result in the student’s being placed on academic probation for the remainder of the academic year.
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ACADEMIC WARNINGS AND ACADEMIC PROBATION The faculty meet formally at the middle and end of each semester to assess the academic performance of all students. At any of these meetings, a student who is seriously underperforming or who is not meeting the academic expectations outlined by the teacher or the School may be issued an academic warning. Reasons for issuing an academic warning include but are not limited to failing one or more subjects, earning grades of below 70 in two or more subjects, accumulating excessive absences, or demonstrating a pattern of behavior that has prevented the student or other students from learning or achieving to their potential.
The consequences of being placed on academic probation midyear are that the student’s enrollment contract is withheld or is issued conditionally. A comprehensive review of the student’s academic standing at the end of the year is conducted. Unless the student has demonstrated significant improvement, an invitation to return the following year may not be extended. If improvement has been made but serious concerns remain, the student may be invited back but under the status of academic probation for the entire upcoming year. The consequences of being placed on academic probation in September for the duration of the academic year include scheduling the student into study halls during all free periods and monitoring the student’s weekly academic performance. The student’s academic standing is thoroughly reviewed at the middle and at the end of each semester. After any such review over the course of year, a report from the teachers of a less than satisfactory effort or performance may result in the student’s dismissal from school at that point in time. Moreover, committing an act of academic dishonesty while on academic probation is grounds for the student’s immediate dismissal. Upon the recommendation of the Academic Committee, an enrollment invitation will be issued in June if the student on probation completes the year in good academic standing.
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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Submitting one’s own work, rather than someone else’s, is a critical part of the learning process. The faculty expect students to try their best, to do their own work and neither give nor receive unauthorized help, to cite references when they are used, and to respond honestly to the academic demands of each course. When a student fails to uphold these standards, academic integrity is compromised. As such integrity is the hallmark of any educational institution, academic dishonesty is one of the most serious offenses that a student can commit at The Masters School. Academic dishonesty presents several dangers. First, there are consequences, ranging from losing credit on an assignment and/or a one-day suspension to expulsion for repeat offenders. Moreover, academic dishonesty undermines the student’s ability to approach future assignments. Like any other form of dishonesty, it compromises the values we share as a community, resulting in the erosion of trust and confidence in oneself and in others. The two primary categories of academic dishonesty are cheating and plagiarism. Cheating is the use or provision of prohibited sources in order to advance the quality of one’s own or another’s academic work. Plagiarism is submitting someone else’s work, idea, or writing as if it were one’s own without giving credit to the author. A teacher will speak to a student suspected of academic dishonesty and will report this violation to the Academic Dean, who may then turn the matter over to the Discipline Committee for consideration. Students who feel the pressure to cheat or plagiarize are encouraged to approach and seek guidance from the teacher, whose goal is not to overwhelm the student, but to challenge the student appropriately, knowing that growth and learning will result from the student’s rising to the challenge. If questions arise as to what comprises plagiarism or concerning the proper use of quotations, footnotes, or bibliographies, the student should consult the teacher. Direct quotations as well as all paraphrases and all information or ideas taken directly from outside sources must be acknowledged. The following are examples of plagiarism:
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•
Submitting another’s essay, or portion of another’s essay, as one’s own.
•
Failing to properly acknowledge a source of ideas essentially not one’s own.
•
Failing to properly indicate paraphrases of ideas or writings not one’s own, including Internet sources and materials on the Web.
•
Receiving unauthorized help on assignments, tests, or other work.
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ADVISING SYSTEM The purpose of the advising system is to ensure that each student receives individual attention, support, encouragement, and guidance throughout his or her career at The Masters School and to promote a sense of community in the School at large and within each class and advisor group. The advisor is the first contact when parents wish to inquire about the student’s academic or social progress. The advisor is also instrumental in ensuring that each student feels a sense of belonging at the School and is aware of and engaged in the programs offered here. The advisor monitors and guides the student’s involvement in all areas of school life and promotes the student’s growth and development by helping the student find the appropriate balance and breadth of challenges.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
Upon enrollment, every student is assigned a faculty member as advisor. This faculty member sees his or her advisees at every morning assembly and meets with them more formally once a week at breakfast. The advisor may meet informally with an advisee whenever necessary.
EXTRA HELP Occasionally, students may have difficulty mastering the material presented in a course despite their best efforts. When faced with these situations, students should make use of the resources already in place to help them through the challenging material. Extra help appointments with the subject teacher should be the first recourse. Extra help can also come in the form of time spent with another student who has mastered the material or in the form of help given by parents or family members in consultation with the teacher. As with homework, extra help should only be given with the intention of helping students better understand and master the concepts and skills presenting difficulty so as to empower them to do the work independently. Teachers are available for occasional extra help sessions during free periods and after school between 3:00 and 3:30 pm. Additionally, teachers are often available for extra help when they are proctoring a study hall or, in the case of residential faculty, when they are on duty in the dormitories. At the request of the teacher and student, an extra help session can be added to the student’s schedule as a weekly appointment. As teachers need to be available to provide extra help to all of their students as needed, the help provided to any one student must be within reasonable limits.
TUTORING As our small classes and dedicated faculty allow for individualized attention and extra help both in and out of the classroom, most students do not require additional tutoring. In some cases, however, it may become necessary to engage a tutor for students who experience continued difficulty THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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or need remedial instruction in a subject in order to keep up with their daily work. Tutors should only be engaged as a last resort once extra help and other support services have been fully utilized. Day students at the discretion of their parents may engage private tutors and are expected to work with them off campus. Boarding students who need tutorial support must make arrangements through the Academic Dean, who will refer the student and family to a School-approved tutor or tutoring agency. Once the tutor or agency has been referred, it is up to the family to negotiate fee and payment arrangements directly with the tutor or agency. Please note that only School-approved tutors will be permitted to work with students on campus, and the School must be informed as to when tutors are on campus working with students. Once the student and tutor arrange an appointment or schedule of appointments, the Academic Dean must be informed. Students should work with their tutors in the Dining Hall except during mealtimes, when they are permitted to work in the Library. Because tutoring is most effective when done in conjunction with the teaching and support being provided by the School, tutors of both day and boarding students are expected to be in communication with the classroom teacher and to coordinate efforts with the instruction and support provided at School. Tutor and teacher should stay in close contact throughout the time that the student is receiving tutorial support. Please note: Masters School teachers are not permitted to tutor Masters School students during the academic year.
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES The Masters School has on staff a part-time learning specialist to work with those students who have documented learning disabilities and who require the services of a specially-trained professional. Regarding the documentation of learning disabilities, the School requires the following: that such documentation state the specific disability as diagnosed; be current (that is, completed within the past five years); provide relevant educational, developmental, and medical history; provide the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis; describe the functional limitations supported by the test results; describe the specific accommodations requested; and establish the professional credentials of the evaluator. Students with documentation that meet these criteria are eligible for a weekly appointment with the School’s learning specialist if they so choose and if the School determines that such appointments are needed. The duration for these appointments typically last for five weeks or until the School no longer deems them necessary. 28
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STATEMENT ON LEARNING DISABILITIES The following is The Masters School’s official statement on learning disabilities: The mission of The Masters School is to provide for students a challenging academic environment that encourages critical, creative, and independent habits of thought as well as a lifelong passion for learning. All students at Masters are expected to learn, work, and live within the educational philosophy stated by the mission. The School recognizes that among its successful students are a certain number with documented learning disabilities, and considerable thought has been given to the needs and expectations of these students.
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The College Board and the ACT require that students planning to take any of their standardized tests who request testing accommodations for learning or other disabilities fill out their respective application forms, both of which are available in the Office of College Counseling. Students filing for accommodations with these agencies are responsible for filling out and returning these forms to the Academic Office.
While The Masters School is fully committed to meeting its obligations under state and federal law, the School is essentially a mainstream school and as such is not designed to provide individualized educational programs for students with learning disabilities. While teachers routinely provide extra help on a limited basis for students as needed, the School’s faculty are not specifically trained to teach students with disabilities. Furthermore, the advising system is not designed to provide frequent meetings each week with a student to monitor time management, assess progress, or assist the student with the work in one or more classes. All students, regardless of any disability, will be held to the School’s standards for academic achievement and personal conduct. Masters is prepared to make reasonable accommodations for the documented disabilities of students to assist them in meeting these standards. But no accommodation shall put an undue burden on the School and its staff or fundamentally alter the School’s educational program or mission. In support of the School’s efforts to address the needs of students with learning disabilities, parents of such students seeking accommodations are expected to share with the School the results of any testing that may have been done before enrollment at Masters and any testing that is done while the student is at the School. If a disability for which an accommodation is sought is diagnosed after enrollment, the student or the student’s parents should inform the Academic Office, at which point the School will undertake an interactive process, involving the student’s parents, the School’s learning specialist, and other School staff, to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations.
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The School reserves the right to confirm the existence of any learning disability and the need for accommodation and to require such additional tests as may be appropriate. Parents may be required to make arrangements for and bear the expense of any testing that is done while their child is at Masters. The School makes a conscientious effort to treat all medical and testing information sensitively and does so in compliance with applicable law. Students and parents should be aware that the School may share the results of educational testing with faculty and staff as appropriate. In general, the School expects all students to take responsibility for their own learning needs in order to develop independence. Students who have learning disabilities that require accommodations should discuss their needs with their teachers and advisor. Students with disabilities are also responsible for applying for extended time on SAT’s and other standardized tests administered by the Educational Testing Services or the ACT. Students requiring medication are responsible for following the School’s policies and procedures for distribution. Lastly, as a private institution, The Masters School is not required to provide all the services that would be required by law if it were a public school. In those cases where the School determines it cannot provide a necessary accommodation (and is not legally obliged to do so), the parents and the School will reconsider whether the educational program at Masters is appropriate for the child. For this reason, during the application process, parents of a prospective student are encouraged to disclose the nature and effects of any disability that would prevent their child from participating fully and equally in all the programs offered by the School. A candidate who otherwise qualifies for admission to Masters in accordance with its usual admission criteria will not be discriminated against in the admission process because that candidate discloses a disability and requests an accommodation. However, Masters reserves the right to deny admission if it is deemed, in accordance with applicable legal standards, that the School is unable to adequately provide for the candidate’s needs.
ACADEMIC RESOURCES
AND
FACILITIES
PITTSBURGH LIBRARY The Pittsburgh Library is reserved for quiet study and research and houses a collection of approximately 17,000 volumes and 55 periodicals. Students have access to over 20,000 current and back issues of magazines, scholarly journals, national and international newspapers through 27 online indexes and full-text services; several computers are reserved for online research. Library books, with the exception of reference materials, may be signed out for three weeks; books not signed out will be considered stolen. In 30
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The Library is reserved for quiet study and research and is open during the following hours: Monday – Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
8:30 am – 9:55 pm 8:20 am – 5:00 pm and 7:00 – 9:00 pm Noon – 5:00 pm Noon – 5:00 pm and 7:30 – 9:55 pm
COMPUTER FACILITIES The School’s computer facilities are spread across the academic buildings at Masters. The primary goal is to encourage the use of technology by providing students with easy, walk-in access to computers and by allowing for classes to use the computers in a laboratory setting. Morris Hall, the Science and Technology Center, contains a dedicated computer lab with 18 individual PC workstations with widescreen monitors, laser printers and scanners, as well as a mobile cart with 18 MacBooks for classroom use. The Technology Department works out of Morris, and tech support walk-ins are welcome any time between 8:30 am and 5pm.
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addition to Follett Destiny, the automated catalog, reference materials, ebooks and indexes and are available through the internet.
In The Pittsburgh Library in Masters Hall students will find 22 workstations and a large copier/printer/scanner for general use. An adjacent Publications Lab with 4 iMacs, 8 PCs, scanners, and a large format color laser printer is configured for print projects. The Digital Media Lab is located on the ground floor of Masters Hall and contains sixteen iMacs with a variety of video and photo editing software, printers, and scanners. Strayer Hall has 12 iMacs configured with a full suite of audio production tools and dedicated equipment, consisting of electric pianos, midi boxes, and a central control unit for instructor/student collaboration. All PCs run Windows 7, and all Macs run Lion with the latest Microsoft Office suite of applications. On select high performance PCs, students have access to a variety of graphic and media publication software to support and encourage multimedia projects. Wireless access is provided to all students, with access points located strategically throughout the school and dorms. This provides easy access from any location to a variety of network services, such as high-speed Internet, email, file storage and library services. The Library catalog, Follett Destiny, and Internet reference sources are accessible schoolwide from all networked computers. Staff members are available to provide supervision, technical support, and encouragement during laboratory hours.
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LANGUAGE LAB The digital language lab is one of the primary technologies through which students learn to speak a foreign language effectively. Teachers create multimedia lessons drawn from music, television, movies, radio, and other sources about the culture of the language being studied. The lessons offer scenarios where students can practice their listening skills, engage interactively (with a movie scene, for example, or with other students), or even review grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation through games. CAMPUS STORE Textbooks, educational supplies, and various insignia and gift items are available in the bookstore. Additionally, the bookstore manager conducts modest banking operations for boarding students through their personal debit accounts. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
OFFICE
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COLLEGE COUNSELING
The mission of the College Counseling Office is to assist our students through a process of self-exploration. Knowing that each child is different, our counselors help students to articulate their interests and skills and examine their personality and aspirations, linking these with a range of colleges and universities. Although acceptance at a college or university that matches the student’s educational, social, geographic and financial needs is a significant part of the end product, the self-exploration that occurs as a part of the process helps students to learn more about themselves and create a positive vision before they move on to the next, more independent phase of their lives.
NINTH GRADE All ninth graders are assigned to the Director of College Counseling. In the second semester, students are invited to come by the office to meet the Director and discuss any transition issues or college questions they may have. TENTH GRADE Students are assigned counselors starting in the tenth grade and formally start an introduction to the college process through a series of counseling sessions usually held in first part of the second semester. Students are introduced to Naviance, a database that houses The Masters School college admission information. Another way Naviance is used to help each student assess his or her strengths is through self-awareness, personality and interest inventories that each student takes. Results are interpreted for each student and then for the parents at a meeting in the spring. Also discussed are the standardized test results from their PLAN and the PSAT. What is discussed in addition to this depends on the development and interest of the student. There is also an emphasis placed on visiting some colleges early in the process 32
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Any student who has extended time on tests at The Masters School and wants this accommodation on standardized tests like the SAT I and II and the ACT needs to apply with the testing agency preferably before the fall of the student’s junior year. The Director can help families with extended time questions.
