Upper School Academic Guide

UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC GUIDE 1

T

he Masters School is a coed day and boarding school that engages fifth through twelfth grade students in a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. Founded in 1877, Masters is located on a picturesque 96-acre campus in historic Dobbs Ferry, New York, just 12 miles from Manhattan.

Masters arms students from around the globe with the complex skills required to succeed in a complex world. Masters guides students to be intellectually capable and curious, humane and respectful of other people, individuals of integrity and character, and to be a power for good in the world. By enriching minds in and beyond the classroom, students are prepared for achievement in college, career and life.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PROGRAM OVERVIE W 4 4 4 4 5

Message from the Head of Upper School Harkness Methodology 21st Century Learning Technology & Digital Learning Graduation Requirements School School Day

PROGRAM & RESOURCES 6 7 7 8 8 9

Planning Program of Study Course Selection Academic Resources Homework Grading Facilities

DEPARTMENTS 10 14 15 18 24 28 32 36 40 42 44 45 46 47 48 50

English ESL Mathematics Modern & Classical Languages History & Religion Science Visual Arts Music Drama Dance Health & Physical Education Other Courses Semester Programs Athletic & Co-Curricular Offerings College Counseling College Matriculation The Masters School reserves the right to modify the School policies and course offerings listed in this guide.

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL What makes the experience of learning at The Masters School so extraordinary? As is made possible by the Harkness table, which plays such a prominent role in our educational philosophy, learning is an experience created by the student in the company of one’s classmates and teachers.

Such learning occurs as we interact and exchange ideas during the class discussion, as we engage in meaningful and open dialogue, as we develop the confidence to express our own views and the maturity to reflect upon and reevaluate those views.

Matt Ives

Head of Upper School

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, those ideas and opinions are refined and shaped, as the individual sees fit. 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 choose to listen to those around us and consider those views not our own. 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, where differing opinions do not stop us from building strong and supportive relationships with each other.

This academic program guide will give you a good idea of what students study and how they shape their own learning at The Masters School. We encourage you to read it carefully and to seek out additional information on our website and in the online curriculum guide. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

HARKNESS AT MASTERS

Masters uses the Harkness teaching methodology, which requires students to take an active role in their education.

Each class is conducted in seminar format around an oval wooden Harkness table. Sitting face-to-face with peers from varied cultures and backgrounds, students are expected to participate fully in collaborative educational exploration. They must arrive to class thoroughly prepared, listen closely, and think carefully. They have to question their own assumptions and articulate their opinions. The Harkness method offers a distinctively challenging academic experience that results in deeper, more gratifying learning.

21ST CENTURY LEARNING

Much has been written in both the education and business worlds on the skills required for today’s children to become effective citizens, workers and leaders in the rapidly changing 21st century.

The successful 21st century citizen will be nimble of thought, open to new ideas and the possibilities of new technologies, able to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds and above all, able to adapt to a rapidly changing world.

At Masters, we recognize how life today requires far more than content knowledge alone, much of which is now easily accessible online. Working around a Harkness table is one crucial way that our students learn the importance of engaging in discourse with a 4

group, thinking critically, creatively, and collaboratively, all while being faced with a multitude of different opinions. At Masters, teachers present students with possibilities and ask them to do the hard work of coming to their own conclusions. Gathered around the Harkness table, students also develop outstanding listening skills and the confidence to speak with clarity and nuance.

Regardless of college track or professional field – these talents and skills are critical to future achievement and success.

Perhaps the most important skill Masters’ students graduate with is the ability and independence to teach themselves and to adapt. The Harkness method is the ideal classroom format for achieving these goals.

TECHNOLOGY & DIGITAL LEARNING

Our students live in a technology-enriched culture, and face a complex future of increasing assistive technologies. To this end, we deliberately provide our esteemed faculty and students with all the tools and innovations they need for this exciting and meaningful journey into the future. Our Apple and PC campus is replete with workstations, laptop carts, stocked multimedia labs, and even 3D printers. You name it, we have it. And to drive it all forward we have an experienced and dedicated Technology Department to keep everything finetuned and humming, and a Director of Digital Learning to help optimize classroom learning opportunities.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS To graduate from The Masters School students must successfully complete the following requirements:

English

4 years

Math

3 years (through at least trigonometry)

Science

3 years (two of which must be laboratory science courses)

History

3 years (one of which must be United States History)

Languages

3 years (of high-school study, in the same language, through at least level III)

Religion

1 semester (World Religions course is typically taken in the sophomore year)

The Arts

3 semesters Two semesters are satisfied by the 9th grade year-long Humanities course, rotating

Public Speaking

1 semester (Semester-long course to be taken in 11th grade)

Health

1 semester (Semester-long course to be taken in 11th grade)

Physical Education

4 years (can be fulfilled by participation in athletics, dance, fitness co-curriculars, or P.E. class)

through the visual arts, music, dance, acting, and drama. An additional semester-long course in any of the visual or performing arts to be taken in any year.

Athletic Requirement 3 seasons* Upper School students must participate as a member of an interscholastic team for

three out of six seasons of their ninth and tenth grades; at least one of these seasons must be during freshman year. In addition to team sports, Dance Company and the winter musical also fulfill this requirement.

TECHNOLOGY & DIGITAL LEARNING - CONT.

Masters’ infrastructure contains all of the resources associated with the teaching of excellence and wisdom. Our instructional design weaves in research-driven best practices regarding technology-enabled active learning and smart classrooms. For example, we have a music lab, a newspaper publications lab, a modern language lab, and a cutting-edge digital art lab. These resource-rich spaces help provide the catalyst for learning new concepts and acquiring critical 21st century skills.

Students today not only learn from digital content, they are also producers of digital content. Masters students have a wide spectrum of tools to express themselves and find their unique voice in our student-centered, faculty-enabled classrooms and campus. Dovetailed within this eclectic mix is our focus on design-thinking, and the use of devices to create new and exciting innovations. Clubs such as Masters’ Makers take full advantage of our blossoming DIY culture. All of which, when combined into new learning experiences, creates an atmosphere that promotes creativity, critical analysis, and social goodness. Our end goal is to shape our students’ journeys so that they are well poised to thrive as their lives unfold within our technology-laden, hyper-competitive world.

SCHOOL DAY

The academic day for students in the Upper School runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The co-curricular period is from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., though athletes on varsity teams are usually engaged until at least 5:30 p.m. Evening study hours for boarding students run from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. 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. The schedule runs in a two-week cycle, Delta and Phi.

WEEKDAY SCHEDULE 6:45 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.

Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Morning assembly / Advisory

8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Academic classes

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Tutorial / extra help period

3:30 p.m.

Sports and co-curriculars begin

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Dinner

8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Study hours for boarding students

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PLANNING YOUR PROGRAM 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.

