The New School

The idea behind The New School is a great one, but unfortunately it is not put into practice well. Not only are there few rules at this school, but what few rules they do have are not enforced once broken.There is no safety at the school as the adults (what few there are) do not supervise students inside the building or outside. This school certainly is not preparing students for "real life," as the students who attend there are socially inept and unable to carry on a real conversation with adults. Furthermore, the "customer service" at the school is nonexistent- when they want your tuition money, they're all over you, but as soon as there's a problem, they go deadly quiet.

I started at The New School as a ten year old, and in 2004 I was awarded my diploma. The New School helped me cultivate an appreciation for learning and the tools to help me learn about anything I might put my mind to.
After The New School, I got into my top choice college without any difficulty, and graduated from that college in 2009. The structure of The New School helped me prepare for college. When I got to college I was already used to structuring my own time, and I was prepared to approach subjects in the way that worked best for me.
I also found many ways in which my time at The New School prepared me for work. My time working to govern the school (as well as my time) made it easy for me to learn how to assess projects that needed to be done and accomplish them well and in a timely manner in a work environment.
My time at The New School was not always cheerful; there were hard questions and sometimes difficult interpersonal issues to deal with, but every difficulty came with its reward. I think in any other school I would have had a harder time coming out of my shell and really thinking about what I was doing and why it was important. Overall my experience was positive and I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

I received a high school diploma from The New School in 2009, and I still visit frequently, which is something all who have received a diploma are welcome to do.

The management of the school is in the hands of the students, as well as the staff. This is a real and tangible responsibility that the students have, and the effects of their decisions about how money should be spent, and how things should be handled, are real and important effects. The staff are there to advise and help make sure things go well (after all, the students are still learning how to get things done), but the responsibility is real.

Also, the students are responsible for what, when, and how they study. They must actively cultivate and practice the habits of learning, and engage in reading, writing, and discussion of their own accord, again with the staff there to challenge and support them.

These things can be difficult, and some students do not rise to the challenge. However, students who fail to actively pursue their education, wherever they go to school, will not become well educated, and at The New School many of the rewards of this pursuit are immediate: the student feels and can truly say that the school is his; that he is responsible for it, and for his education.

At The New School, my education and my time were truly my own, and I knew it. This could lead to anxiety, because it is a large responsibility. But I felt, at bottom, very secure, because I knew that it was my school and that the people there would help me to learn and grow.

The New School provides a unique opportunity for children growing up in the modern age. Students now are bombarded by opinions, information, and arguments – both logical and rhetorical – from all sides. The New School challenges them to take responsibility for their own thoughts, feelings, and actions and to consider seriously what should be believed, accepted, and done.

I received a diploma from The New School. I attended it for 5 years. I found the school to be an excellent place to receive an education. I was regularly challenged to improve in many ways, and at some points the challenge felt like more than I could take. But I stayed with it and I am extremely happy that I did. The staff members and other students cared about me, not just in an academic sense, but in a thorough way that included much more than just grades. They encouraged me to be a better person, not just a better student. As a woman in this modern age I can see that this school is exactly what many girls need to help them grow into strong, capable women who can face the challenges of growing up.

Before I went to The New School I attended three different public schools. Although I got good grades, I and my classmates did not feel like we belonged at our school. We could tell that we were not thought of as more than just grade point averages and test scores. I saw people there engaging in activities that even an adult should blush to see. And although the teachers at those schools had a pretty good idea what the students were doing, they did nothing to talk to or help the students in any way besides academic. Children need the support and love of adults who are willing to stick their necks out and do what is right for the children rather than what is the accepted practice. This is something The New School has to offer.

The New School is an excellent, and unusual, education. I received my diploma from the New School seven years ago. After that I sucessfully completed my undergraduate education and am doing well in my second year of law school. I strongly support the New School and as my wife and I look forward to having children, we fully intend to send them to the New School to take advantage of the excellent education offered there. It is impossible to describe all the, admittedly unusual, workings of the school in this short post, but I will try to highlight some of the things I believe as the New School's main strengths.

The New School emphasizes speaking and analysis; students are required to articulate their conclusions and their reasoning in discussion with teachers and other students. This promotes a clarity of speech and thinking that helps the student excel in academics later on. This also helps the student develop mature and stable personal relationships, with their classmates and with adults.

The New School promotes free and engaged learning. Students choose what they learn and form studies with the help of teachers. Because the school's philosophy is that learning occurs best when students are taught to begin the process themselves, students gradually become investigative and engaged in their education. It is characteristic of New School students to be sitting around "after" a class, still discussing and thinking about the material, whether it be mathematics, chemistry, history, etc. The freedom allowed to the students in their education also encourages a broad interest in many different subjects for each student. When one student starts a new subject, other students will join in and expand their pursuits.

The New School is a supportive and friendly community. Unlike a formal school day setting, there is not a wall of separation between students and teachers. Because students and teachers often engage in conversation the students tend to take on maturer habits. Bullying is rare and dealt with formally and informally; students often shame the bully more than the punishments of the school. Students who have graduated often have long-lasting friendships with the school and are welcome to return and sit in on classes.

The New School has many nuances and systems in place to assist a student embarking on this kind of education. I recommend that a parent who thinks this education might be good for their child to explore the idea in an informational interview, since the interview process covers more than what I could possibly talk about in this short post. Finally, I think it worth noting that the New School is run by devoted educators who believe in what they are doing. For that reason, the tuition is the lowest tuition for a private school in Delaware.

My summary of the New School: mean kids, miserable staff, unkept grounds, dingy, sad, the nastiest school refrigerator ever, no supervision, kids smoking cigarettes, kids burning down things, kids violent towards other kids, ridiculous punishments, the worst school ever.