ELEVENTH GRADE Students now know their counselor and should feel free to make an appointment at anytime to help with issues ranging from when to sign up for standardized tests to college visitation feedback. Although much of the first part of the semester in the College Counseling Office is geared towards helping seniors, counselors’ doors are always open to help eleventh graders and their families. In the second semester, juniors are invited to discuss their PSAT results, standardized testing schedule, academic course selection and revisit any personal information as it relates to college selection. A family meeting will be scheduled to discuss the college admission process as it is handled at The Masters School. A preliminary list of colleges will be generated for the family to consider if one was not developed sooner. Applying Early Decision to a college should only be considered if a student has decided, after visiting and carefully weighing academic, financial and admission factors, that a college is a realistic fit for him or her. Counselors and parents play a key role, but this process should be driven by the student. In the spring of the junior year, all students are placed in groups with their college counselor helping each student to fill in the Common App and printing a copy for the student to use. During these groups, issues regarding the college application process are covered.
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to help the student discover what colleges might be a good fit. Care will be given to each family if they need advice in setting up an individualized list of colleges to tour. There is a College Counseling packet given to each family that contains standardized test, academic, and college visitation information. Sophomores are encouraged to stay in touch with their counselor as they work through the academic course selection process.
Please note: Athletes who think they may be recruited to play their sport in college need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse after junior year and let the College Office know.
TWELFTH GRADE Students are asked to fill out the Common Application online after August 1st before their senior year. Writing essays is a key part of this process, and The College Office is happy to assist students as they formulate ideas. The student, who now is at the center of this process, is encouraged to take a leadership role by contacting colleges for interviews, registering for standardized tests, preparing and submitting applications on time, and paying close attention to the deadlines of college admission offices and The College Counseling Office’s own internal deadlines.
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ACADEMIC PREPARATION
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COURSE SELECTION
There are many factors that enter into college admission decisions, but none may be seen by colleges as more important as a student’s academic profile. When colleges evaluate the transcript of an applicant, two factors are weighed most heavily: the rigor of the curriculum and the student’s performance. This means that each student should take the most demanding load they can handle, especially in their area of academic strength, while giving important consideration to achievement. Students are encouraged to follow their passions and develop their talents while carefully considering the colleges’ requirements. Students who are competing for first-year college spots often have four years of math, science, English and foreign language. In choosing courses, it is also important to consider the timing of SAT II tests. Counselors can help students determine what tests a student should take and when.
STANDARDIZED TESTING Standardized tests play a unique role in the college admission process today. While college admission professionals recognize that some students may not test well and that test scores do not reveal all that is significant about a student, it is nevertheless a mistake for students and parents to think that the significance of test scores is minimal. Certainly, the most important part of a student’s application is the high school transcript. However, high school programs throughout the country vary so widely that many admission professionals feel the need to rely on standardized tests as a means for comparison and assessment, and thus scores are used to corroborate grades on the transcript. Therefore, a high score on the SAT or ACT does not guarantee admission to selective institutions, and a lower score may limit the selectivity of probable colleges. With this in mind, The Masters School administers two different preliminary standardized tests (the PLAN and the PSAT) to introduce students to the two major standardized tests that colleges and universities accept as part of the admission process (the ACT and the SAT). An overview of these tests is outlined below:
PLAN The PLAN is the preliminary ACT. It is administered to sophomores in November at The Masters School. A timed, multiple-choice exam, the PLAN tests a student’s ability in English, reading comprehension, math, and science reasoning. The results of the PLAN provide a testing baseline, and the actual test document is returned in late December with the score report during a family conference with the Director. 34
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PSAT The PSAT, or the Preliminary SAT, is required for all sophomores and juniors and is administered every October at The Masters School on a national test day set by The College Board. The test is usually returned in late December. This test is a timed, multiple-choice exam that tests a student’s skills in three areas: critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing. The PSAT is also used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which awards merit scholarships based on scores achieved on this test when taken in the junior year. The results of the PSAT also serve as a good testing baseline, and as with the PLAN, the actual PSAT test document is returned to sophomores with the score report during a conference in January. In this way, students and parents can evaluate a student’s testing strengths in the middle of the sophomore and junior year. Please note: Both the PLAN and the PSAT are used for practice purposes only. Scores from these tests are never considered as part of a student’s college application. Rather, these tests are used as a measure when building a preliminary college list.
ACT The ACT is a multiple-choice exam that tests a student’s ability in English, reading comprehension, math, and science reasoning; there is an optional essay section that students should also take. Each section of the test is scored on a 0-36, scale, with 36 being the best possible score. The composite score is the average of these scores rounded to the nearest whole number. The ACT is not an easier exam than the SAT; rather, it is a different exam. More often than not, students who take both the ACT and the SAT score about the same in terms of percentiles, but the possible advantage to reporting the ACT score may be that, since the exam tests different subject areas, the score report may show a student’s strength in a particular area. In addition, this test can often be used at many colleges in lieu of any or all SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject Test scores. For more information check the ACT website (www.act.org).
SAT REASONING TEST The SAT is a three-part exam that tests a student’s critical reading, math, and writing skills. Each section is scored separately on a scale of 200-800, with 800 being the best possible score. If the SAT is taken several times, colleges will consider the highest achieved score in each section. Please note that the SAT is offered in October, November, December, January, March/April, May, and June, but The Masters School is a test center on only some dates (please see the academic calendar for the dates when the SAT is offered at Masters). All students may register to take the SAT on dates when it is not offered at Masters at a local high school; boarders generally register to take the exams at Dobbs Ferry High School. A list of all schools that adminisTHE MASTERS SCHOOL
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ter the SAT is provided in the registration booklet and on the College Board website (www.collegeboard.com).
SAT SUBJECT TESTS These exams test a student’s knowledge in a particular subject area. Each test is one hour long, and up to three tests can be taken on one day. These tests are also scored on a 200-800 scale and are offered in Literature, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, U.S. History, World History, French, Spanish, Latin, and several other subjects. These tests are typically taken immediately following successful completion of coursework in the chosen subject areas or in May when students are prepped for Advanced Placement exams. It is important for students to consult with their counselors to determine which subject tests are appropriate to take. As students, even those in honors courses, may not be ready or qualified to take a given subject test, students should pick the subjects in which they feel they will score in the highest percentile. Even though “score choice” exists for both the SAT and the ACT, some colleges require students to report all scores when applying. It is also important to remember that not all colleges require subject tests. Please note: A student may not take the SAT Reasoning Test and a Subject Test on the same day.
AP EXAMS Advanced Placement exams are the comprehensive tests administered upon the completion of Advanced Placement (AP) courses. AP classes present curricula designed for college-level work, and depending on the score earned on the AP exam, students may receive college credit for work done in high school. Students enrolled in an AP class are required to take the exam in that subject area and are, therefore, automatically registered. These tests are generally three hours long and include a combination of multiple choice and essay questions. They are administered at The Masters School each year in early May. Tests are scored on a 1-5 scale, with 5 being the highest possible score. Colleges generally will not award advanced credit to students scoring below a 3. The Masters School offers AP classes in the following subject areas: English Language, English Literature, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, Spanish Language, French Language, United States History, European History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Music Theory, Art History, and Studio Art. More information on the AP, as well as the PSAT and SAT, can be found at the CollegeBoard website (www.collegeboard.com).
TOEFL The TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, is required of all international students who wish to continue their studies in the United States and for some students whose language spoken at home is one other 36
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Students register to take the exam through an automated telephone service at 1-800-GO-TOEFL. The test is administered on the computer at a designated testing center. Students typically make their testing appointments at One Penn Plaza in Manhattan, but there are many other sites. For more information, call 1-800-GO-TOEFL or go to the website (www.toefl.org). .
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than English. Many colleges and universities will list the minimum TOEFL score required before an application will be considered. These minimum TOEFL scores are not negotiable! For example, if a particular school requires a 250 minimum TOEFL score, a student must achieve a 250 on the test before his or her application will be considered.
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ENGLISH The mission of the English Department is to help our students think and communicate clearly. We emphasize purposeful writing, effective speaking, thoughtful listening, and careful reading because these skills are the basis for academic and personal growth. We study literature as a model for effective communication as well as for its moral and aesthetic values; we strive to facilitate our students’ own discovery of literature’s power to move and enlighten. In classes around the Harkness table, students work with each other and their teachers in an ongoing project of collaborative inquiry and discovery. Discussion, projects, and presentations are common because they require students to take an active role in their learning. The small class size created by the Harkness tables also allows teachers to give a great deal of attention to each student’s writing. Together we study literary works from a multitude of genres and cultures, with core texts in grades nine through eleven being presented by every English teacher at every level. Thus, over the course of their years at Masters, students read a rich variety of major works from classical, British, American, and world literature. Individual teachers choose additional works to supplement the core texts and to meet the needs of their particular courses. Throughout the curriculum students write in various modes so they can practice the range of skills necessary to pursue understanding and self-expression. For instance, they respond to literature in both analytic essays and informal ruminations; they give shape to memories or sort out confusing issues in personal narratives; they experiment with various genres by producing their own original pieces of creative writing. All students are required to take English each year they are at Masters. Distinction in English is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors whose remarkable achievements in English reflect an abiding interest in literature, great care and skill in writing, and valuable contributions to the Harkness discussions and other activities in English classes.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Darren Wood B.A., Swarthmore College
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9 – INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
Ninth-grade English serves to provide a strong foundation for expository writing and literary analysis by examining elements of literature and by developing essential skills. With core texts from Homer and Shakespeare to J.D. Salinger, students learn discussion skills at the Harkness table, where they respond to literature in a variety of ways. The analytical essay is emphasized, as students learn to create and support a thesis effectively with text. Students also write memoirs, short stories, and poetry, using the literature studied as models. In all writing, a process of outlining, drafting, revising, and editing is taught. Grammar and vocabulary instruction are drawn both from students’ writing and from supplemental texts.
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111 ENGLISH
1 credit – year-long major 121 ENGLISH
10 – LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION II
Building on the skills they learned in ninth grade, students in English 10 strive to become more sophisticated readers and writers. They explore aspects of expression and literature such as genre, style, voice, and rhetorical devices. Core texts include works by Shakespeare and major authors of world literature such as Rushdie and Naipaul. Students are coached in "close reading" skills as well as in those skills of inquiry, listening, and articulation that are needed to engage in and sustain challenging, collaborative, text-based discussions. In studying matters of style, students develop a critical ear for tone, voice, and figurative language. Through instruction, writing workshops, research of secondary sources, and the use of grammar and vocabulary texts, the students improve their English usage and polish their writing skills. Their writing covers a range of modes and purposes, including poetry, fiction, and the analytical essay. 1 credit – year-long major 131
ENGLISH 11 – AMERICAN LITERATURE
The literature in eleventh grade is drawn from America’s multicultural heritage, with works of prose and poetry from authors such as Anne Bradstreet, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Frederick Douglass, Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Ellison, Louise Erdrich, and Toni Morrison, as well as an assortment of contemporary non-fiction pieces. Students continue to polish their writing skills through a variety of genres, ranging from the analytical essay to poetry. In Harkness discussions, students analyze literature and their own writing, and they use texTHE MASTERS SCHOOL
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tual analysis and writing to better understand themselves and their world. 1 credit – year-long major 133
AMERICAN STUDIES
American Studies is an interdisciplinary course for juniors offered by the English and the History and Religion Departments. The class coordinates the material taught in eleventh-grade history and English by prompting students to explore the underlying philosophical and moral assumptions of Americans, as reflected in their country’s history and literature. Simultaneously, students are encouraged to examine the framework of their own philosophical and moral assumptions and reflect deeply upon what it means for them to identify themselves as Americans. The class meets during two bands and is assigned two teachers, one from each department. Students who thrive in American Studies are those who willingly embark upon a rigorous and challenging course. They strive to make connections between history, literature, the world today, and themselves; they emphasize discovering personal meaning in their studies rather than memorizing and retaining content. Feeling responsible to themselves, to each other, and to their studies, students in American Studies enjoy learning independently and collaboratively. 1 credit – year-long major – taken in confunction with 433 135
AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Advanced Placement course in English Language combines two courses in one. American literature, which makes up the standard eleventh-grade English curriculum, is covered in greater depth and at an accelerated pace. In addition, students prepare for the Advanced Placement examination in English Language and Composition by close examination of rhetorical strategies and frequent in-class writing. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 141
ENGLISH 12 – SENIOR SEMINARS
Senior English classes are divided into term-long seminars. Each student selects two seminars from among those being offered. Courses vary from year to year, but the selection is always broad and diverse. Seminars are taught by several different department members, each one teaching an area of specialty. Students are expected to rise to higher levels of analysis, to write frequently
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1 credit – two seminars are the equivalent of a year-long major The following are samples of recent senior seminars:
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and in polished form – in short, to demonstrate the reading, thinking, listening, speaking, and writing skills they have learned in the previous three years.