Members of the Academic and College Counseling Offices work with individual students to help them plan their academic courses throughout their years in the Upper School. The academic dean advises students entering grades nine, ten, and eleven, and the college counselors advise rising seniors. Students are also encouraged to discuss their progress and future courses with their advisors, their teachers, and the department chairs. They are invited to drop by the Academic and College Counseling Offices, and parents are welcome to call if they have any questions.

THE NINTH GRADE PROGRAM

THE TWELFTH GRADE PROGRAM

THE TENTH GRADE PROGRAM

HONORS, ACCELERATED, AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT

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 (can be fulfilled by participation in athletics, dance, fitness cocurricular, or P.E. class).

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 P-ACT during the fall of sophomore year. 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 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. In the winter and spring term, students formally begin the college counseling process and have their initial consultations with their appointed college counselor.

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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.

Courses in some subjects may be offered at college prep, 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.

THE FRESHMAN SEMINAR The Freshman Seminar is a year-long minor course that provides students with a uniform introduction to the school community, its values and expectations, and the interdisciplinary skills they will need for success during their years at Masters, as well as health and wellness. The teachers of this course work closely with the Ninth Grade Dean, ninth grade teachers and advisors to provide a support network for students throughout their freshman year.

COURSE SELECTION & ACADEMIC RESOURCES 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 request 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, students meet individually with the Academic Dean or their college counselor to discuss placement. After the end of the year, a finalized list of the approved 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.

FACULTY ADVISORS

Masters’ advising system—which includes the tandem support of both class dean and advisor—ensures that each student receives individual attention, guidance, and support throughout his or her school career. Upon enrollment, every student is assigned a faculty advisor. This faculty advisor is scheduled to see his or her advisees four times per week. The advisor frequently meets informally with his or her advisees, individually or as a group, throughout the year.

The advisor is the first point of contact when parents wish to inquire about their student’s academic and 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 him or her find the appropriate balance and breadth of challenges.

CLASS DEANS

Each class has one member of the faculty assigned as a Class Dean, who provides oversight for the entire class and becomes well-acquainted with each student in the class. The Class Dean’s overview and objectivity is a valuable resource for the advisors, teachers, and coaches as well as the Head of Upper School, Academic Dean, and Dean of Students.

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.

PEER WRITING CENTER

The Peer Writing Center serves all Upper School students in all subject areas. Peer tutors—juniors and seniors who are among our strongest writers—are available to help students begin a paper, go over a draft, or revise a final version. Peer tutors also help English students review grammar exercises.

The Peer Writing Center is open on a drop-in basis during the school day and in the evening. Any student who needs ongoing writing support has the option of meeting with the same peer tutor weekly or, if the schedule permits, meeting regularly with the teacher who heads the Peer Writing Center. Tutors never replace subject teachers; rather, juniors and seniors provide additional assistance and support for their peers.

TUTORING

Our small classes and dedicated faculty allow for individualized attention and extra help both in and out of the classroom. In some cases, however, it may become necessary to engage a tutor for students who experience continued difficulty 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.

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.

THE MATH CLINIC

The Math Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. If a student needs additional help on a particular problem or concept beyond the normal classroom teacher conference time of 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., then a student is welcome to meet with a member of the mathematics faculty on duty in the Math Clinic.

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HOMEWORK & GRADING 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.

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.

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.

GRADING SCALE

Grades represent an assessment of the student’s quality of work or performance, or the degree of achievement or mastery of a skill or body of knowledge, at a given point in time, falling along a scale, measured against a standard. The following grades are used at The Masters School:

59 F or below

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Students who qualify for the Dean’s List must have a semester 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 following semester.

HONOR ROLL

Students who qualify for the Honor Roll must have a semester grade point average of 85 or above with no grade lower than an 80.

CUM LAUDE

STUDY HALL

90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D

DEAN’S LIST

Excellent Good to Very Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory but of sufficient quality to be granted credit; promotion to a more advanced course in the same subject will ordinarily require summer study Failing – no credit is granted; repeating the course over the summer or the following year is required

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 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 in the classroom and in the School community are awarded book prizes from several prominent colleges from across the country.

FACILITIES PITTSBURGH LIBRARY

The Pittsburgh Library houses a collection of approximately 17,000 volumes and 45 periodicals. Students have access to thousands of 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. In addition to Follett Destiny, the automated print catalog, reference materials, e-books and indexes are available through the student portal. An additional 7,000 e-book titles are available through the EBSCO High School Collection and are downloadable to your personal device. The Library is open for quiet study and research during the following hours: Monday - Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 9:55 p.m.

Friday 8:20 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Saturday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., 7:30 – 9:55 p.m.

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 Hall, and tech support walk-ins are welcome any time between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

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 Macs, 8 PCs, scanners, and a large format color laser printer is configured for print projects.

Additionally, there is a mobile cart with 18 Macbook Pros for classroom instruction. Strayer Hall has 12 Macs 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.

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.

DIGITAL MEDIA LAB

The Digital Media Lab is located on the ground floor of Masters Hall and contains sixteen Macs with a variety of video and photo editing software, printers, and scanners, as well as a teaching station and projection setup. A series of programs are bundled on each user-friendly computer, allowing students to access video and photo editing software, including Final Cut and Adobe Suites. The system permits the person sitting at the teaching station to answer questions with real-world examples that can be projected instantly for the class to see.

MUSIC LAB

This specialized lab is equipped with twelve Macs loaded with current recording studio software, a teacher station, digital pianos, and headsets for an immersive creative experience.

MUSIC ROOMS

Individual soundproofed rooms are located in Strayer Hall for students interested in private music lessons, practice sessions, and group work. A Pro Tools recording studio is also located in the music building.

Wireless access is provided to all students, with access points located strategically throughout the school and dorms. The Library catalog, Follett Destiny, and Internet reference sources are accessible school-wide from all networked computers.

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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 Bob Cornigans B.A., Amherst College

ENGLISH 9 – INTRO 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.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long major

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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 textual analysis and writing to better understand themselves and their world.

Year-long major

AMERICAN STUDIES (11TH GRADE)

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.

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION

An advanced course in the close analysis of literature, AP English Literature and Composition focuses on American and British literature, but may include works in translation as well. The course covers various genres from a range of time periods and may include novels such as As I Lay Dying, Beloved, Frankenstein, Heart of Darkness, The Remains of the Day, and Pride and Prejudice; playwrights such as Shakespeare, Sophocles, and John Patrick Shanley; and the work of poets such as John Donne, John Milton, William Wordsworth, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Elizabeth Bishop and E.E. Cummings. While the course focuses on analytic writing, creative writing is assigned as well. Students also do regular practice activities designed to help them prepare for the Advanced Placement Examination in English Literature and Composition, which is given in early May. The course culminates in a final project, a collaborative activity that allows students to showcase the analytic reading and writing skills that they will have practiced and refined throughout the year.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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 and in polished form – in short, to demonstrate the reading, thinking, listening, speaking, and writing skills they have learned in the previous three years.