ART AND CRAFT OF THE SHORT STORY V.S. Pritchett likened a short story to “something glimpsed from the corner of an eye, in passing.” Edgar Allan Poe called for “a certain unique or single effect to be wrought out.” What exactly is a short story? In this seminar, we will explore that question as both readers and writers. Students will read and discuss stories by authors as varied as Anton Chekhov, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Katherine Anne Porter, Yasunari Kawabata, Grace Paley, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and also observe how a new generation of writers is shaping the genre. Looking closely at the many ways authors employ such elements as language, structure, theme, characterization, setting, and point of view, students will craft a variety of responses, both creative and analytic. Students will also write their own short stories, critiquing and revising through workshops. PERSONAL ESSAYS AND PERSONAL NARRATIVE All good writing requires attention to form, an ability to observe closely, and an understanding of the subtleties and power of language. But personal narrative poses special challenges: What parts of your life do you choose to frame? How can you be character and writer at once? How much freedom do you have to embellish or even invent when you re-create the past? How do you describe your own emotions without melodrama? We’ll read masters of the genre who serve as models. Reading essays by George Orwell, Natalia Ginzburg, Cynthia Ozick, Scott Russell Sanders, Annie Dillard, David Sedaris and others, we will look closely at syntax, diction, metaphor, and tone, as well as considering issues of authenticity, pacing, and humor. The class is primarily a workshop, however, in which students critique one another’s work in small groups or with the entire group. During the second semester, as we read full-length memoir, students may consider writing long pieces linking various parts of their lives. The seminar runs a full year to allow time for students not only to explore a range of creative nonfiction, but also, with increasing expertise, to go back to pieces written early in the year, revise, and evaluate them for publication. In the spring the classroom will become a microcosm of the publishing world: we will read and edit narratives by the class, make suggestions for revisions, and select pieces for our on-line publication, Before 19. Students will consider design elements as well as select art to accompany their work. THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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IMMIGRANT AND ETHNIC LITERATURE What part does ethnic and cultural heritage play in the construction of identity? How does being from another place – geographically or psychologically – shape how others see us and how we view ourselves? How do writers imagine and contest the boundaries of “Americanness”? This seminar will explore the cultural origins of identity, the idea of belonging, and the contemporary American dream. Works by Jamaica Kincaid, Junot Diaz, Bharati Mukherjee, William Saroyan, Sandra Cisneros, Bernard Malamud, Amy Tan, and others will guide our explorations. We will also examine how two films (Green Card and The Visitor) and various media images portray immigrant and mainstream American life. By responding to fiction, poems, and essays, students will consider concepts such as exile, home, clan, other, and self. TWENTIETH-CENTURY WRITERS AND ARTISTS What is the relationship between twentieth-century literature and visual art? How did writers and artists respond to the enormous technological, economic, and political transformations of the century? How does our understanding of one art form contribute to our appreciation of the other? In this senior seminar we will consider these questions and more. The course will be structured around five key art movements: Surrealism, German Expressionism, American Social Realism, Abstract Expressionism, and Feminist Art. Our examination of paintings, prints, and photographs will provide the context for considering twentiethcentury American and European literature, the emphasis of this elective. The readings will include the fiction, non-fiction, and drama of such authors as Kafka (The Metamorphosis), Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front), Agee (Now Let Us Praise Famous Men), Arthur Miller (All My Sons and Death of a Salesman), Brautigan (Trout Fishing in America), and the poetry of Langston Hughes, Lorde, Rich. In addition, we will watch film clips of artists at work and view Frida, Julie Taymor’s movie about Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. GETTING OUTDOORS: THE AMERICAN NATURE ESSAY When Henry David Thoreau got fed up with the daily grind of town life, he moved to the woods to escape the deadening effects of pointless social habits and expectations. His writings about his two-year experiment show him re-creating himself and reconsidering the world around him. Later American nature writers such as Mary Austin, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Edward Abbey, and Annie Dillard discuss ecology and the value of the wilderness, but like Thoreau, they write about more than just trees and bugs. They explore the outdoors to ask deep questions about themselves and their society as well as about the natural world. We’ll read these authors, and we’ll take advantage of the warming spring weather to actually get outdoors, to observe, to raise questions, and to write.
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SUBJECTIVITY (OR, ON BEING A SUBJECT AND OCCASIONALLY AN OBJECT) What do we know about ourselves and how? What do we know about the world and how? How does our knowledge of the world inform our knowledge of our selves and vice versa? Students in the seminar will read literature that engages with these questions of subjectivity and identity in all their ambiguity; at the same time, students will read these works to read themselves – to reflect upon, affirm, and challenge their own understanding of self. Our core text will be Hamlet; we will participate with other seminars and classes in the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s workshops on the play. Additional texts will include but are not limited to Eliot’s “The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock,” Cortazar’s and Borges’s short fiction, films, and theory. MEMORABLE WOMEN IN LITERATURE During the past two centuries, fiction and drama have reflected – and in some cases, encouraged – women’s evolving role in society. Female characters have been portrayed as dreamers and realists, rebels and followers, angry wives and contented single women, and more. In short, these figures represent a very wide range of female experience. This course will focus on some remarkable women, such as Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice), Ibsen’s Nora Helmer (A Doll’s House), Shaw’s Eliza Doolittle (Pygmalion), and the protagonists of several modern American short story writers, such as Bambara, Lahiri, Kincaid, Cisneros, and Paley. We will also view two films with women at the center. Although the semester’s emphasis is on women, it is impossible to talk about women’s roles without considering those of men, and we will do both in this seminar. POETRY WORKSHOP In this workshop, students will write, listen, discuss, and collaborate with each other to develop as writers of poetry. At the end of the semester, they will have created a portfolio of poetry, analytic essays, and explications, and collections of their favorite poems. While students will practice close reading, particularly through the writing of analytic essays and explications, they will do so primarily in the service of becoming more nuanced writers of poetry. To make the writing of poetry more real, more possible, students will speak to working poets in class, attend poetry readings in the area, listen to recordings of poets reading their work, experiment with traditional forms of poems, and read biographies of poets and essays and manuscripts by poets. Experience or proficiency at writing poetry is neither expected nor required, only comfort with risk-taking, the passion to practice, and the desire to collaborate with fellow writers and readers of poetry. RE-IMAGINING: PARODIES, RETELLINGS, AND LITERARY CANNIBALISM All writers draw on earlier works, but some authors start with a specific past work and re-imagine it. They take something from the older text and use it to create fresh THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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literature. They might develop a sub-plot into its own story, offer the villain’s point of view, set the story in a new time and place, or parody what the original presents seriously. Not only are these new works interesting in their own right, but they also have the potential to change how we understand the earlier story. We will study seminal works and the texts they inspired, including the heroic epic Beowulf and the monster’s version, Grendel; Hamlet and the absurdist play about two of its minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the 1931 movie version of it; and shorter works such as fairy tale retellings and poetic parodies. Writing for this course will be a mix of analytic essays and students’ own re-imagined versions of stories.
ART AND CRAFT OF LYRICS In this workshop, students will write original lyrics, culminating in an EP-sized portfolio (perhaps a podcast) of songs. Recognizing that poetry was born of song, students will begin the semester drafting and workshopping formal poetry, including ballads, blues songs, ghazals, sestinas and spoken word, drawn from course readings. We will discuss the role of structure in song – not only the rhythm in a villanelle, for example, but also the narrative arc in a symphony – and the role of song in greater cultural and historical contexts. Written work further includes short personal responses (some in the form of a conventional music review) and peer critiques. There are no prerequisites in terms of being able to set lyrics to music; at the very least, however, students will be experimenting with musical settings as a component of revision, at which point we will leverage resources in technology and, of course, work in ensembles. In other words, the sky is the limit, but we can manage very well with our voices and cowbells alone, if necessary. WORKSHOP IN FLASH FICTION Distinguished by its word-count outer limit of about 1500 (seven pages), flash fiction is a form worth comparing to miniature paintings and single frame snapshots, ripe with challenges around word choice, plot, imagery and characterization. The short-short stories students compose will often grow from in-class writing exercises; some of these stories will be workshopped, and all will be revised. During the revision process, we will discuss published work, primarily from the course text, using those readings as guides and springboards in the fine-tuning of a flash fiction folio of 20-25 pages. Excerpts from these manuscripts will be shared in an online literary magazine that workshop members will design and group-publish.
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may also choose works in translation). The course covers various genres (in particular, the novel, drama, and poetry) covering a range of time periods. The course reading might include such novels as Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Dalloway, and Heart of Darkness; playwrights such as Shakespeare and Tom Stoppard; poetry from medieval ballads to John Donne’s sonnets to modernist works. The reading and writing demands are heavy, the pace is accelerated, and the critical literature that may accompany the reading of the work is challenging. The course culminates in the students’ taking the Advanced Placement Examination in English Literature and Composition. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department
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SECOND LANGUAGE
The ESL program is open to international students learning English as a second language. This program is designed for English language learners; how- ever, students entering the program must already have some mastery of the language, as our introductory ESL classes require an intermediate level of English proficiency. The goal of the program is to prepare students for and support them through the rigors of mainstream coursework by teaching skills and covering material that will accelerate their English language learning. Our hope is that by providing international students with special classes in addition to their mainstream courses, they will develop the skills and the confidence to express themselves effectively in English and will thereby acquire the means to become fully engaged in all aspects of community life here at Masters. Two levels of ESL classes are offered by the English Department. The literature and writing courses correspond to mainstream English classes. The Language Arts courses are offered to support and improve upon students’ academic English skills; credits for these courses are applied towards fulfilling the School’s foreign language requirement. Students who are mainstreamed by junior year are required to begin study of a foreign language unless another year of Language Arts is required. Placement decisions for ESL courses are based upon the student’s academic record and placement test results.
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LANGUAGE ARTS II
The aim of this course is to further develop and refine academic English language skills. Elements covered include vocabulary building, reading comprehension, grammar and sentence structure, and speaking and listening skills. The material covered in this course helps students to function in mainTHE MASTERS SCHOOL
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stream courses as well as to prepare them to take the SAT and the TOEFL exams. 1 credit – year-long major 103
LANGUAGE ARTS III
Students taking this course continue the study of the English language at a more advanced level. Texts and materials are chosen to strengthen academic language skills required for success in mainstream courses both here at Masters and at the college level. Students work to refine their academic writing skills by producing essays, research papers, and oral presentations. 1 credit – year-long major 120
LITERATURE
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COMPOSITION
Literature and Composition emphasizes the development of critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. It is designed to help broaden a student’s appreciation of both American and world literature through novels, short stories, plays, and films. Examination of texts at this level is primarily student-guided. Academic and creative writing skills are emphasized. Students produce critical essays, creative writing, and a research paper. 1 credit – year-long major 130
ADVANCED LITERATURE
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COMPOSITION
This course is for advanced students of English as a Second Language. At this level, students are reading and responding to more advanced literature. Students are also challenged to write longer and more complex responses to texts in order to prepare for the rigors of mainstream classes here and in college. 1 credit – year-long major
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MATHEMATICS Mathematics is an essential part of our experience of the world around us
Students who complete their course of study in mathematics at The Masters School should have developed the mathematical proficiency needed for entry into a diverse choice of college programs for which math is required or applied. Through the use of the Harkness table, we expect our students to develop the creativity and perseverance needed for problem solving and to communicate their mathematical knowledge to others.
MATHEMATICS
and one of our most effective tools for exploring and defining it. Through our program, students learn how to engage in mathematical activities of analysis, synthesis, deduction, and prediction. The department’s primary objectives are for the student to gain a sense of the beauty and power of mathematics as a subject, to appreciate its relevance and importance to our every day lives, and recognize it as a universal language for communicating ideas and concepts and as such, the common heritage of the human race.
Students must take math for three years and through trigonometry. While a grade of 60 is passing, a grade below 70 for the year or for the spring semester will ordinarily require summer work as recommended by the department. Distinction in Mathematics is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have demonstrated noteworthy dedication and strength of purpose in exploring math topics in depth, pursued consistent goals of high achievement, and come to a level of mathematical knowledge not ordinarily attained by students at the school. Such students have maintained grades of about 90 or better throughout their upper-school years, achieved at or near their potential, completed a greater number of honors and AP courses than most other students, and possess a unique interest and dedication to the subject.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Sheldon Perlysky M.S., Rutgers University
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212 ALGEBRA
I
Algebra, analytic geometry, probability, statistics, and problem solving are treated at the introductory level. The main emphasis is algebra, and careful attention is given to the development of algebraic skills. The curriculum is built around the challenges presented by real-life situations. For this reason, the utilization of scientific calculators and computers is occasionally encouraged. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the basic and regular levels 222
GEOMETRY
This course integrates traditional Euclidean, coordinate, and transformational geometry. Through the use of realistic applications and a careful development of proof, traditional and non-traditional, mathematical thinking skills are developed. Algebra is applied throughout the course. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the basic, regular, and honors levels prerequisite ALGEBRA I 230
ALGEBRA II
This course emphasizes the fundamental concepts of algebra and the basic skills required for solving a variety of first and second-degree equations. In addition, this course extends the concepts studied in earlier courses by presenting a formal treatment of functions and their graphs, along with some use of a graphics calculator as an aid for exploration and discovery. The concepts include exponential, logarithmic, polynomial, and rational functions. Real-life applications are stressed in order to teach the concepts involved in mathematical modeling. Students in Algebra II are required to take Trigonometry and Discrete Math (TDM) the following year. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisites ALGEBRA I, GEOMETRY 232
ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY
This course extends the concepts studied in earlier courses by presenting a formal treatment of functions and their graphs, along with some use of a graphics calculator as an aid for exploration and discovery. The concepts include exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polynomial, and rational functions. The course stresses real-life applications in order to teach the concepts involved in mathematical modeling. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the regular and honors levels prerequisites ALGEBRA I, GEOMETRY 48
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TRIGONOMETRY
AND
DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
1 credit – year-long major – required for students who complete ALGEBRA II 250
TOPICS
IN
MATHEMATICS
Trigonometry and Discrete Math (TDM) is topical in nature and is designed to follow Algebra II. Concepts include a review of general functions and transformations; polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions; matrices, sequences and series. Concepts in trigonometry are extended, and substantial work is done in graphing and modeling using trigonometric equations. There is some extensive development of statistics and probability. Graphing calculators and appropriate application software will be used periodically throughout the course. A math research project is required as part of the curriculum. Upon completion of the course, students may request a level of Precalculus.
PRECALCULUS
A year-long major, this course integrates selected topics from precalculus and discrete mathematics and is designed to enhance various algebraic skills while developing higher-level mathematical thinking. Topics include analysis of polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions; solving equations and inequalities; exploring some specific properties and graphs of trigonometric functions along with various applications of trigonometric functions. In addition, mathematical modeling, vectors, sequences and series, probability, and statistics will be explored. Graphing calculators are required and will be used extensively throughout the year. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY or TDM 252
PRECALCULUS
A full-year course integrating topics from pre-calculus and discrete mathematics, the course is designed to enhance and extend algebraic skills while developing higher-level mathematical thinking. Topics include the study of logic, analysis of functions, equation and inequalities, number theory, recursion and mathematical induction, polar coordinates, complex numbers, and vectors. Both the derivative and the integral in calculus are introduced. Graphing calculators are required and are used extensively throughout the year. The computer lab is used to study a variety of the topics. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the regular and honors levels prerequisite ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY or TDM
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MATHEMATICS
260
CALCULUS
Calculus serves as an appropriate capstone course for those students who are considering further study of science, engineering, technology, finance, or other field not necessarily exclusively mathematical. The syllabus includes a review of the topics from algebra, trigonometry, and analytical geometry that are necessary for success in the course and contains an in-depth coverage of most of the topics normally taught in the first semester and part of the second semester of a three-semester college calculus sequence. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite PRECALCULUS 265
AP CALCULUS AB
Calculus AB follows the Advanced Placement curriculum outlined by the College Board and is comparable to a college-level calculus course. The prerequisites outlined by this curriculum should be covered before or during the course. The course focuses on developing students’ understanding of the concepts of calculus and providing experience with its methods and applications. The course emphasizes a multirepresentational approach to calculus, with concepts, results, and problems being expressed graphically, numerically, analytically, and verbally. The connections among these representations also are important. The course prepares students for the AP Calculus AB examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 266
AP CALCULUS BC
Calculus BC is an extension of Calculus AB rather than an enhancement; the common topics require a similar depth of understanding. While most students come from Calculus AB, that course is not a prerequisite. Students taking Calculus BC should have covered all the prerequisites outlined by the Advanced Placement curriculum before taking the course. The course prepares students for the AP Calculus BC examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 270
STATISTICS
Statistics is offered to students as an introduction to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. The three broad conceptual themes include exploring and analyzing data by observing patterns and departures from patterns using graphical and numerical tech50
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1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY or TDM 275
AP STATISTICS
Advanced Placement Statistics is offered to juniors and seniors who wish to complete studies in secondary school equivalent to a one-semester, introductory, non-calculus based, college course in statistics. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. The four broad conceptual themes include exploring and analyzing data by observing patterns and departures from patterns using graphical and numerical techniques; planning a study, which includes the way in which data is collected; anticipating patterns by producing models using probability theory and simulation; and statistical inference. The course prepares students for the AP Statistics examination.
MATHEMATICS
niques; planning a study, which includes the way in which data is collected; and anticipating patterns by producing models using some probability theory and simulation. The course is an excellent option for any student who has successfully completed a regular or honors-level course in Algebra II/Trigonometry and possesses sufficient mathematical and quantitative skills.
1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 281 INTRODUCTION TO
BUSINESS
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PERSONAL FINANCE
This major course is open to those students who have fulfilled the graduation requirement for math and is designed to provide students with a comprehensive look at the world of finance and investing. Students will study various financial institutions, the inner workings of the financial markets, and the risks and rewards of investing in these markets. Considering our campus’ proximity to the capital of the financial world, students will also have the opportunity to visit Wall Street and lower Manhattan as well as design and pursue various projects and activities. They will also be exposed to the many career opportunities that exist in the financial field. Course objectives include learning the basic concepts and usage of basic business math, consumer math, and practical investment issues. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY or TDM
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MATHEMATICS
285
HONORS MATHEMATICS SEMINAR
Intended for the mathematically serious, this course takes students on an odyssey into the realm of advanced mathematics with all its delightful surprises. The focus of the is problem solving: students venture into un-known territory, grapple with challenging problems, emerge with a profound sense of triumph, and ultimately come to an appreciation of what it means to be a mathematician. Problems are drawn from a variety of branches of mathematics: for example, from Geometry and Advanced Algebra to Number Theory and Combinatorics. There is some flexibility in the curriculum should the class come across a branch of mathematics they wish to pursue in greater depth. There are no quizzes or tests, but instead challenging problem sets and projects. Students often have the opportunity to work collaboratively in pairs or small groups. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite HONORS PRECALCULUS and permission of the department
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MODERN
AND
CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
LANGUAGES
The faculty of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages recognize the importance of helping students develop an understanding of the ideas and culture of the ancient world as well as preparing students to be fully-fledged members of today’s global community. In Latin, the department offers instruction to complement and strengthen the missions of our English, History & Religion, and Art Departments. Students gain insight into and understanding of the English language through extensive study of Latin vocabulary, sentence structure, and the great works of classical Greek and Roman literature that have inspired and informed writers and thinkers throughout the centuries. The objectives of our Latin program are to engage students with this rich heritage; to help them develop their command and appreciation of Latin as a language and as the vehicle of history, theater, poetry, science, philosophy, theology, and everyday life; and to explore with them the cultural differences that separate us from the ancient world and the similarities that link us to it so tightly. The curricula of French, Spanish, and Mandarin stress the development of the four basic modern language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students should expect all French and Spanish courses to be conducted in the target language, with our immersive classes providing the appropriate pedagogical environment for students to participate actively; Mandarin courses move more gradually toward immersion. Moreover, students have the opportunity to practice their skills with their class regularly in our language laboratory and to incorporate available technological resources into their studies. Our goal is to enable students to communicate effectively while acquainting themselves with the varied aspects of other cultures. We implement authentic materials at all levels to illustrate scenarios of daily life as well as to convey information about the culture, history, literature, and geography of representative countries. It is our hope that students acquire a keener ability to think globally through their study of language. The language requirement stipulates that all students complete a minimum of three years of study in the same language at the high school level, through at least an introduction to literature (year III), though we encourage students to continue in their course of study through senior year, and most do. While a grade of 60 is passing, a grade below 70 for the year or for the spring semester will ordinarily require summer work as recommended by the department. Distinction in one or more of the languages offered as majors by the department is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have completed four years of study of the language, maintained a high level of THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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achievement reflected by grades in the high 80s or 90s throughout those years, completed the most challenging courses available to them, and shown passion for the subject.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
LANGUAGES
Richard Simon M.A., M.Phil., New York University
“ 301
LATIN I
Students learn the fundamentals of Latin grammar and vocabulary while exploring Roman history and culture through adapted readings from some of the greatest Latin authors (Cicero, Caesar, Catullus, Ovid, Vergil, Horace, and others). Grammar studied includes uses of the six cases (particularly genitive and ablative) of nouns and adjectives, the first three noun declensions, the active voice of all six tenses in all verb conjugations in the indicative mood, and the passive voice of verbs in the present, imperfect and future tenses; first/second-declension adjectives; indirect statement. Our cultural explorations may take us to such topics as family life in the Roman world, slavery, Roman mythology, and the legends of Rome’s origins. Attention also is given to expanding English vocabulary through Latin. 1 credit – year-long major 302
LATIN II
Students continue their study of Latin and advance to more complex sentence structure including the subjunctive and participial phrases. Over the course of the year, the study of noun and verbs forms is completed, and a more extensive vocabulary is acquired. Adaptations of medieval and early renaissance literature form the core of our readings (from Petrarch, Erasmus, Copernicus and Thomas More, among others), and we examine the role of Latin in the transmission of western literature during the past millennium. The history of writing is explored through experiential learning as students try their hand at late Roman and medieval scripts using ink, pen and nib. Attention to expanding English vocabulary through Latin continues throughout the year. 1 credit – year-long major
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LATIN III
1 credit – year-long major 306
SEMINARS
IN
LATIN LITERATURE
LANGUAGES
Students complete their study of Latin grammar with an examination of the remaining advanced concepts of syntax. Reading and translation skills are refined through intensive practice. Over the course of the year, we transition to working exclusively with unadapted selections from Classical Latin literature with particular attention to Latin poetry. Focusing on the work of Vergil and Ovid, we not only translate, but also begin to analyze and interpret the literature through close and critical readings. Rhetorical and poetic devices are taught along with the meter and scansion of Latin poetry.
Students read in Latin both popular and lesser-known myths as told by the great writers of Ancient Rome. Selections include the works of Ovid, Vergil, and Catullus and the stories of Daedalus and Icarus, Medea, and Theseus and the Minotaur, to name a few. In addition to a close and critical reading of these works, students also explore the extensive apparatus of literary allusions as they examine how the same myths manifest in post-classical and contemporary art and literature. These later writers, artists, and filmmakers include Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, Matisse, and Jean Cocteau. Students produce two projects: their own original work of art – for example, a short story or play, a film, a painting – that draws on and alludes to myths read in class, and a one-of-akind hand-bound book that chronicles the life of a myth over the last two thousand years. Bookbinding, medieval calligraphy, and manuscript tradition are taught as part of this final project. 1 credit – year-long major 321
FRENCH I
With the interactive, multimedia programs of Le Nouveau Taxi! and French in Action, students use visual, aural, and print media to learn the language and culture of France. The authenticity of the materials enables students to grasp the complexities of learning another language while at the same time making the subject matter interesting, accessible, and fun. The emphasis is on speaking, reading, writing, and listening, with the goal of the course being communicative proficiency through the development of language skills, self-expression, and cultural insight. 1 credit – year-long major THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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LANGUAGES
322
FRENCH II
This course further develops the four language skills along with a deeper study of grammar and syntax. Students continue their study using the programs of Le Nouveau Taxi! and French in Action, conduct a multifaceted project on a French film, and are introduced to the francophone world. Students in the accelerated level also review and expand their developing language skills. Readings from well-known French fairy tales and the novel Le Petit Prince introduce accelerated students to the study of French literature. Regular use of the language lab is an integral part of the course. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels 323
FRENCH III
At this point in their study of the language, students are expected to begin achieving a greater facility with idiomatic French and continue their study of grammar. An emphasis is placed on the students’ integration of speaking and writing skills. Students are introduced to French literature, beginning with the reading of selections of prose and poetry from the francophone world. In the spring students read several classic works of modern and contemporary literature and engage in diverse projects using their ever-developing skills. In Accelerated French III, students explore diverse literary genres as a departure point for class discussions, written analyses, and oral presentations. Regular use of the language lab is an integral part of the course. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels 324
FRENCH IV
As students pursue their mastery of the language, emphasis is placed on developing their oral and written analytical skills. Students study six major works of twentieth-century French literature and discuss cultural and currentevent topics. The writing component includes both analytical papers and creative writing assignments. Students also do oral and written exposés on topics and themes derived from the course material. 1 credit – year-long major 326
SEMINARS
IN
FRENCH-LANGUAGE CULTURES
A year-long course divided into two seminars that explore different topics related to the Francophone world. Readings will be drawn from literature, 56
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newspapers, and magazines. The seminars engage specific aspects of literature, art, culture, current affairs, history, and film, all with an eye to expanding students’ sense of the place of French in the world and their own lives. Seminars vary from year to year, depending on instructors and their areas of expertise, as well as students’ interests. Recent seminars include: Le Québec C’est Quoi? This seminar is a cultural-studies exploration of one of Canada’s largest provinces. Students study the region’s distinctive geography, government, history, agriculture, customs, cuisine, and architecture, culminates in a final project for the unit: an in-depth study of a specific aspect of Quebecois culture. Words, Sounds, and Images: Seven Giants of Poetry, Music, and Art This seminar examines three aspects of French culture. Students study the poetry of Jacques Prévert and Maurice Carême, the music of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, and the art of Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Auguste Rodin. Class field trips to museums, concerts, and performances give students opportunities to experience the power of these masters outside the classroom. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 335
AP FRENCH LANGUAGE
AND
CULTURE
Students in this course will have completed the curriculum covered through Accelerated French III or French IV. Students should have a good understanding of spoken and written French, and by the end of the year should be able to express themselves effectively, both verbally and in writing. Students continue to develop their oral and written anyalytical skills by studying a variety of literary works and writing extensively in response to these readings. Upon completion of the course, students take the AP French Language examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 341
SPANISH I
In this intensive introduction to the Spanish language, students learn and practice basic grammar, idiomatic structures, pronunciation, and vocabulary. An emphasis is placed on the acquisition of speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Students are able to improve their oral pronunciation and listening skills through language lab use on a regular basis in addition to practicing their abilities with the CD that comes with the text. The cultures of Spain and Latin America are introduced through the exploration of history, geography, and the arts. 1 credit – year-long major
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LANGUAGES
342
SPANISH II
Students in this second-year course build on the foundation laid in Spanish I and develop more advanced language skills. Students learn several new tenses and constructions, deepen their understanding of grammar overall, and continue their study of the geography and culture of Spain and Latin America. They continue to develop skills and understanding of the language through reading comprehension exercises and the writing of short essays. Regular use of the language lab is an integral part of building listening and speaking skills. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels 343
SPANISH III
Spanish III students study more advanced conversational patterns and learn idiomatic expressions and grammatical structures. An emphasis is placed on the students’ integrating their language skills into their writing. Students engage contemporary Spanish-language culture through films and television and are introduced to the modern literature of Latin America and Spain. 1 credit – year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels 344
SPANISH IV
In this advanced-level course, students read selected short stories and regularly respond to the literature through oral presentations and analytical essays. Writing skills are honed through creative and critical writing assignments. 1 credit – year-long major 346
SEMINARS
IN
SPANISH-LANGUAGE CULTURES
This is a year-long course divided into two seminars that explore two different topics related to the Hispanic world. Readings are drawn from original sources and original scholarship, literature and non-canonical writings, and other relevant cultural productions (folk, popular, and high art; architecture, music, journalism, magazines, movies, television, etc.). Seminars vary from year to year, depending on instructors and their areas of expertise. Recent seminars include: The History of Spain This seminar is a cultural-studies excursion through the centuries of Spanish history, beginning with Roman Hispania and ending with contemporary Spain. Students study Spain’s distinctive geography; Pre-historic, legendary "Hispania," Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Visigoth, late-medieval Christian and Muslim Spain up to the final 58
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1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 355
AP SPANISH LANGUAGE
AND
LANGUAGES
“reunification” in 1492, accompanied by the start of the Inquisition and the expulsion of Muslims and Jews; the rise and fall of the “Empire” over the next four hundred years, and the 20th century. The Invention of the New World This course focuses on the Spanish “discovery” of the western hemisphere. Starting with the period of los Reyes Católicos, this course analyzes Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, his arrival in the “New World,” the encounter with the Mayas, Aztecs and Incas, and the subsequent extension of Spain in the Indies, the territorial order and the virreinatos. Students look closely at the reception and interpretation of these events in Spain and how ideas of this new world were shaped by touring “visits” by enslaved Indios, first-hand accounts of explorers, missionaries and settlers, and other forms of mythography: drama, poetry, painting, illustration, and highly politicized cartography.