Two seminars are the equivalent of a year-long major

Please see following page for samples of recent senior seminars.

Year-long major

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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ENGLISH - SENIOR SEMINARS ART AND CRAFT OF THE SHORT STORY

IMMIGRANT AND ETHNIC LITERATURE

PERSONAL ESSAYS AND PERSONAL NARRATIVE

TWENTIETH-CENTURY WRITERS AND ARTISTS

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 explore that question as both readers and writers. Students 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 craft a variety of responses, both creative and analytic.

Students also write their own short stories, critiquing and revising through workshops.

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 recreate the past? How do you describe your own emotions without melodrama? Students 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 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 becomes a microcosm of the publishing world: we read and edit narratives by the class, make suggestions for revisions, and select pieces for our on-line publication, Before 19. Students consider design elements as well as select art to accompany their work.

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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 explores 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 guide our explorations. We 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 consider concepts such as exile, home, clan, other, and self.

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 consider these questions and more. The course is structured around five key art movements: Surrealism, German Expressionism, American Social Realism, Abstract Expressionism, and Feminist Art. Our examination of paintings, prints, and photographs provide the context for considering twentieth-century American and European literature, the emphasis of this elective. The readings 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 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 recreating 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. Students read these authors and take advantage of the warming spring weather to actually get outdoors, to observe, to raise questions, and to write.

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 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 is Hamlet; we participate with other seminars and classes in the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s workshops on the play. Additional texts 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 focuses 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 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 students do both in this seminar.

POETRY WORKSHOP

In this workshop, students write, listen, discuss, and collaborate with each other to develop as writers of poetry. By the end of the semester, they have created a portfolio of poetry, analytic essays and explications, and collections of their favorite poems.

While students practice close reading, particularly through the writing of analytic essays and explications, they do so primarily in the service of becoming more nuanced writers of poetry. To make the writing of poetry more real, more possible, students 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 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.

Students 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 is a mix of analytic essays and students’ own re-imagined versions of stories.

ART AND CRAFT OF LYRICS

In this workshop, students write original lyrics, culminating in an EP-sized portfolio (perhaps a podcast) of songs. Recognizing that poetry was born of song, students begin the semester drafting and workshopping formal poetry, including ballads, blues songs, ghazals, sestinas and spoken word, drawn from course readings.

We 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 experiment with musical settings as a component of revision, at which point we 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 stories students compose often grow from in-class writing exercises; some of these stories are workshopped, and all are revised. During the revision process, we 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 are shared in an online literary magazine that workshop members design and group-publish.

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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 presume 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 the results of a placement test that the English Department administers when students arrive on campus On rare occasions and on a case-by-case basis, after a student has been placed in a given ESL course, he or she may be promoted midyear to a higher-level ESL course with the recommendation of his present ESL teacher and with the approval of the English Department. In no case is promotion to a higher level ESL course or to a mainstream course automatic; students must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the English Department a mastery of skills at one level before they are eligible for promotion to another.

LANGUAGE ARTS I

This course addresses the three dimensions of language: form, meaning, and usage. Students expand upon their knowledge of grammatical structures by using them appropriately and meaningfully. While speaking and listening are continually developed, a focus is given to acquiring the academic writing and reading skills needed to succeed in mainstream courses.

Year-long major

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 mainstream courses as well as to prepare them to take the SAT and the TOEFL exams.

Year-long major

LANGUAGE ARTS III

In order to continue the study of the English language at this more advanced level, students taking this course will have demonstrated a competency in academic reading and writing as well as a willingness to participate fully in classroom discussions. 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 with particular attention to producing essays that reflect a mature understanding of voice, style, tone, and nuance.

Year-long major 14

READING AND COMPOSITION

Reading and Composition is an intermediate-level course designed to help students improve their academic reading and writing skills, to challenge their ability to think critically, and, subsequently, to apply this knowledge to their appreciation of literature. Composition skills are emphasized, with students producing various academic and creative written assignments, such as essays and short research papers. Critical reading and vocabulary building are developed by reading short stories, plays, novels, essays, and poems. Speaking skills are improved upon through frequent class discussions and oral presentations.

LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION

Literature and Composition emphasizes the development of critical reading, writing, thinking, and Harkness discussion skills as well as a genuine appreciation for the benefits of collaborative learning. It is designed to help broaden a student’s appreciation of 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 have opportunities to produce both critical essays and creative writing.

ADVANCED LITERATURE AND 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.

MATHEMATICS Mathematics is an essential part of our experience of the world around us 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 who complete their course of study in mathematics at The Masters School should have developed the mathematical proficiency n eeded f or e ntry i nto a d iverse c hoice o f c ollege p rograms f or w hich m ath i s required o r a pplied. T hrough t he u se 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.

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 Michele Dennis M.S., Cornell University

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.

Year-long major – offered at the basic and regular levels

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.

Year-long major – offered at the basic and regular levels; prerequisite Algebra I

HONORS GEOMETRY

The emphasis of the Honors Geometry curriculum is on Euclidean Geometry, and we additionally integrate the study of transformations, vectors, parametric equations, and algebra so that meaningful connections are developed between the topics. This course uses a spiraled and problem-based text, Phillips Exeter Academy’s Mathematics 2, in which concepts evolve through carefully constructed sequences of problems where all needed information is embedded in the questions themselves and in the order in which they appear. Class is structured as a seminar where students present problems, discuss their approaches, and collaboratively make essential connections. The role of the teacher is to help students evaluate the effectiveness of different strategies and identify key ideas and strategies that emerge. In this way, students develop a deep conceptual understanding of the topics studied, acquire increasingly sophisticated problem solving skills, and are active authors in their own learning. Additionally, students learn how to extend, communicate, verbally and in writing, and defend their mathematical thinking.

Year-long major – permission of the department; prerequisite Algebra I

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MATHEMATICS 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.

Year-long major – offered at the basic, regular, and honors levels; prerequisites Algebra I, Geometry

TOPICS IN PRECALCULUS

Topics in Precalculus focuses on the most essential topics in Precalculus with the aim of laying a solid foundation for the further study of calculus. Considerable emphasis is placed on strengthening students’ algebraic skills and deepening their understanding of the core conceptual ideas. The unifying theme of this course is the analysis of functions – polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric – through graphical, numerical, and symbolic perspectives. Wherever possible, students are exposed to the application of these functions in modelling real-world phenomena. Graphing calculators are required and will be used extensively throughout the year.

Year-long major – prerequisite Algebra II / Trigonometry

HONORS PRECALCULUS CONT.

By the end of the year, students will be able to comprehend how the graph of a tangent line, the slope written as a difference quotient, and the instantaneous rate of change attained through limits all relate to the notion of the first derivative. Honors Precalculus AB prepares students to advance to AP Calculus AB the following year. Honors Precalculus BC, which moves at an accelerated pace and covers additional topics (mathematical induction, properties of limits, probability, matrices, parametric equations, and the area under the curve) prepares students to advance to AP Calculus BC. Graphing calculators are required and are used extensively throughout the year.