CULTURE
Students taking this course will have completed the curriculum covered through Accelerated Spanish III or Spanish IV. The curriculum is comparable to a third-year college course in advanced Spanish writing and conversation. The course seeks more to develop language skills that are useful in themselves and that can be applied to various activities and disciplines than to the mastery of any specific subject matter. By the end of the year, students should have the ability to understand formal and informal spoken Spanish, read periodicals and modern literature written in Spanish, compose expository essays, and express ideas orally with accuracy and fluency. Coursework includes the expression of ideas, reading of literary works, extensive writing assignments, and oral class presentations. Upon completion of the course, students take the Advanced Placement Spanish Language examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 361
MANDARIN I
In this first-level course, students learn the building blocks of Mandarin Chinese in its written and spoken forms through practice of all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In reading, students study traditional and simplified Chinese characters, of which they learn to read 300. In writing, they learn the strokes and stroke orders of characters along with phonetic transcription, memorizing 400. In speaking, students learn correct pronunciation of the four tones, word order, and basic question-and-answer conversation. In listening, they work in class and in the language laboratory to THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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develop their understanding of native speakers. 1 credit – year-long major
LANGUAGES
362
MANDARIN II
In the second level course, students deepen their understanding in the four language skill areas. They add many characters to their foundation, continually practicing and reinforcing their writing. We continue to build on our essential dialogues, giving students the ability to speak and understand in everyday situations. Language laboratory work is a regular component, so students can hear themselves and modify as necessary by comparison to native speakers. Projects, field trips and invited guests let us take our growing knowledge outside the boundaries of the classroom, and invite the world in to join us. 1 credit – year-long major 363
MANDARIN III
After reviewing the sentence structures and vocabulary learned in Mandarin I and II, this course engages texts, materials, and grammatical forms of greater complexity; all work is almost exclusively in the target language. Students will become better able to discuss events in the past and future, in conversation as well as in writing, and continue to have the language laboratory be an integral part of their learning. 1 credit – year-long major 364
MANDARIN IV
Following an intensive review of the characters and grammar patterns learned in Mandarin I-III, this course takes the great leap forward into total immersion: all presentation, explanation and discussion is in the target language. Students learn an additional 500 characters and 60 new grammar patterns while reinforcing their mastery of the many they have learned before. Students advance their use of English/Chinese-Chinese/English dictionaries and their typing in Chinese on the computer. Magic Tour of China is the primary text program, supplemented by the New Practical Chinese Reader II. 1 credit – year-long major 365
MANDARIN V
Mandarin V is the capstone of the Mandarin Chinese Program. Conducted entirely in the target language, the focus of the course is on the students’
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1 credit – year-long major 391
ANCIENT GREEK I
This course meets twice a week and provides an introduction to the basics of the Attic dialect of Ancient Greek. Students learn the alphabet, acquire a preliminary vocabulary, and learn the function and forms of nouns and verbs. We use a reading-based text to quickly develop pronunciation skills and to facilitate comprehension. Composition and recitation skills are enhanced by a fourth quarter shadow puppetry production. Students compose the narrative in Ancient Greek and based on themes drawn from Classical mythology; we build our own puppets based on the stylized imagery and forms of Greek vase painting.
LANGUAGES
development of independent skills for expressing their ideas in Chinese. These skills include daily conversation, reading (modern and classic short stories), listening to the news, and writing short essays. Students learn 500-600 new vocabulary elements and 70 new sentence patterns through class discussion and independent research, deepening their engagement with Chinese culture, literature, and idioms. Upon completing this course, students will have mastered 1800-2000 vocabulary elements and approximately 250 different sentence patterns, allowing them to express complex ideas both orally and in writing.
.5 credits – year-long minor – offered in alternation with ANCIENT GREEK II 392
ANCIENT GREEK II
The course meets twice a week and continues the trajectory of Greek I, using the same reading-based textbook. Students increase their vocabulary, learn the complex system of Greek verb morphology and tackle more advanced syntax. Ancient Greek sculpture and its extensive influence are explored alongside the study of the language. As in Greek I, art and language combine in a fourth quarter shadow puppetry project based on themes drawn from Classical mythology. The two Greek minors together comprise a typical semester of Greek I at the college level. Students who take both years can typically place into Greek II in college. .5 credits – year-long minor – offered in alternation with ANCIENT GREEK I prerequisite ANCIENT GREEK I or permission of the department
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HISTORY & RELIGION
HISTORY
AND
RELIGION
The study of history and religion is the study of people and their cultures. Keenly aware that the world is rapidly changing, our department seeks to foster in our students an understanding of the past, an appreciation for the rich diversity of the present, and an awareness of where the world is headed in the future. Our curriculum focuses on the students’ development of critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills. We stress the connections between events, people and places, and we emphasize the changes in cultures over time. We want students to be an active part of the historical process, so we focus on teaching them how to come up with their own interpretation of the events they are studying. We want them not only to be able to answer questions, but to be able to pose them as well. The skills we emphasize in our classes vary somewhat according to the age of the student. In the ninth grade much emphasis is placed on teaching basic study skills. Students learn how to read their textbook effectively, how to interpret maps, and how to compile a notebook. In each successive year these skills are further refined. Acknowledging that one of the most important skills we can teach our students is how to write well, essays on historical and religious topics are assigned throughout the year in all classes. In addition to individual essays, students also conduct research in order to learn from outside sources. Students learn how to analyze primary and secondary sources and to use those sources to support their historical arguments, both in writing and in discussion. We work with students on all aspects of library and Internet research, teaching them how to identify useful sources, how to compile a bibliography, how to take notes, how to formulate a thesis, and how to write an effective paper that presents a logical and cohesive argument. Many classes do a term-long research paper in the winter; all classes conduct small research projects throughout the year, with the complexity of the projects developing as the students progress through the Upper School. Our classes are conducted around the Harkness table, and students are expected to take responsibility for the discussion and participate actively. Other class activities include debates, role-playing projects, mock trials and congresses, all of which encourage students to formulate their own understanding of the events they are studying. In addition, we endeavor to show students how the ideas and events they are studying have had an impact on the world outside of our campus by taking them on occasional field trips to religious and historical sites in the region. Our goal is that students absorb the lessons of history and religion and leave with an appreciation for the world around
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them, including an understanding of how we got to where we are today and a desire to have a positive impact on the world in the future.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Skeffington Young M.A.T., Tufts University
“ 411
WORLD HISTORY I
Students in World History I examine the history of humanity from the birth of agriculture to the Middle Ages in Europe. Major units include the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Hebrews; Jerusalem: past and present; Ancient Greece; the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire; and the early and late Middle Ages in Europe. In the spring, students work on a major interdisciplinary project about the historical and biological evolution of cities. Over the course of the year, students learn the skills necessary to succeed in more advanced high school and college history classes, including note-taking, participating effectively in class discussion, working in groups, and writing a persuasive, well-organized essay. In addition, a major research paper is assigned.
HISTORY & RELIGION
All students are required to take three years of history, one of which must be United States History in the junior year, and the World Religions course, normally taken in tenth grade. Distinction in History and Religion is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have completed four years of history as well as World Religions; maintained a high level of achievement reflected by grades in the high 80s or 90s throughout those years; distinguished themselves for their critical thinking, for their analytical skills, and for the quality of their research; and who are devoted to the discipline. Such students have often completed at least one AP course and more than one history course during their senior year.
1 credit – year-long major 421
WORLD HISTORY II
The history of Europe and its rise, rule, and decline on the world stage is the focus of our study of the modern era (1500 to the present). This is not, however, to the exclusion of the other regions of the world. Two other recurring themes help to examine the impact Europe has had on other regions and vice versa: the issues of progress in Europe and the conflict between convergence THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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and divergence in the modern world. In addition, this course examines the rise of China and Japan, the Age of Exploration, the Reformation and Enlightenment, and the development of the Middle East. Our study of modern world history includes such activities as role-playing, Harkness discussions, the examination of primary sources and case studies, pamphleteering, and research. A yearl-long component of the course is the preparation for and participation in the Model United Nations simulation day where students as representatives from various countries discuss temporary issues and challenges.
HISTORY & RELIGION
1 credit – year-long major 431
UNITED STATES HISTORY
In this required eleventh-grade course, students examine the political, economic, diplomatic, social, and cultural history of the United States from pre-Columbian times to the present. Students write a term paper on a topic of interest , and they may conduct an oral history interview with a participant or eyewitness to this event. 1 credit – year-long major 433
AMERICAN STUDIES
American Studies is an interdisciplinary course for juniors offered by the English and the History and Religion Departments. The class coordinates the material taught in eleventh-grade history and English by prompting students to explore the underlying philosophical and moral assumptions of Americans, as reflected in their country’s history and literature. Simultaneously, students are encouraged to examine the framework of their own philosophical and moral assumptions and reflect deeply upon what it means for them to identify themselves as Americans. The class meets during two bands and is assigned two teachers, one from each department. Students who thrive in American Studies are those who willingly embark upon a rigorous and challenging course. They strive to make connections between history, literature, the world today, and themselves; they emphasize discovering personal meaning in their studies rather than memorizing and retaining content. Feeling responsible to themselves, to each other, and to their studies, students in American Studies enjoy learning independently and collaboratively. 1 credit – year-long major – taken in confunction with 133
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435
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY
A one-year survey course of United States history from 1607 through the 1990’s, this class is designed to provide students with factual knowledge and to develop their analytical skills. Students use The American Pageant as their textbook along with a sourcebook of primary documents. Because the course is designed to prepare students for college-level work, there is a great emphasis on interpreting documents and writing essays. Upon completion of the course, students take the Advanced Placement United States History examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department
PSYCHOLOGY
An introduction to psychology as a social science, this course explores three central questions: Why do we do what we do? Why do we think what we think? Why do we feel what we feel? Students study the many theories that attempt to answer these questions and the branches of psychology that have developed accordingly. Along the way, they build their psychological vocabulary to aid them in their discussion and understanding of these theories. Several short-term and two long-term projects help students understand the major divisions of our study: the history of psychology, cognitive psychology, biological psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, behavioral psychology, clinical psychology, and abnormal/healthy psychology. To practice the techniques of the psychologist, students design an experiment and use research methods employed by psychologists. Literature, music, and film are incorporated into several areas of this course; primary source documents and current articles are also assigned.
HISTORY & RELIGION
440 INTRODUCTION TO
1 credit – year-long major – open to seniors 442
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Seniors in this year-long elective course study the foundations of the American system of government as well as the inner workings of the modern political system. In addition to the three branches of government, other topics studied include political philosophy, voter behavior, and political parties. Students have a textbook (Magruder’s American Government), and they read The New York Times daily in order to stay informed about current political events. Class activities include debates and research projects, and each unit concludes with a two-week role-playing project. It is the goal of the course that by the end of the year the students will not only have a working THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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knowledge of their government but also a strong desire to participate in it. 1 credit – year-long major – open to seniors
HISTORY & RELIGION
443
ECONOMICS
The course addresses such subjects as economic theories and systems; issues of supply and demand; relationship among workers, owners, consumers, and governments; the role of banks and regulation of currency; managing economies; and finally the global economy and growing nature of economic interdependence. The intent is to demystify the basic terminology within the field of economics and to gain a better understanding of the role of economics in people’s lives. Therefore, aside from the textbook, varied sources such as The New York Times are used not only to bring the financial matters to light, but also to draw connections to other areas such as politics and society. 1 credit – year-long major – open to seniors 445
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY
The principal aim of the Advanced Placement European History course is to provide students with an opportunity to master and to demonstrate an overall understanding of the basic chronology, major events and trends in European history from 1450 to the 1990s. The course also aims to foster, through an intensive study of specific topics, a deeper understanding of the political, social, economic, and intellectual forces in history. Over the course of the year, students learn to read carefully and to express ideas coherently, precisely, and clearly. Through the process of conducting the coursework, students sharpen their understanding of the nature of history, the role of the historian, the importance of objectivity and substantiation, and the relationship of history to the other social sciences and to the humanities. Upon completion of the course, students take the AP European History examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 455
WORLD RELIGIONS
Typically taken in the sophomore year, World Religions is designed to give students an understanding and appreciation of different religious ideas and practices in the world. Many questions are explored: Why and how do people worship? What ideas of God do people have? What do people believe about life? death? suffering? evil? goodness? reality? The similarities and differences between traditions are examined to see how religion affects all aspects of life, 66
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including the cultural, political, historical, and psychological. This is done through readings, class discussions, videos, speakers, trips, and projects. Students do not have to agree with or believe in any of the ideas or religions studied, but they are encouraged to demonstrate an understanding of and a tolerance for each of them. .5 credits – semester-long minor – required for all sophomores and for graduation 461
RELIGION
AND THE
HUMAN CONDITION
1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite WORLD RELIGIONS 462
BIBLICAL STUDIES
Western history, politics, art, literature, cultural views, sex, and even the dress code are influenced by the biggest bestselling book of all times: the Bible. Explore some of the themes and ideas that are in the Jewish and Christian bibles. Find out what they share, where they differ and the multifaceted ways of understanding the material. If you want to understand Western thought and culture, you need to have a working knowledge of the Bible.
HISTORY & RELIGION
Students who have completed World Religions and who take in the same year any two of the religion elective semester minors listed below can earn majorcourse credit in religion. The resulting major course can be counted as one of the required five majors students must take each year.
.5 credits – semester-long minor – prerequisite WORLD RELIGIONS 463
BIOETHICS
The focus of this course is on the nexus of religion and science, as students examine ethical dilemmas such as end or beginning of life issues, stem cell research, genetic engineering and modification, and the use of environmental resources. Students also explore how different religions articulate the relationship their adherents have with the earth. .5 credits – semester-long minor – prerequisite WORLD RELIGIONS 464
THE RAMAYANA
AND THE
PATH
OF
YOGA
The story of the Ramayana takes the reader on Prince Rama’s adventure of rescuing his wife Sita, captured by an evil ten-headed demon. Written down over two thousand years ago, this sacred story is still told all over South East Asia THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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HISTORY & RELIGION
and, in fact, the world. Students explore why this story continues to resonate in the hearts and minds of so many by exploring the themes of love, morality, and relationships in the Ramayana. They unpeel some of the religious, political, and cultural layers of meaning the story has been imbued with throughout the ages and delve into issues of caste, race, religious rites, the power of gurus, and fate in present-day India. Interwoven in this course is an exploration of the major paths of yoga: that of wisdom or rational inquiry, the path of devotion, the path of selfless service, and the path of mental concentration. Within this last raja path, students focus on three areas: asana or postures as part of hatha yoga, the chakras system, and some of the sacred writings within this tradition, namely Pantajali’s Yoga Sutras and excerpts from the Hatha Pradipika.
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SCIENCE Citizens of the twenty-first century need to possess the scientific knowledge and analytical skills that enable them to make wise choices, both in their daily lives and in the exercise of their civic responsibilities. Global warming, stem cell research, genetic engineering, personal nutrition, custodianship of natural resources, toxic clean-up, and nuclear proliferation are just a few of the issues high school students will grapple with during their lifetimes. Science, with its emphasis on technology and objective analysis, is uniquely suited to prepare our students to meet the challenges that await them.
Students entering classrooms in our new science facility will be seated around Harkness tables. Teachers will employ Harkness methodology to develop in their students the skills of critical thinking needed to understand and address issues generated by today’s science and technology. Students will strive to master the problem-solving techniques and knowledge base needed to succeed in the more advanced science courses they will study in high school and college. They will also perform laboratory experiments and pursue research projects that reflect the scientific and technological issues of today. To unite the excitement of learning with the prerequisites of more advanced study is a funda- mental goal of the department.
SCIENCE
Science teachers at The Masters School seek to realize the maximum potential of every student. This is accomplished by asking thought-provoking questions in the classroom. The greater the question, the more one is drawn into the process of investigation and methods of solution. The primary reason for excitement and involvement with science at Masters is the remarkable questions asked by its teachers and students.