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite Algebra II / Trigonometry

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.

Year-long major – prerequisite Precalculus

PRECALCULUS

This course is designed to further students’ algebraic development and mathematical thinking by laying a strong foundation for the further study of calculus. The unifying theme of this course is the analysis of functions – polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric – through graphical, numerical, and symbolic perspectives. Wherever possible, students are exposed to the application of these functions in modelling realworld phenomena. If time permits, additional topics include sequences and series, polar coordinates, complex numbers, and vectors. A key concept of calculus, the first derivative, is introduced utilizing the difference quotient. Graphing calculators are required and are used extensively throughout the year.

AP CALCULUS AB

Year-long major – prerequisite Algebra II / Trigonometry

Year-long major – by permission of the department

HONORS PRECALCULUS

AP CALCULUS BC

Designed to prepare the student to advance to AP Calculus or a similar rigorous course in college, students entering this course should demonstrate independence of thought, creativity in problem solving, and intellectual curiosity. In addition to the topics mentioned in Precalculus, the following concepts are supplemented in Honors Precalculus: conic sections, advanced trigonometry, inverse relations, and an introduction to limits.

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 multi-representational 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.

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS

INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AND PERSONAL FINANCE

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite AP Calculus (BC preferred)

Year-long major – prerequisite Algebra II / Trigonometry

This advanced course is geared towards students with a strong understanding of the algebra and calculus of single variable functions who would like to extend their study to functions of multiple variables. The course begins with a comprehensive review of the algebra of vectors and vector functions. Students explore different coordinate systems and examine the graphs of surfaces in three dimensions. We then apply the tools of calculus to these functions and discover how derivatives and integrals work in higher dimensions. Computer software such as Mathematica, which can render 3D graphs, is implemented as necessary. Applications to engineering and physics are also considered. Time permitting, students end the year with an exploration of topics related to solving differential equations.

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 techniques; 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.

Year-long major – prerequisite Algebra II / Trigonometry

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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.

APPLIED MATHEMATICS: METEOROLOGY

This course provides an introductory look at atmospheric science with applied mathematics, exploring the causes and effects of the elements of weather. Students take a close look at the vertical structure of the atmosphere, weather elements, and climate, studying and analyzing weather maps and energy.

Students also learn and apply the first law of thermodynamics, the conservation of energy, as well as heat transfer within the atmosphere. We also examine the fluctuations in seasonal and daily temperatures for various latitudes and topographies, followed by a study of light and color, atmospheric optics, atmospheric moisture, condensation, precipitation, stability, and cloud development. The course concludes with an exploration of global climatic models, the earth-atmosphere energy balance, air pressure, and storm development skills.

Year-long major – prerequisite Algebra II / Trigonometry

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 course is problem solving: students venture into unknown 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite Honors Precalculus 17

MODERN AND CLASSICAL 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.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR Richard Simon M.A., M.Phil., New York University

LATIN I

Students use the Cambridge Latin Course Series to learn the fundamentals of Latin grammar and begin to build a vocabulary.

The textbook is reading-based and follows the story of a Roman family living in Pompeii in 79 CE, the year of Vesuvius’ devastating eruption. Family members relocate to Roman Britain and Alexandria, Egypt, giving students a sense of the geographical and cultural breadth of the Roman Empire in the first century. Grammar topics include the functions of cases, noun declensions 1-3, the active voice of present, imperfect and perfect tense indicatives, and relative clauses. Attention is also given to expanding English vocabulary through Latin.

Year-long major

LATIN II

Students continue their study of Latin in Units 2 and 3 of the Cambridge Latin Course. Grammar topics include complete noun morphology (declensions 1-5), and additional case functions and verb forms, including participles and the subjunctive mood.

The textbook continues to explore life in first century Roman Britain as well as Rome proper. Latin composition projects help 18

LATIN II CONT.

students develop a mastery of more complex syntax. Attention to expanding English vocabulary through Latin continues throughout the year.

Year-long major

LATIN III

Students complete their study of Latin grammar in Unit 4 of the Cambridge Latin Course with an examination of the remaining advanced concepts of grammar and 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 Metamorphoses of Ovid, we not only translate, but also begin to analyze and interpret the literature. Rhetorical and poetic devices are taught along with the meter and scansion of Latin poetry. From this point forward in the Latin program, students read only authentic Latin texts poetry.

Year-long major

AP LATIN

This rigorous course is the equivalent of a semester of upperintermediate level college Latin. Students read extensive selections from Vergil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s Gallic Wars as well as required English readings. Students are expected not only to translate but also to critically read these works, place them in historical context, and articulate these analyses in writing. Successful completion also includes the mastery of terminology commonly used in the field of Classical literature.

All students take the Advanced Placement Latin exam in May. After the exam, students produce a handmade book featuring their favorite passages from the texts.

DRAMA AND SATIRE

Year-long major – prerequisite Latin III and permission of the department

Students read in Latin selections by a number of comic, tragic, and satirical authors from the Republic and the Empire, including comedies by Plautus and Terence; tragedies by Seneca; and satire

by Horace, Juvenal, and Petronius. Along the way we also consider some larger critical questions about the roots and influence of Roman drama, the nature of tragedy and comedy, and the purpose of satire. Critical readings on drama and satire include selections from Aristotle’s Poetics, Horace’s Ars Poetica, and work by contemporary scholars. Modern film versions, audio recordings, and, whenever possible, live performances complement our study of these ancient texts. Each semester culminates in a creative dramatic or satirical project inspired by our readings.

ADVANCED TOPICS IN LATIN LITERATURE

CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY IN ART AND LITERATURE

Advanced Topics is a college-level course that explores authentic Latin texts critically and in depth. Students translate all primary texts from Latin into English and are expected to analyze and interpret these works. Interdisciplinary and experiential learning are emphasized through manuscript tradition, New York City museum trips and resources, art history, and the place of these texts in the contemporary world. As themes vary from year to year, it is possible for qualified students to take two years of the course. Topics and texts include Roman history (Tacitus and Livy), Vergil’s Aeneid, the poetry and world of Catullus, and Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura.

Year-long major – prerequisite Latin III and permission of the department

SEMINARS IN LATIN LITERATURE

Each year the department offers Seminars in Latin Literature in which students read multiple Latin texts to hone translation skills and deepen their knowledge of Roman and Greek literature, history, and culture. In addition to translating, students do a close and critical reading of all works. A major paper and/or project is generally assigned each semester. Since topics and reading lists vary from year to year, it is possible for qualified students to take two years of Seminars.