All students are required to take at least three years of science classes in the Upper School, two years of which must be lab courses. Distinction in Science is conferred upon those graduating seniors who have demonstrated an aptitude for science as exemplified by their outstanding achievement in four or more science courses, at least three of which are lab sciences. These students not only excel academically but also exhibit a passion for and love of science and are considered to be ethical and considerate members of the school community.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Frank Greally B.S., Purchase College
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501
BIOLOGY
AIDS, global warming, cloning, habitat destruction, genetic engineering, cancer – the need to understand the basic biological concepts underlying these issues has never been greater. Through laboratory exercises, research projects, class discussions and lectures, this course serves to help prepare students for further study of high school science by relating standard biology topics to familiar experiences. A variety of media are utilized for instruction. In addition, laboratory exercises help students learn how to manipulate science equipment, make inquiries and observations, record and analyze data, and write detailed, comprehensive lab reports – fundamental skills necessary for their upcoming science courses. 1 credit – year-long major
SCIENCE
502
HONORS BIOLOGY
This course is designed to cover the volume of a traditional biology curriculum at the pace necessary to prepare students for the SAT II Biology examination. Topics covered include basic biochemistry, cell structure and function, cell division and genetics, heredity and evolution, classification, plant biology, and human physiology. A variety of media are utilized for instruction. In addition, laboratory exercises provide hands-on learning opportunities that reinforce content and help students learn how to manipulate science equipment, make inquiries and observations, record and analyze data, and write detailed, comprehensive lab reports – fundamental skills necessary for their upcoming science courses. 1 credit – year-long major 505
AP BIOLOGY
Advanced Placement Biology is a demanding, college-level biology course designed to meet the curriculum requirements set forth by the College Board. The prerequisite for AP Biology is successful completion of Chemistry or Honors Chemistry; successful completion of a biology course is highly recommended. Due to the accelerated pace of the course and the depth of the material being presented, students must be highly motivated, responsible, and in possession of excellent reading comprehension skills. Students can expect to be given assignments to be completed over the winter and spring vacations in order to cover the syllabus. Upon completion of course, students take the AP Biology examination. 1.5 credits – year-long major – by permission of the department prerequisite CHEMISTRY/HONORS CHEMISTRY; BIOLOGY strongly recommended 70
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511
CHEMISTRY
A thorough study of measurement, states of matter, atomic structure, chemical nomenclature, chemical reactions, molar quantities, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, solutions, acids and bases, chemical bonding, and redox reactions make up this course’s curriculum. Central chemistry topics are introduced early and then are discussed in depth as the students’ knowledge and comprehension develop. How chemical processes and principles relate to everyday life is a central theme in making chemistry a relevant and exciting topic for students to learn. Problem solving skills are emphasized, and laboratory exercises reinforce content wherever practical. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite ALGEBRA I 512
HONORS CHEMISTRY
SCIENCE
This course is designed for students who have a strong interest in chemistry and are able to keep up with a rigorous curriculum designed to prepare students for the SAT II Chemistry exam. The accelerated pace of the course demands that students be responsible, self-motivated and diligent in their work habits; they must also possess strong math skills. As the scope of this field of science is very broad, it follows that the course be a comprehensive one emphasizing both the acquisition of knowledge and skills. As in other science courses, a variety of media are utilized for instruction. Laboratory exercises help students learn how to manipulate science equipment, make inquiries and observations, record and analyze data, and write detailed, comprehensive lab reports. Students enrolled in this course are also expected to demonstrate proficiency in the communication of knowledge by researching, writing, and presenting a chemistry project to their classmates. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department corequisite HONORS ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY 515
AP CHEMISTRY
A college-level course designed for students who have a strong interest in the subject, AP Chemistry serves to prepare students for the Advanced Placement examination in chemistry. It is a challenging course for the superior science student and requires prior successful completion of both biology and chemistry. Due to the accelerated pace of the course and the depth of the material being presented, students must be highly motivated, responsible, and in possession of both excellent reading comprehension skills and strong problem solving skills. THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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Laboratory investigations are used to further develop topics of interest. 1.5 credits – year-long major – by permission of the department prerequisite CHEMISTRY/HONORS CHEMISTRY and ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY 521
PHYSICS
This course embodies many of the traditional topics of high school physics including mechanics, thermodynamics, optics, wave phenomena, electrostatics, electricity, and specific areas of modern physics. Usually taken after biology and chemistry, the course helps to round out the student’s understanding of science and is typically taken by juniors and seniors. Laboratory experiments and problem solving are emphasized along with the mathematical methods required for analysis and solution.
SCIENCE
1 credit – year-long major – corequisite ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY 522
HONORS PHYSICS
Honors Physics is a preparatory course for the SAT II Physics examination. The accelerated pace of the course demands that students be responsible, selfmotivated and diligent in their work habits; they must also possess excellent math skills. Half the year is spent studying Newtonian mechanics and the laws of motion. The remainder of the year is devoted to the study of electricity and magnetism, optics and waves, and modern physics. Usually taken after biology and chemistry, the course helps to round out the student’s understanding of science and is typically taken by juniors and seniors. Laboratory and problem solving are emphasized along with the mathematical methods required for analysis. 1 credit – year-long major – corequisite HONORS ALGEBRA II/TRIGONOMETRY 527
AP PHYSICS C MECHANICS
This course covers classical mechanics in more depth than prior physics classes. It complements AP Calculus, exposing students to more applications of calculus and showing them how to use mechanics more generally. The course focuses on linear motion, energy, momentum, rotations, and orbits. It also includes an introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. 1.5 credits – year-long major – by permission of the department prerequisite HONORS PHYSICS OR PHYSICS corequisite AP CALCULUS AB OR BC 72
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533
SEMINARS
IN
SCIENCE
A year-long major, this course is open to those students who have completed Biology and Chemistry and is divided into all and spring semester units offered by different members of the department. Students select two seminars from among the offerings listed below. All have laboratory components except for Contemporary Issues in Science. 1 credit – year-long major – prerequisite two years of laboratory science
SCIENCE
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING This course considers the behavior of animals in both a broad and narrow scope and seeks to illustrate aspects of behavior that are common and diverse to multiple species (including rodents, horses, canines, and primates). Topics include defining behavior, use of ethograms, animal communication (vocalization vs. posture, etc.), biochemical roots of behavior, aspects of learning, and culminates in a study of how behavior can be used from a training perspective. Ethical considerations also are discussed. In addition to the primary course material, this course gives students the opportunity to learn skills such as careful observation, situational problem-solving, detail-oriented note taking, critical thinking, and statistical analysis. The skills learned in this course should be valuable to any student and should appeal in particular to a wide range of students with interests in animal-related fields (veterinary science, training and behavior modification, zookeeping, and work involving specialized training such as detection and therapy animals), as well as psychology. The course includes laboratory exercises including observation of wildlife on campus as well as hands-on training experience using either animals or comparable software. Possible guest speakers may include a certified pet behaviorist and zookeeper. Field trips may include a trip to the Bronx Zoo and an area equestrian facility. An additional observational/training field trip over a vacation may also be considered. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN SCIENCE Using newspapers, magazines, periodicals, movies, and other non-traditional sources, this course seeks to build on the knowledge base obtained in earlier science classes. Students relate their prior knowledge to current issues and work to develop further their scientific literacy by seeing the relevance of science knowledge and skills to their daily lives. Our society’s increasingly sophisticated technology has presented difficult moral and ethical issues that are reviewed and discussed. Grades are based on journals, papers, and Power Point presentations. Successful completion of two lab science courses is prerequisite to taking Contemporary Issues.
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SCIENCE
CULINARY CHEMISTRY Modeled after courses taught at professional culinary academies like the Culinary Institute of America and the Institute of Culinary Education, this course explores food from scientific and social science perspectives. Topics include types of food and their preparation methods; the roles foods have played in the cultures in which they have developed; and the social, economic, psychological, and historical roles foods have played around the world. Students explore these topics through challenging reading, discussion, laboratory experimentation, technical practice, field trips, guest speakers, and writing, including a minimum of one major research project. Successful completion of one year of Biology and one year of Chemistry is required for this course. ELECTRONICS Electronics is designed as an overview of both analog and digital electronics. The focus is to develop an understanding of simpler electronics with which we most frequently interact. Students spend about half the semester studying analog circuits and half the semester studying digital circuits. The analog portion of the course focuses on house and building wiring. Toward the end of the section students examine motors and generators, transformers, and power transmission, complementing what they would learn in electrochemistry. As a transition to digital electronics students study AC to DC converters and build digital components out of analog pieces and then finish the semester by building some basic digital circuits. FORENSICS The course of Forensics helps students to think scientifically and analytically about problem solving. In this class, students use a Forensics text as well as outside sources to explain basic science principles. Labs are designed to help students separate evidence that is relevant from evidence that is irrelevant. They learn scientific methodology, divergent problem solving strategies, critical thinking, and ethics in a hands-on, problem-based setting framed by forensics. These basic investigative skills are valuable to any high school student, but they can also prepare students for entrance into careers as investigators and/or crime scene technicians. HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY After building a fundamental basis for study through a review of basic anatomy and histology, the focus of this course will shift to the function of human systems. For a term length course, the objective would be to include study of three human systems: the cardiovascular, neurologic, and a third to be determined with input from the students. Assessment would be based on Harkness discussion, short essays, quizzes, tests and a term project. INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE This non-lab science seminar focuses on both the neurophysiology of the brain and aspects of human cogni-tion such as learning, perception, reasoning, and language, as well as a 74
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short module on the neurobiology of addiction. Rather than a textbook, the class uses an on-line curriculum supplement from the National Insti-tute of Health designed to incorporate real scientific data and actual case studies into the classroom. These activities are designed to promote active and collaborative learning and are inquiry-based to help students develop problem-solving strategies and critical thinking skills.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II This course draws on the problem-solving skills developed in Organic Chemistry I in order to explore the mechanistic pathways of complex aromatic and carbonyl compounds. Additional topics of investigation include biomolecules, stereochemistry, and structure determination using spectroscopy. Coordinated laboratory work is designed to develop the exploration of complex mechanisms and to introduce fundamental lab techniques.
SCIENCE
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I Many students find Organic Chemistry a very challenging course at the college level; this is because the traditional high school chemistry courses do not cover this area as adequately as is needed. This organic chemistry course will be for students who would like to pursue an interest in medicine, psychology, pharmacy, biochemistry or other areas of biological or chemical sciences at the college level. The course deals primarily with the basic principles required to understand the structure and reactivity of organic molecules. Emphasis is on substitution and elimination reactions and chemistry of the carbonyl group.
WORLD HEALTH Using historical information as a backdrop, this course explores the biology and epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Using literature, film and resources from the NIH and WHO, students learn about the basic pathophysiology of diseases as well as the cultural and economic impact of illness caused by a variety of pathogens. Students also read and respond to the book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, which is a biography of the founder of Partners In Health. Finally, students will engage in community service aimed at improving the plight of people dealing with the impact of infectious disease in the world. Assessment will take place through evaluation of tests, quizzes, Harkness discussion, short essays, and a final term project.
535
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
This course investigates major environmental issues such as global warming, biodiversity, management of water resources, air and water pollution, and various other topics depending on the interests of the students in the class. The political, social, and economic forces involved in formulating national and international policies are explored and put into the broader context of the THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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knowledge and skills needed to solve the complex problems that face human society today, such as population growth, privatization of water supplies, allocation of world resources, diminishing biodiversity, habitat destruction, rights of indigenous tribes in ecologically sensitive areas, and other important ecological issues. Students explore these environmental topics through reading, discussion, experimentation, and writing, including the preparation and presentation of a year-long project. Successful completion of two lab science courses is prerequisite to taking Environmental Science. 1 credit – year-long major – open to juniors and seniors
SCIENCE
539 INDEPENDENT
SCIENCE RESEARCH
This student-centered course allows sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to conduct original science research, explore topics they are interested in, and share their research with the science community at The Masters School. Students select a general area of interest, read scientific journal articles, contact scientists, research and refine their topic, develop research questions, design a research hypothesis and plan, conduct an investigation, collect and analyze data, write a research paper, prepare a visual display, present their work orally, and reflect on their work and on the research process. .5 credits – year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
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ART Art offers a means of communicating thoughts and feelings that cannot be expressed adequately through language. The deepest human emotions and ideas can be effectively conveyed through the visual arts through the very act of creating with hands-on methods. The power of the image in the twenty-first century is undeniably huge and, as a result, the role and importance of the visual artist has expanded tremendously. The mission of the Art Department is to help students to find their creative voices and hone their artistic skills so that they can communicate their ideas and feelings and make responsible use of art’s great expressive power. In the process, the mind will be developed along with the eye and hand so that ideas can be better translated into form and material. In addition, we hope to foster awareness on the part of the students of the value of art to society, so that they will accept the responsibility of preserving our artistic heritage as well as promoting and maintaining a variety of cultural activities for the benefit of all. Our excellent art studio and digital media lab allow for an exciting variety of materials and methods of construction.