Year-long major – prerequisite Latin III

The following are samples of Seminars in Latin Literature:

Students read popular and lesser-known myths as told by Ovid, Vergil, Seneca, and Catullus, including the stories of Daedalus and Icarus, Medea, and Theseus and the Minotaur, to name a few. In addition to analyzing and interpreting these works, students also explore the extensive apparatus of literary allusion as they examine how the same myths manifest in postclassical and contemporary art and literature. In this context students explore the work of more modern writers, artists, and filmmakers, such as Shakespeare, Rilke, Rubens, and Lars von Trier. Students produce two projects: their own original work of art – for example, a short story or play, a film, a painting– inspired by myths read in class, and a one-of-a-kind handbound book that chronicles the life of a myth over the last two thousand years. Bookbinding, medieval calligraphy techniques, and manuscript tradition are taught as part of this final project.

LATIN AND BOTANY

In this highly interdisciplinary course, the natural world and the history of science are examined through the lens of Latin and botany. Students read in Latin selections on plants, trees, and medicine from Pliny the Elder’s 1st century Historia Naturalia; they then compare Pliny’s style, approach, and method of organizing data with that of Carolus Linnaeus, botanist and father of taxonomy who wrote in 18th century Latin. In addition to reading these Latin texts, students also compose their own botanical descriptions in Latin, some in the style of Pliny and some in the style of Linnaeus. The descriptions are based on first-hand observations of botanical species on campus and at the New York Botanical Garden. Students gain a basic knowledge of plant anatomy; plant identification and scientific illustration techniques are practiced, and the role of Latin in scientific binomials and the distinct language of Botanical Latin are explored in depth. A nature journal showcasing Latin compositions, original illustrations, and pressed specimens is handbound by each student at the end of the year.

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MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES 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, selfexpression, and cultural insight.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels

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.

Year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels

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 current-event 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.

Year-long major

SEMINARS IN FRENCH-LANGUAGE CULTURES

A year-long course divided into two seminars that explore different topics related to the Francophone world. Readings are drawn from literature, 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, culminating 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

AP FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Students in this course 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 analytical 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

20

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.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels

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.

Year-long major – offered at the regular and accelerated levels

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.

Year-long major

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 “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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

AP SPANISH LANGUAGE

Students taking this course 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department 21

MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES 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 develop their understanding of native speakers.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long major

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 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.

Year-long major

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/ChineseChinese/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. Year-long major 22

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’ 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 should have mastered 1800-2000 vocabulary elements and approximately 250 different sentence patterns, allowing them to express complex ideas both orally and in writing.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long minor

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. 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.

Year-long minor – prerequisite ANCIENT GREEK I

CLASSICAL STUDIES

This course is open to all students as an elective minor and as an elective major to students who have completed Latin 3 or higher. Students may choose to enroll in the minor even if they meet the prerequisite for the major. Two single blocks each week constitute Classical Studies Minor, which explores the culture of ancient Greece and Rome: civilization, science in antiquity, literature, art, architecture, and theater; all readings are in English. The two single blocks together with the doubleblock constitute Classical Studies Major. In the double-block, students who meet the Latin prerequisite translate primary sources from Latin into English; the selections are pertinent to the area being explored in the minor. For example, in a unit on theater, students in the minor might study the architecture of theater, examine the role of drama in Roman and Greek society, and analyze plays in translation, while students enrolled in the major additionally read Roman comedies or tragedies in the original Latin. This course does not count towards the language requirement.

Year-long minor or major – prerequisite for major Latin III

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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 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.

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; distinguished themselves for their critical thinking, for their analytical skills, and for the quality of their research; and who are devoted to the discipline.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR Skeffington Young M.A.T., Tufts University

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.

Year-long major

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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 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 year-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 contemporary issues and challenges.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long major

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.

Year-long major

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.

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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.

Year-long major – open to seniors

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 knowledge of their government but also a strong desire to participate in it.

Year-long major – open to seniors

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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HISTORY AND RELIGION INTRODUCTION TO 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.

Year-long major – open to seniors

MODERN ASIAN STUDIES

Across realms ranging from teen pop culture to international security, Asia is a driving force in the 21st-century world.

Focusing particularly on South Asia (India and Pakistan) and East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea), students in this course utilize a broad range of disciplines, including visual arts, fashion, dance, music, economics, literature, history, politics, and cinema to explore this region of the world. After grounding themselves in an understanding of the basic geographic and historical contexts that have helped define this region, students explore key thematic questions of central interest in these regions today as well as follow important developments in contemporary affairs in these nations. Students draw on both written and multimedia sources (music, film, visual arts, etc.) from the region to pursue their studies in addition to textbook materials to provide background knowledge. A highlight of the course is the opportunity to learn directly from teens in Asia through online communication. Students with language ability in indigenous languages of the region are encouraged to carry out research utilizing sources in these languages. By the end of the course, students have a broad understanding of contemporary South and East Asia, including why these regions have a large impact on the United States in the 21st century. No prior knowledge of Asia is required.

Year-long major – open to seniors

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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, 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.

Semester-long minor – required for all sophomores and for graduation

HISTORY AND RELIGION MAJOR

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 major-course credit in religion. The resulting major course can be counted as one of the required five majors students must take each year.

Year-long major – prerequisite World Religions

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.

Semester-long minor – prerequisite World Religions

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.

Semester-long minor – prerequisite World Religions

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 tenheaded demon. Written down over two thousand years ago, this sacred story is still told all over South East Asia 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.

MODERN RELIGIOUS CONFLICT

This course examines the complex geographical, ideological, political, social, and economic issues that intertwine with religion to create conflict in our world today. Students use interdisciplinary skills such as political debate, journalistic and media analysis, and legal analysis to better understand the underlying reasons behind terrorism, fundamentalism, and various forms of religious extremism. Possible topics for examination are 9/11, Hindu-Muslim violence in India, religious cults such as Jonestown and the Branch Davidians, and fundamentalist extremism. A unit on liberation theology may also be included. Students also explore the positive forces for peace and good in religious movements as a part of each case study. Possible texts include When Religion Becomes Evil by Charles Kimball and Terror in the Name of God by Jessica Stern.

Other excerpts and primary sources as well as documentaries are included throughout the class.

Semester-long minor – prerequisite World Religions

Semester-long minor – prerequisite World Religions

HISTORY OF AMERICAN BUDDHISM

Many strands weave together to make the tapestry of Buddhism unfolding within North American culture. In this course, students explore how the story of one of the world’s oldest and largest belief systems, Buddhism, intersects with the American immigrant experience and enters mainstream acceptance in one of the most religiously diverse countries on earth. We begin the course with a brief survey of Buddhist beliefs and core concepts, covering the history of Buddhism in both Asia and the United States. Then we investigate six branches of Buddhism alive and well in America, learning more about the relationship between the immigrant communities and the established Americans who find meaning in adopting these traditions. Students grapple with questions specific to modern American Buddhism: issues of dual belonging, coping with detachment in a consumerist culture, adapting to a non-monastic sanga community, and exploring the reality of “Socially Engaged Buddhists.” Guest speakers and field trips to local Buddhist communities are also part of our study.