ART
Distinction in the Visual Arts is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have taken at least two years of major courses in studio art or photography while at Masters and who have produced a body of work that demonstrates an unusually high degree of creativity, imaginativeness, and technical skill. Such students will have demonstrated through their work that they have involved themselves in the practice of their art as a vital means of self-expression; devoted the necessary hours outside of class to the successful pursuit of their ideas; and developed their own unique viewpoint.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Madeline Wilson M.F.A., New York University ICP
“ 601
HUMANITIES/ART
One quarter of the required ninth-grade Humanities rotation is devoted to visual art. One objective is to help students improve technical skills as well as employ art as an expressive outlet. The emphasis is upon the human figure; projects undertaken deal with head structure, human proportion, and the figure as a vehicle for the expression of feeling. Another objective is to promote an awareness of the importance of the artist to society in terms of communiTHE MASTERS SCHOOL
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cating ideas through design. Toward this end, one or more projects involving various kinds of design (graphic design, for example) are undertaken. .125 credits – Required for all ninth-graders 605
ADVANCED PRINTMAKING
The focus of this class will be to engage in the making and reproduction of images while learning about the artistic and social implications such technological advancements have had on the art world and indeed how they have formed our own aesthetics and art making today. Media explored include but are not limited to transfer techniques, Rader lithography, silkscreen, mold making, reduction printing, various ceramic printing techniques, and collage. The course complements printmaking, photography, studio art, ceramics, and other intro level art courses. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
ART
606
ADVANCED CERAMICS
Students use their prior learning from the ceramics class or through an outside studio to continue to use both hand building and thrown techniques while adding alternative elements to their ceramic investigation. Some of these alternatives will include usage of a variety of clay bodies (stoneware, porcelain, sculpture grogged bodies), use of oxides to dye/color clay, creating molds and slip mold casting, wax resist glazing, glaze mixing, image transfer onto clay and combustible firings. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 607
PRINTMAKING
Students explore a wide variety of media and mixed media print techniques, including but not limited to, linoleum, reduction prints, mono prints, and colographs. They also experiment with various printmaking surfaces, such as fabric and found objects and collage techniques. Students then apply these techniques to craft series, artist proofs, and artist books of their own. They explore and discuss visual examples of historic and contemporary printmaking through slides and original work when possible through gallery and museum trips. Students are expected to maintain a detailed sketchbook and journal throughout the course. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 78
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608
CERAMICS
Students experience hand building as well as altered wheel thrown ceramics. Emphasis is placed on craftsmanship, mold making and glaze technique. Students explore the ideas and ideals from traditional pottery to the works of such artists as abstract expressionist Peter Volcus and such contemporary potters as Adrian Saxe as well as many others. Contemporary issues surrounding the world of ceramics including its historic and continued use in technological applications are discussed. Students explore and discuss visual examples of historic and contemporary ceramics through slides and original work when possible through gallery and museum trips. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 609
BY HAND: CREATIVE MULTIMEDIA
This course can be an exploration of making things, both functional and decorative, that are at the fringe of the visual arts. A variety of materials and techniques are used with a focus on media, discovery and skill building. The course is divided into work in fibers, work in wood, sculptural work with found objects and works inspired by natural materials. Projects could include weaving, furniture design and construction, assemblage and metalsmithing. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
FOUNDATIONS
IN
ART
610
STUDIO ART
The development of technical drawing skills, aesthetic awareness, and visual acuity are the primary goals of this course. Specific exercises focus on the essential elements of visual art: line, shape, value, composition, and expressive quality, all of which are covered in depth. Various perspective systems and techniques are utilized. Students create individual value, intensity, tint, and hue charts to study color in preparation for painting. During the paint unit, formal issues, with an intensive focus on composition, are looked at in depth. Examples of masterpieces are investigated in order to reveal the wealth of aesthetic content and hidden geometric structures. The three-dimensional component involves a wide variety of mediums and projects ranging from toy design to expressive figure work. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
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611-614
STUDIO ART MAJOR
Studio Art as a major course is designed for those students who have completed the art component of the ninth-grade Humanities course and who wish to continue their study of art on a deeper and more comprehensive level. The objective of the class is for students to hone the skills acquired in previous courses and to provide them with an opportunity for a more in-depth experience in certain areas such as printmaking, painting, and sculpture. Students learn to analyze their work objectively and are encouraged to develop a personal style of expression while also developing sensitivity and perception in their response to other students’ efforts. Examples from art history are used to clarify creative goals. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 615
AP STUDIO ART
ART
After completing at least one year in a studio art major course, the student may be recommended by his or her teacher to enroll in Advanced Placement Studio Art. This challenging course is designed for the serious art student and results in the development of a comprehensive portfolio demonstrating technical mastery as well as a creative imagination. The portfolio is sent to an evaluating committee of artists and art educators who award it a grade (independent of the grade assigned by the student’s teacher at Masters) that may earn them college credit. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 620
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Still photography is immediate. Digital photography is more immediate than analog, and our approach to art making is transformed by that fact. Used either as a communication tool or as an integrated component of mixed media installation, photography has become a staple of many contemporary artists’ means of expression, a part of the vocabulary of visuality, and a tool for the deconstruction of more traditional forms of art and culture. Computer technology has made the practice of photography more accessible to the visual artist as well as the consumer. This minor class explores digital photography on its own terms as society moves further into this medium. Students learn basic photographic skills (exposure control, composition, color and post-production) and Photoshop CS6. Color photography is a major focus of the class, and students can also learn how to produce optimal color and grayscale prints on the Epson 2000 and 4000 printers. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 80
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621
DARKROOM PHOTOGRAPHY
This semester-long minor is designed to teach the beginning photography student the basics of black and white photography from a creative perspective. Camera use, film developing, and printmaking are the three main areas of concentration in the first quarter. During the second quarter, students are introduced to studio lighting concepts and work hands-on in the studio exploring portraiture and still-life photography. Contemporary photography is explored through a visual and written project that students share with their class. Alternative photographic processes such as Polaroid transfers, pinhole, and toning prints may also be explored in the second quarter. Class projects throughout the semester are designed to give students considerable creative latitude. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 622
PHOTOGRAPHY II
.5 credits – semester-long minor – prerequisite DARKROOM OR DIGITAL PHOTO 623
PHOTOGRAPHY III
– PROJECTS
IN
ART
This minor course is designed for students who wish to improve their photographic technique and to explore individual areas of interest. Concepts introduced in Darkroom Photography or Digital Photography are expanded upon; more attention is given to the subtleties of the exploration of light, and students work with color in the digital lab. Students are introduced to conceptual photography and are expected to take part in a more in-depth examination of their own working methods.
PHOTOGRAPHY
This class is designed for those students who have completed Darkroom Photography or Digital Photography, and Photo II. Students will design a semester-long project, beginning with a written proposal, and ending with an artist statement that will accompany a portfolio of twenty finished, exhibition quality prints. This can become the student’s portfolio, and, as part of the class, students will learn how to transfer their finished portfolios to slides and CDs, packaged for college admissions or gallery review. The course can be combined with another photo minor to form a major class. .5 credits – semester-long minor – prerequisite PHOTOGRAPHY II
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625
PHOTOGRAPHY MAJOR
Photography as a major course is offered to students at different levels of technical experience who are serious in their pursuit of photography as an artistic medium. Emphasis is placed upon the development of individual concerns and issues through the medium of photography, creative methods, digital photography, and an introduction to the history of photography. Also included, through frequent field trips, is a survey of contemporary artists using photography as their principle medium as well as those incorporating photography into mixed media. Students also work on a collaborative project that culminates in a site-specific installation on campus. The creation of the portfolio and the development of creative and intuitive skills are also addressed. Technical expertise is approached on an individual basis so that the intellectual concerns of all of the students might be met in discussions and class critiques, preparing students for the more rigorous studies of art and media at the college level. 1 credit – year-long major – open to students in grades 10-12
ART
626
GRAPHIC DESIGN
AND
DESKTOP PUBLISHING
In this class students learn the basics of graphic design and desktop publishing through assisting in the production of the School’s yearbook, Masterpieces. During the first three quarters, student learn the basics of design and layout from concept to completion including the use of type as a visual element, properties of color and grayscale formatting, production processes, and the balance of photographs and text as compositional elements of the book. Students spend the final quarter preparing elements of the yearbook for the following year. .5 credits – year-long minor 627
MASTERPIECES SENIOR EDITORSHIP
This course is designed as an independent study for the senior editorial officers of Masterpieces, the school’s yearbook. In addition to attending the Graphic Design class, these students work independently during free periods under the direction of the faculty advisor for Masterpieces and develop such skills as creating the ladder, managing a staff and materials, deciding upon the chain of importance of information, and furthering developing design and layout of the yearbook as a whole. Students receive major credit for this course. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department
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635
AP ART HISTORY
This course gives students a comprehensive view of the panorama of art styles and periods from cave painting to the art of today. The work of the course is based upon class discussion employing both slides and, when feasible, original work. A text is employed and reading assignments, research reports, quizzes, and tests are essential components of the course. Field trips to museums and galleries in New York City are required. Periods covered are prehistoric art to the eleventh century, the twelfth century to the eighteenth century, and the later eighteenth century to the present. The objectives of the course are to familiarize students with a variety of art masterpieces, both past and present; to teach them to analyze works of art and to speak and write about their conclusions with clarity; and to encourage them to develop a passion for art that will lead to continued study of art beyond high school. At the end of the year, students take the AP Art History examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 641
FOUNDATIONS
IN
VIDEO PRODUCTION
Students learn the basics of short-filmmaking, including visualization, camera technique, editing, and sound. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
ART
642
ADVANCED VIDEOMAKING
Theorizing, planning, casting, shooting, and editing a feature-length narrative or long-format documentary video are challenging processes. The overall effort requires thinking far outside the structure of traditional storytelling and requires acute attention to detail and continuity. This course affords serious students of video the opportunity to pursue the step-by-step development and completion of a feature-length video. .5 credits – year-long minor – prerequisite FOUNDATIONS IN VIDEO PRODUCTION 643
VIDEO POST-PRODUCTION
AND
ANIMATION
Students use found footage to learn basic video editing skills as well as basic motion graphics, animation and sound design. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
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644
FOUNDATIONS
IN
FILM THEORY
In this theory course, students learn the means by which film communicates meaning to its audience. Stu-dents examine how films communicate by considering the stories they tell, the sign systems they deploy, the interpretive contexts the viewer is invited to place them in, and the range of aesthetic elements that contribute to the cinematic image. Student work is mostly written and discussion based analysis, with one “video essay” that analyzes a film or genre through video editing. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 645
VIDEO MAJOR
This course is designed for those students who want to pursue video production at a high level. As a year-long major, students are afforded more time to shoot, edit, and produce more ambitious films and projects. Students devote more time exploring the intricacies of the professional film editing application, Final Cut Pro, and work collaboratively to produce and critique each other’s work. Trips off campus to film on location are frequent.
ART
1 credit – year-long major 646
DIGITAL ART
IN THE
CONNECTED AGE
Students explore how the Internet and web technology has influenced and inspired artists both in terms of expression and reaching an audience. Students create and curate their own online space (either a Wordpress blog, or a webpage designed from scratch with Adobe Muse). Students can choose to have their online space curate either criticism of the work of others or their own personal portfolio. .5 credits – semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
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MUSIC The goal of the music program at The Masters School is to provide opportunities for students to make music, to learn about music, and to share their musical experiences with others. To that end, the curriculum includes hands-on courses, such as Choral Music, and also courses that enhance the student’s understanding of music, such as Music Theory. Regardless of the course, the approach to teaching theory or a performing group is participatory. Courses are open to students who have extensive musical background or little musical background. Private instruction by professional musicians and instructors is also available on a variety of instruments to enhance the individual student’s program. Distinction in Music is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have participated in an ensemble, completed at least two major music courses, and earned grades of at least 90 in each of those courses.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Nancy Theeman Ph.D., University of Maryland
“ 604 HUMANITIES/MUSIC
MUSIC
During the music rotation of the Humanities curriculum, students complete three principle projects. The first, entitled “The Body Resonant,” is a project in which students work in groups composing a work using sounds generated from their bodies (e.g., snapping their fingers, clucking their tongues, or humming a melody). From this process, students learn the elements of composition as well as basic principles of ensemble playing. The second project is a work in which students compose a three-part percussion piece after having studied basic rhythmic notation. From this project, students learn to adopt an internal pulse, listen to other parts while playing their own, and notate parts for multiple players using music notation software. The last project focuses on applying skills previously learned while utilizing computer software and recording devices to create musical compositions. Students record ambient noise from around campus, upload those sounds, and then manipulate them into digital instruments for their compositions. .125 credits – Required for all ninth-graders
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651
CHORAL MUSIC I – GLEE CLUB
Choral Music is the course during which meets the Glee Club, the school’s oldest organization. A credited course, Choral Music focuses on the preparation and performance of choral masterpieces. Emphasis is placed on sight-singing, musical literacy, and development of individual vocal health. The Glee Club performs at least three times a year for the Candlelight Concert, with the Pingry School, and for the spring concert. Past performances have included the Mozart Requiem and the Haydn St. Joannis de Deo mass. .5 credits – year-long minor 652
CHORAL MUSIC II – DOBBS 16
Choral Music II is comprised of the members of Dobbs 16 who are chosen by auditions held in the spring and fall. This group primarily performs a cappella collegiate arrangements in six to eight-part harmony. Dobbs 16 specializes in popular music from the 1980s to the present. Each year, the members of Dobbs 16 travel to Columbia University for two weekend workshops, participate in the Gilda’s Club a cappella extravaganza in April, host their own Valentine’s Day Concert with the school jazz band, and perform at Glee Club Concerts and Admission Open House events. The expectation is that students can learn music on their own. .5 credits – year-long minor – by permission of the department
MUSIC
655
MAJOR
IN
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Students who take in the same year two of the four instrumental minors (Chamber Music, Orchestra, Swing Band, or Jazz Theory Practicum) can earn major-course credit in Instrumental Music. The two year-long minor courses combine to form this course, which can be counted as one of the required five majors students must take each year. 1 credit – year-long major 656 JAZZ
THEORY PRACTICUM
Jazz Theory Practicum is an advanced course designed for experienced jazz students who are interested in furthering their studies of jazz improvisation concepts. This course will begin with the introduction of 32-bar song form and 12-bar blues progressions. In-depth study of scales, modes, and the respective harmonic relationships will be addressed, along with tune analysis.
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Most importantly, however, all concepts will be realized on their own instruments, with piano being a reference for all participants in the course. .5 credits – year-long minor prerequisite Music Theory Minor or by permission of the department 657
CHAMBER MUSIC
Chamber Music is offered as a minor to experienced instrumentalists who want the challenge of playing regularly with other musicians and working on the great literature for chamber ensemble. Rehearsal techniques and ensemble coaching are included as well as readings by musicians on ensemble playing and studying of various interpretations of the literature to be played. .5 credits – year-long minor – by permission of the department 658
SWING BAND
.5 credits – year-long minor – by permission of the department 659
MUSIC
In this course, students explore a wide variety of “big band” repertoire, ranging from the elegance of Duke Ellington to the bold sounds of Tower of Power. This class focuses on building skills in large ensemble play-ing with an emphasis on listening and developing the “swing” feel, jazz articulations, dynamics, and musical interpretation. Visiting artists help refine the students’ skills in all of these areas. The work of the class culminates in winter and spring performances as well as a recording at the end of the year. Participation in the course assumes instrumental proficiency and basic skills in reading musical notation. Instrumentation for this class is as follows: drums, bass, piano, guitar, saxophone, trombone (French horn and cello can substitute), and trumpet (flutes can substitute).