Semester-long minor – prerequisite World Religions

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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.

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.

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 fundamental goal of the department.

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

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.

Year-long major

HONORS BIOLOGY

Moving at an accelerated pace through a traditional biology curriculum, topics in this rigorous course 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 28

HONORS BIOLOGY CONT. 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite Chemistry/Honors Chemistry; Biology recommended

CHEMISTRY

AP CHEMISTRY

Year-long major – prerequisite Algebra I

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite Chemistry and Algebra II/Trigonometry

HONORS CHEMISTRY

PHYSICS

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.

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department; corequisite Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

An upper-level science course for those interested in an exploration of the chemistry that supports nearly all life processes, this year-long major explores the structure and reactivity of carbon compounds. The course emphasizes problem solving through an introduction and investigation of reaction mechanisms. Topics covered include bonding, stereochemistry, the reactions of basic organic compounds, the mechanistic pathways of complex aromatic and carbonyl compounds, biomolecules, stereochemistry, and structure determination using spectroscopy. Coordinated laboratory work builds on and extends the skills and techniques of primary laboratory courses and is designed to develop the exploration of complex mechanisms.

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite Chemistry/Honors 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. Laboratory investigations are used to further develop topics of interest.

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.

Year-long major – corequisite Algebra II/Trigonometry

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, self-motivated 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 upperclassmen. Laboratory and problem solving are emphasized along with the mathematical methods required for analysis.

Year-long major – by permission of the department corequisite Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department; prerequisite Physics; corequisite AP Calculus 29

SCIENCE - SEMINARS IN SCIENCE 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 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.

Year-long major – open to juniors and seniors; prerequisite is the successful completion of two lab sciences.

SCIENTIFIC WRITING AND RESEARCH

As students advance in the sciences, the emphasis shifts from what we know to what we don’t know. The main focus of the Science Research class is learning to ask questions. This is achieved in many forms, such as examining the social nature and ethics of scientific research, reading and analyzing primary literature, and listening to experts in their fields talk about the questions they are asking. In addition, we spend extensive time in the lab carrying out authentic, “real world” experiments with advanced instrumentation (e.g. polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, restriction digestion, ELISA, and bacterial transformation). The course is capped by the preparation of a research proposal in the form of a small grant application.

Semester-long minor – by permission of the department

SEMINARS IN SCIENCE

A year-long major, this course is open to those students who have completed Biology and Chemistry and is divided into fall and spring semester units offered by various members of the department. Students select two seminars from among those offered in any given year. Not all seminars have laboratory components.

Year-long major – prerequisite two years of laboratory science

The following are samples of recent science seminars:

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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. Guest speakers and field trips may vary by semester.

COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE

The Cognitive Neuroscience seminar introduces students to the current revolution in understanding the brain. While the course teaches the fundamentals of brain neurobiology, there is also significant emphasis on the current mind-brain science in psychology, sociology, education, and biology. Using a variety of media such as TedTalks and Open courseware lectures from MIT, Stanford, and the National Institute of Health, this class looks at the neurophysiology of the brain and aspects of human cognition such as learning, perception, reasoning, and language. In addition, a short module on the neurobiology of addiction will be included, using the NIH’s Office of Science Education program, which incorporates real scientific data and actual case studies into classroom activities that are designed to promote active and collaborative learning.

WORLD HEALTH

Using historical information as a backdrop, this course explores the biology and epidemiology of emerging and reemerging 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 engage in community service aimed at improving the plight of people dealing with the impact of infectious disease in the world. The final grade for this class is based upon the student’s preparation for and participation in class, as well as performance on various types of assessments, including Harkness discussion, written work (journals and essays), tests, and a final project.

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.

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.

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

After building a fundamental basis for study through a review of basic anatomy and histology, the focus of this course shifts to the function of human systems. For a term length course, the objective would be to include study of three human systems: the cardiovascular, the neurological, and a third to be determined with input from the students. The final grade for this class is based upon the student’s preparation for and participation in class, as well as performance on various types of assessments, including Harkness discussion, anatomy quizzes, tests, and group projects.

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.

MARINE BIOLOGY

This course serves as an introduction to several different aspects of marine biology through lectures, laboratory investigation, and field trips. Topics include but are not limited to oceanography, marine invertebrate and vertebrate zoology including physiological adaptations to a marine environment, aquaculture, and the ecology of the various habitats within aquatic ecosystems. Students examine the physical and chemical properties of seawater, the organisms that have evolved for life in an aquatic environment, the physiological and behavioral adaptations that they have developed, and the different ecosystems within the different oceanic zones.

FORENSICS

Forensic science is defined as the intersection of science and law. This course encompasses elements of biology, chemistry, and physics, making it a valuable review of topics learned in all three disciplines. What makes forensic science different from these primary sciences is the manner in which the scientific disciplines interface with the American and international legal systems. Students are presented with a broad overview of American jurisprudence, with special emphasis on evidentiary law and procedural rules regarding expert testimony. After an introduction to the various types of physical evidence, the course then delves deeply into a wide variety of topics, ranging from crime scene processing to biological samples, trace evidence (including hairs, fibers, and soil analysis), toxicology, arson investigation, fingerprinting, pattern analysis, and tool marks.

Students gain a deep understanding of the detail-oriented approach necessary to comply with current legal procedures.

They also develop facility with microscopes and sample preparation, as well as a wide variety of laboratory techniques.

COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY

This seminar investigates the myriad of adaptations species have developed over time specific to their environments.

Starting with the theory of natural selection, students learn how individual interactions with the environment can influence behavior, physiology, and through evolution an entire species’ morphology. From there students cover bioenergetics, including how an organism’s energy budget is measured and calculated, before comparing characteristics across species. Respiratory, circulatory, locomotive, thermoregulatory, and osmoregulatory systems are all addressed using organismal examples across all environments. Adaptations and behavioral methods specific to marine, desert, and terrestrial environments are also addressed.

Laboratory investigations, including dissections, serve as hands on examples of the differences in structure and function of species from different environments. Students should understand that dissections are an integral part of this course, and though students are not forced to perform dissections, they are still responsible for the information generated by them. Computer/online-based dissections may be substituted for any such students.

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VISUAL ARTS 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 t hrough t he v isual arts t hrough t he v ery act of creating w ith 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 assist students in finding a c reative v oice a nd h oning a rtistic s kills s o t hat t hey c an communicate their ideas and make responsible use of art’s great expressive power. In the process, intellectual development and markmaking are addressed in tandem, and ideas are translated into form and material. In addition, we hope to foster awareness of the value of art to society so that students will accept the responsibility of preserving our artistic heritage as well as promoting and maintaining a variety of cultural activities for the benefit of our community and the world at large. Our lofty art studio and stateof-the-art media labs allow for an exciting exploration of materials and methods of construction.