ORCHESTRA
Orchestra meets once a week on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Upper School students rehearse with faculty and Middle School for the first part of the class and then continue with their own repertoire for the remaining portion. Orchestra explores music of various styles including contemporary. Past repertoire has included concertos by Handel and Corelli as well as music from Pirates of the Caribbean and animé music. Participation in the course assumes instrumental proficiency and basic skills in reading musical notation. .5 credits – year-long minor – by permission of the department THE MASTERS SCHOOL
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661
MUSIC HISTORY
Music History is designed to give students a solid introduction to music literature and style. This intense study of the history of music is divided into the following periods: Antiquity to Bach, Bach to the Early Romantics, and Romantic to Modern. Extensive listening and concert attendance are a central part of this major. By the end of the year, students will be able to identify musical selections from all historical periods and to identify composers of all periods as well. (The course can be counted toward fulfilling the graduation requirement for either history or the arts; it may be offered in alternate years.) 1 credit – year-long major – open to juniors and seniors 662
STUDIO PRODUCTION
IN THE
DIGITAL AGE
MUSIC
In this offering, students explore a wide variety of digital audio workstation applications in order to create, promote, and perform their work. Students build skills in such state-of-the-art programs as Pro Tools and Ableton Live (the former being live audio recording and editing software, and the latter serving as both a recording and editing software program as well as functioning as a virtual instrument used by performers and DJs in a live setting). As students accumulate work, they explore ways to promote themselves and to “get their work out there” by examining the many forms of delivery in the digital age. Students study the function of Internet radio and podcasts; they learn how to create blogs, how to network, and how to book an all-ages per-formance at a live venue in New York City. .5 credits – year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 663
MUSIC THEORY MINOR
This year-long course is an introduction to music including ear training, basic piano chord technique, and composition. Students sight-sing and learn to write out music as well as to write out dictated melodies and chord progressions. They study compositional techniques in popular as well as the traditional music. This course can be taken as preparation for the AP Music Theory class. .5 credits – year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
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AP MUSIC THEORY
Advanced Placement Music Theory is an intense study of the rudiments of music, ear training, and composition. The first part of the year is devoted to ear-training and sight-singing. Students then study principles of eighteenthcentury theoretical practice including analysis, composition, and form. The course concludes with the study of modern techniques and includes altered chords, jazz chords, and non-traditional harmonic practice. At the end of the year, students take the AP Music Theory examination. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department 669 INDEPENDENT
STUDY
IN
THEORY
AND
COMPOSITION
An independent study in theory and composition is offered for those students who have completed AP Music Theory or the equivalent and who wish to further their theoretical studies and concentrate on compositional techniques. Credit determined by arrangement – by permission of the department
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DRAMA The Drama Department at The Masters School sees theater arts as the ideal place for students to experience the collaborative nature of performance. Students study acting, directing, stage managing, set and lighting design, costume, and makeup use as they learn to interpret dramatic literature in academic courses and performances. Students are encouraged to become leaders as well as to participate as strong team members. Each year we present a drama, a comedy, and a musical so that the students are able to explore a wide range of acting styles and design options. Members of Phoenix, the School’s honorary drama society, produce a number of plays themselves each year. They also emcee monthly coffee house performances open to everyone in the community. This more informal opportunity to share one’s talent is held in the dining hall on weekends. "Touring Talent" trips off campus are another chance for our students to perform and to participate in service opportunities. Actors from our ninth-grade Humanities/Drama class, our Acting Workshop group, and our Drama on Stage course often do scenes or monologues at the Andres Retirement Community. Students taking Directing also produce plays that are open to everyone. There are many chances to participate in theater at Masters, and we encourage all students to develop their minds, imaginations, skills, and creativity. Distinction in Drama is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have completed at least two courses in the department beyond the ninth-grade Humanities requirement, earned grades of at least 90 in each of those courses, and demonstrated excellence in our after school theater program.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
DRAMA
Mary Anne Haskin M.A., New York University
90
“ 603
HUMANITIES/DRAMA
This half-semester course is part of the Humanities rotation required of all ninth graders. Humanities Drama seeks to improve both the appreciation for and understanding of theater arts. It offers an introductory analysis of theater through the exploration of dramatic literature, theatrical presentation (acting), physical design (lighting, scenery, costumes), and related theatrical elements while developing an awareness of theater’s place in contemporary society. Over the course of eight weeks, students delve into what makes theater through an overview of theater history, script analysis, and theater production. While the Curriculum Guide
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overarching goal of the class is to provide the student with a greater understanding of dramatic literature, the course is also designed to expose the student to alternative communication methods that lead to individual growth through the act of creating theater. .125 credits – Required for all ninth-graders 681
DRAMA
ON
STAGE
During the first part of this year-long minor course, the emphasis is on pantomime, improvisation, and the development of the voice as students perform a monologue for their culminating project. They next work on acting skills through scene study. Students explore movement, characterization, and action/reaction techniques as they present scenes in class. After these experiences, the students are ready to become directors. They take turns analyzing a scene, staging it, and motivating the actors. The history of drama is included with this unit to enhance the students’ understanding of the plays they are producing. .5 credits – year-long minor 683
ACTING WORKSHOP
Acting Workshop is a full-year minor course in which students develop concentration and imagination as they perform in exercises designed to develop characterization. Students taking the Directing class work with these actors on voice, gesture, and body language during each class session. The class participates in the scenes and plays produced by student directors. Students are introduced to methods of research that allow their interpretations to reflect the life and times of the playwright as well as the intent of the specific script. .5 credits – year-long minor
DIRECTING
In this year-long minor course, students keep a journal concerning all aspects of theater arts that they experience in school as well as off campus. The first weeks of the class focus on specific staging and motivational techniques outlined in their textbook. Students then begin to direct scenes using students from the Acting Workshop course. During the final months of the class, the directors produce and direct a play that is shown to the entire school community.
DRAMA
685
.5 credits – year-long minor – prerequisite DRAMA ON STAGE
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686
TECHNICAL THEATER
A year-long minor, the course is a hands-on, workshop experience that includes set design and construction, scene painting, sound effects, lighting design and execution, and theater safety. After completing the course, students often take the leadership positions as crew heads, designers, stage managers, or assistants to the Technical Director on school productions. .5 credits – year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 687
THEATER DESIGN
Theater Design will focus on an introduction to the processes, technologies, and aesthetics of the visual design employed in theatrical productions. Using a range of media, students explore design skills, the creative process, and the essentials of designing for the stage. Topics include the study of scenery design, lighting design, and costume design. Students apply and demonstrate proficiency in period and styles of design, principles of composition, and the use of text as visual space through collaborative projects. Theater design is arts-based and driven; no prior theatrical or technical knowledge is necessary.
DRAMA
.5 credits – year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12
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DANCE The goal of the Dance Department at The Masters School is to provide an education in the discipline of dance that introduces students to the richness of the craft and the variety of opportunities in the dance field. The program also encourages students to open the doors of individual creativity and begin to find their own voices through dance. While enrolled in the dance program at Masters, students have the opportunity to study multiple dance techniques as well as dance history and composition. In addition to working with the performing arts faculty at Masters, guest artists are brought to campus to give the students an opportunity to work with professionals active in the field. Students are provided with performance opportunities through the three dance companies on campus. The Masters School Dance Company members present two concerts during the school year as well as participate in the community musical. Muse and Urban Connection, the hip-hop and step dance company, each perform one concert in the spring and are featured in the School's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration. Trips to dance concerts and musical theater events are scheduled throughout the year. Graduating students have gone on to pursue higher degrees in dance as well as successfully established themselves as professionals in the field of dance. Distinction in Dance is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have taken at least two courses in the Dance Department beyond the Humanities requirement. A minimum average of 90 must be earned in each course. The student must also have demonstrated excellence in our after school program.
FACULTY Mary Rotella B.F.A., Stephens College
“ 602
HUMANITIES/DANCE
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DANCE
This half-semester course is part of the ninth-grade Humanities rotation and serves as an introduction to the world of dance. It offers students an opportunity to explore how dance has been a part of our lives and various cultures from the beginning of time. The course broadens knowledge and appreciation for the art form through hands-on experience. Students learn how dance exists in our spiritual, social, and global society and experience what it is to take class, learn choreography, and create the work itself. Students whose inner
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dancer awakens may continue their study by taking Dance Tech I. .125 credits – Required for all ninth-graders 690
DANCE TECHNIQUE IB
Dance Tech I-B is a beginning level class. Its goal is to build a foundation in dance technique and to begin the preparation for the more advanced technique levels here at the school. It offers technique in a variety of styles and will broaden ones knowledge and appreciation for the art form. Dance history, terminology, and dance improvisation will also be taught. This course fulfills both the arts and physical education requirements. term-long minor – open to students in grades 9-12 691
DANCE TECHNIQUE IA
Dance Tech I-A is a beginning-intermediate level class. It serves as a preparation for the more advanced technique levels here at the school and is a more challenging level for the serious dancer looking for a minor. It offers an opportunity to hone technique skills and abilities in a variety of styles and serves to broaden one’s knowledge and appreciation for the art form. Dance history, terminology, and dance improvisation will also be taught. This course fulfills both the arts and physical education requirements. term-long minor – open to students in grades 9-12 692
DANCE TECHNIQUE II
Dance Tech II is an intermediate-advanced level class. It offers an opportunity for those dancers who are ready for the intermediate level and want to progress to the Tech III level of dance. It is also for those who have the desire to challenge themselves further and grow as a dancer for the pure joy of dance. This course fulfills both the performing arts and physical education requirements.
DANCE
1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department
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DANCE TECHNIQUE III
Dance Tech III is an advanced level class. The course offers an intensive study of dance and serves as a preparation for the student who plans to pursue dance in college as well as the emerging professional dancer. It also offers an opportunity for the dancer who is technically strong and wants to continue training Curriculum Guide
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at a high level for the pure enjoyment and love of dance. This course fulfills both the performing arts and physical education requirements. 1 credit – year-long major – by permission of the department
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HEALTH & PE
HEALTH
AND
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The Department of Health and Physical Education is an integral part of the school’s educational program. The department provides students with opportunities for learning through the scientific study of human wellness and movement as well as through the practical application of athletics, exercises, and activities. The general goals of the department are to promote a lifestyle for our students that emphasizes physical fitness, health, and wellness and to teach our students how to make responsible choices, both of which should contribute toward the development of our students as well-rounded, responsible citizens of The Masters School and the larger community. Students who enter Masters in the ninth grade are required to take two termlong minor courses in health, first in the ninth grade, and then in the junior year. Students must earn a passing grade in physical education each term while they are at Masters in order to meet the graduation requirement. Students may fulfill this requirement though participation in regularly scheduled physical education classes (which meet twice a week), the interscholastic athletic program, or, with departmental approval, an out-of-school athletic option. To qualify for an athletic option, students must complete an application form and submit it to the athletic office prior to the announced deadline. Students may apply for an athletic option either for a specific season (fall, winter, or spring) or for the year; the option must involve a fitness activity that is not offered in that particular season at Masters and is supervised by an instructor licensed or certified in that particular activity. The instructor also must submit to the School a written evaluation of the student’s progress at the end of the term. Long-term exemptions from participation in physical activity due to illness or injury will be issued only upon receipt of a written request from a student’s parents. This request must be accompanied by a note from a physician that specifies the activities that the student can or cannot take part in and the duration of the excused absence. An adaptive program of physical education can be arranged for students requiring special considerations. In such cases, a meeting involving the student, the parents, the school nurse or physician, and the director of athletics should be arranged prior to the start of the trimester.
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Kevin Versen B.A., Lynchburg College
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725
HEALTH
.25 credits – taken in the junior year (schedule permitting)b 800
HEALTH & PE
Students are required to take Health in the junior year; the class meets twice a week for one semester. The primary goal of the course is to provide information and develop skills that will allow each student to make healthy and safe decisions in their lives. The curriculum includes units on nutrition, fitness, sexually-transmitted diseases, and CPR certification. Students explore how the brain is affected by what we eat; by drugs, alcohol, and nicotine; by hormonal changes; and by external factors such as stress. Class discussions focus on current health issues and assigned articles, and students are evaluated in these discussions as well as through quizzes, tests, and papers.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Physical education classes meet twice a week. The instructional units that are offered vary from term to term and depend upon class size and student interest. Fitness and skill-based units that are regularly offered include basketball, fencing, archery, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and weight training. term-long minor – required for all students each term
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OTHER COURSES The courses presented here do not fall within the framework of any of the departments.
OTHER COURSES
“ 150 INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM
This course offers specific focus on developing basic news writing skills, including developing story ideas, angles, leads, and analyzing other news sources. In addition, students learn to discern truly newsworthy topics and understand that what gets left out of the story is usually as important as what gets in. They also learn the basics of writing effective news, feature, sports, and opinion pieces. Students are encouraged to try to get their work published in Tower as well as one outside source. .5 credits – year-long minor 151 JOURNALISM/TOWER
Journalism/Tower is a course that provides students with a hands-on opportunity to research, write, edit, take photographs, design layout, and produce the School’s newspaper, Tower, which is published periodically throughout the year. .5 credits – year-long minor 155
TOWER SENIOR EDITORSHIP
This course is designed as an independent study for the editor (or editors)-inchief of Tower. In addition to attending the Journalism/Tower class, these students work independently during free periods under the direction of the faculty advisor for Tower and develop such skills as managing a staff, thoughtfully editing articles, and further developing design and layout. Students receive major credit for this course. 1 credit – year-long major
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THE MASTERS THESIS
1 credit – year-long major – by special permission 700
FRESHMAN SEMINAR
The Freshman Seminar is a year-long minor course for ninth graders, the purpose of which is to provide students with a uniform introduction to the school community, its values and expectations, health and wellness, and the interdisciplinary skills they will need for success during their years at The Masters School. The teachers of this course work closely with the Ninth Grade Dean as well as the ninth grade teachers and advisors to provide a support network for students throughout their freshman year.
OTHER COURSES
The Masters Thesis is a rigorous, guided course for seniors who want to immerse themselves in a particular area of study for an entire summer and academic year. The class is interdisciplinary in nature as students are expected to look at literature and art that relates to their chosen field. Over the course of the year, students produce one long paper and a creative project. Members of the class share what they learn with other students in a variety of ways, such as by guest-lecturing to appropriate classes or by presenting and discussing their research with interested faculty and students during lunch-time and evening seminars. The class meets twice a week.
.5 credits – Required for all ninth-graders 715
PUBLIC SPEAKING
The purpose of this course is to prepare students with the vocal skills and the confidence to present ideas in front of an audience. This is a required, semester course that meets for approximately 110 minutes a week. Organization of content, clear enunciation, and vocal projection are stressed. To develop extemporaneous speaking skills, students answer questions on randomly selected assigned readings. The library is used as the source of material for speech writing, and listening skills are reinforced as students critique one another. During the course, each student is videotaped and writes a self-evaluation based on this performance. Power Point computer images are integrated with the Informative Speech, and research skills are developed during the Speech to Convince. The final speech is a Commencement Address written and performed as the final project. .25 credits – taken in the junior year (schedule permitting)
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