Distinction in the Visual Arts is typically conferred upon those graduating seniors who have taken at least two years of major courses in studio or media arts while at Masters and who have produced a body of work that demonstrates an unusually high degree of creativity, investigation, and technical skill. Such students will have demonstrated through their work that they have evolved a 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 Cheryl Hajjar B.F.A., Massachusetts College of Art / MFA, Pratt Institute Ed.M, Teacher's College, Columbia University / M.A., Teachers College/Columbia University

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 materials; projects undertaken deal with an investigation of two and three-dimensional processes in the exploration of self-expression. Another objective is to promote an awareness of the importance of the artist to society in terms of communicating ideas through design. Toward this end, one or more projects involving design, printmaking, and clay are undertaken.

Required for all ninth-graders

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.

Semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

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.

Semester-long minor

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.

Semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

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FOUNDATIONS IN 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.

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.

Semester-long minor

Semester-long minor

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

AP STUDIO 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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.

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 and as a medium rooted in a rich tradition of image making. 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 large-scale printers.

Semester-long minor

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. Nineteenth and twentieth-century 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.

Semester-long minor

Semester-long minor 33

VISUAL ARTS PHOTOGRAPHY II – DARKROOM AND DIGITAL PROCESSES

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 media lab. Students are introduced to conceptual photography and are expected to take part in a more in-depth examination of their own working methods.

Semester-long minor – prerequisite Darkroom OR Digital Photo

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, students 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.

Year-long minor

PHOTOGRAPHY III – PROJECTS IN 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, blogs, or movable media storage, packaged for college admissions or gallery review. The course can be combined with another photo minor to form a major class.

MASTERPIECES SENIOR EDITORSHIP

Semester-long minor – prerequisite Photography II

Year-long major – by permission of the department

PHOTOGRAPHY MAJOR

FOUNDATIONS IN DESIGN

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.

Year-long major – open to students in grades 10-12

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.

This minor course is a foundation class in the elements, skills, and components of basic product design and graphic design for the advertising and publishing fields. Students first develop an understanding of the elements and principles of design and moves into designing a product on paper. They go on to create a corporate logo for that product and advertising for print and web.

Letterhead, report/brochure design, and magazine/periodical design will also be addressed. Students begin all design work on paper/board, working from rough sketches to finished inked designs towards a digital, pre-press product. Software used includes Adobe Creative Suite applications. Students work on projects individually, in teams, and in small groups.

Semester-long minor

FOUNDATIONS IN ARCHITECTURE

This minor course is designed to give students an introductorylevel, hands-on experience in the study of architecture. Beginning with the history of architecture students gain both exposure and experience through a wide range of assignments and site visits.

Topics/ projects include but are not limited to material and digital rendering, architectural drawing, use of CAD software, sitespecific design and model building.

Semester-long minor – by permission of the department

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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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

FOUNDATIONS IN VIDEO PRODUCTION

Students learn the basics of short-filmmaking, including camera technique, visualization, editing, and sound.

Semester-long minor

ADVANCED VIDEOMAKING

Theorizing, planning, casting, shooting, and editing a featurelength 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.

Year-long minor – prerequisite Foundations in Video Production

FOUNDATIONS IN FILM THEORY

In this theory course, students learn the means by which film communicates meaning to its audience. Students 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.

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.

Year-long major – open to students in grades 10-12

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 web- page 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.

Semester-long minor

ON LOCATION – HANDS-ON PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

This interdisciplinary course is a fusion of Art, Theater, Music, and Dance that challenges students to create an artistic vision for a site-specific scene, story, or performance based on a specific physical location and then teaches them the skills and methods needed to bring that vision into a reality. The process for each project begins with full class collaboration in a creative development phase where instructors from the visual and performing arts departments guide the shaping of a studentdriven vision. Once a project is approved, students are broken into small groups to learn and practice specific skills and techniques (screenwriting, acting, audio recording and composition, lighting, set construction, camera manipulation, editing, etc.) under the guidance of an individual instructor. The separate groups converge during the production phase of the process, during which all disciplines put their new skills and techniques to the test with directors guiding the cast in a performance captured by the crew. Once production has wrapped, crew edit and prepare the final video for screening, while the others loop back to the creative phase to begin developing the next project.

Year-long minor

Semester-long minor

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PERFORMING ARTS: MUSIC The Music Department of The Masters School endeavors to graduate from its program 21st-century musicians with the facility, capacity, and sensitivity to traverse a range of musical styles from classical to contemporary. Solo and ensemble performance opportunities are many, while collaborative work of all types is the cornerstone of the department’s philosophy and is in concert with the school’s Harkness pedagogy. Students may choose to study an instrument or voice privately, to participate in one of our nine faculty-led ensembles, or to investigate the academic side of music. The curriculum includes something for everyone: from music appreciators to advanced performers. We believe that being musical is a condition of being human and not a separate endeavor for a select few talented individuals. As such, we have opportunities for everyone to try their hand at musical study. We also believe that music is at once intensely personal and vitally connective. Advanced students of music can expect to be challenged and nurtured in their musical training. Simultaneously, service through music is a part of our musical culture and expected of all students from beginners to pre-professional, youngest to oldest.

Distinction in Music is conferred upon those graduating seniors who have participated in an ensemble, completed at least two major music courses, and earned grades of 90 or higher in each of those courses.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR Jennifer Carnevale M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University

HUMANITIES / MUSIC

During the music rotation of the Humanities curriculum, students complete work in three separate areas of music: Exploration, Performance, and Creation. Exploration centers on listening to various instrumental and vocal works, utilizing Harkness to discuss their musical features and emotional content, exploring the families and sounds of the symphony orchestra, and expressing/writing opinions about the music heard. Performance focuses on learning to play basics on the soprano recorder, learning the associated music notation skills, and having the experience of playing the instrument with others in an ensemble.

Creation involves using GarageBand in the music lab to create sound projects utilizing form, loops, and keyboard input.

Required for all ninth-graders

MAJOR IN CHORAL MUSIC

Students who take in the same year two of the four choral music minors (Choral Music I, Choral Music II, A Cappella I, or A Cappella II) can earn major-course credit in Choral 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.

Year-long major

CHORAL MUSIC I – CONCERT CHOIR

Concert Choir is a beginning to intermediate level campus-based choir open to all students. Concert Choir performs on campus several times per year. A wide range of classical and multicultural repertoire is used to create an experiential learning environment whereby members learn the fundamental elements of choral 36

music: pitch and rhythmic notation reading, score reading, solfege, sight-reading, and vocal technique. No prior experience is required.

Along with all choral and a cappella music students, members of Concert Choir participate in a Choral Pre-Season in late August and are expected to participate in the Glee Club, the oldest club on campus which includes students, faculty, alumni, and parents and performs twice annually at Convocation and Commencement.

Year-long minor

CHORAL MUSIC II – CHAMBER SINGERS

Chamber Singers is an advanced level choir that performs both on and off campus. Participation is competitive and determined by audition. Choral and/or vocal experience and proficiency, music literacy, and a basic understanding of vocal technique must be demonstrated in the audition. Exceptional work ethic and practice habits are required to maintain membership in the choir. Choral Music II focuses on classical and contemporary masterworks and advanced repertoire from the choral catalog in a variety of languages from a variety of periods in music history. Students will be exposed to advanced sight-reading, musical literacy, and vocal techniques as part of the rehearsal process. The ensemble will perform frequently and may travel for performances, festivals, and competitions. Along with all choral and a cappella music students, members of Chamber Singers participate in a Choral Pre-Season in late August and are expected to participate in the Glee Club, the oldest club on campus which includes students, faculty, alumni, and parents and performs twice annually at Convocation and Commencement.

Year-long minor – by audition or permission of the department

A CAPPELLA I – FERRY 15

Ferry 15 is a beginning level collegiate-style a cappella ensemble.

Students will engage with beginning to intermediate concepts in vocal technique and a cappella repertoire and will perform on campus. An audition is required, but all students are accepted – no experience is necessary.

Year-long minor

A CAPPELLA II – DOBBS 16

A Cappella 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 1980’s 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.

Year-long minor – by audition or permission of the department

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.

Year-long major

JAZZ ORCHESTRA

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 playing 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).

Year-long minor – by audition and permission of the department

JAZZ BAND

Jazz Band 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. Most importantly, however, all concepts will be realized on their own instruments, with piano being a reference for all participants in the course.

Year-long minor – by audition or permission of the department

STRING ENSEMBLE

String Ensemble is offered as a large ensemble rehearsal/ performance experience for players of violin, viola, cello, and string bass. Repertoire is selected to challenge and match the skill levels of the ensemble members, and includes diverse offerings from various historical periods as well as current 21st century academic works. Strong rehearsal and ensemble techniques are stressed, as well as good individual practice habits. Participation in performances is required, and includes a fall performance for Convocation (combining with the Symphonic Winds), winter performance in December, and a spring performance in April.

Year-long minor – by audition or permission of the department

CHAMBER MUSIC

Chamber Music is offered as a minor to experienced instrumentalists (winds, strings, brass, piano) who seek the challenge of playing regularly with other musicians and rehearsing/performing works scored for chamber ensemble. All class members are soloists, with one musician per part. Rehearsal techniques and ensemble coaching are included, as well as Harkness discussions about the interpretation and progression of the works studied. Performance participation is required, and includes a spring performance in April, as well as possible offcampus performance opportunities.

Year-long minor – by audition or permission of the department

SYMPHONIC WINDS

Symphonic Winds is offered as a large ensemble rehearsal/ performance experience for players of woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments. Repertoire is selected to challenge and match the skill levels of the ensemble members, and includes diverse offerings from various historical periods as well as current 21st century academic works. Strong rehearsal and ensemble techniques are stressed, as well as good individual practice habits. Participation in performances is required, and includes a fall performance for Convocation (combining with the String Ensemble), winter performance in December, and a spring performance in April.

Year-long minor – by audition or permission of the department 37

PERFORMING ARTS: MUSIC STUDIO PRODUCTION IN THE DIGITAL AGE

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-theart 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 performance at a live venue in New York City.

Year-long minor

ON LOCATION – HANDS-ON PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

This interdisciplinary course is a fusion of Art, Theater, Music, and Dance that challenges students to create an artistic vision for a sitespecific scene, story, or performance based on a specific physical location and then teaches them the skills and methods needed to bring that vision into a reality. The process for each project begins with full class collaboration in a creative development phase where instructors from the visual and performing arts departments guide the shaping of a student-driven vision. Once a project is approved, students are broken into small groups to learn and practice specific skills and techniques (screenwriting, acting, audio recording and composition, lighting, set construction, camera manipulation, editing, etc.) under the guidance of an individual instructor. The separate groups converge during the production phase of the process, during which all disciplines put their new skills and techniques to the test with directors guiding the cast in a performance captured by the crew. Once production has wrapped, crew edit and prepare the final video for screening, while the others loop back to the creative phase to begin developing the next project.

Year-long minor

ADVANCED TOPICS IN AUDIO RECORDING

Advanced Topics builds on skills acquired in Studio Production in the Digital Age, providing a more in-depth study of audio recording, advanced concepts in mixing, effects processing, basic acoustics, and mastering. From pre-production to post-production, from recording campus performances to processing them in the lab, students experience first-hand each stage of the recording process.

Students encapsulate their progress with a final project consisting of an EP (Extended Play) with a minimum of four compositions or twenty minutes worth of music.

Semester-long minor; prerequisite Studio Production or by permission of the department 38

MUSIC THEORY I

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.

Year-long minor

MUSIC THEORY II

Music Theory II delves deeper into topics introduced at the end of Music Theory I. Focusing on applied harmonic structures, students will examine harmonic functions through both analysis and composition. Studying the works of such composers as J.S. Bach, Mozart, Ellington, Mingus and others as a point of departure, students will examine and realize through their own work techniques of voice leading, melodic and motivic development, and harmonic progressions. As a culminating work, students will be expected to present a musical score written for a jazz orchestra or small orchestral ensemble, and have that score realized by an ensemble in a performance situation.

Year-long minor; prerequisite Music Theory I or by permission of the department

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 eighteenth- century 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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

This class is designed to appeal both to the well-versed musician and to the non-musician who has a profound love for music and would like to participate with music on a deeper level. Exposing students to many facets of the music industry, this project-based course focuses on the business of recording (types of contracts, recording vs. licensing, the recording process, distribution, digital outlets, brick and mortar outlets, mechanical royalties), publishing (types of publishing revenue, performances royalties, broadcast royalties, synchronization licenses, secondary use), touring (routing, budgets, logistics), merchandising, and promotion (online marketing, press release, print media, viral marketing, online content). The overarching intention of this course is to begin developing an understanding of how to negotiate the intersection of where art and commerce collide.

PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC

Psychology of Music is a semester-long minor that investigates issues related to music perception and cognition with an emphasis on the psychological effects of both. This course will utilize the latest scientific research to investigate why music makes us feel the way it does, how it affects us physiologically, and what role it plays in our social development and identity formation. Our study will necessarily include some beginning neuroscience, developmental psychology, and biology. Accessible for both the musician and non-musician, the texts will include scientific papers, current popular and academic articles, song text, film, and literature that capture the experience of, inspiration for, and outcome of music-making and listening.

Semester-long minor

Semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

PERFORMANCE LABORATORY

Performance Lab is a year-long minor course designed for students interested in fine-tuning performance skills. Students will meet once weekly to view and/or give performances.

Each student will perform at least once monthly during class.

Following each performance, a Harkness discussion focused on critical analysis and feedback will reflect both the performer’s and audience’s understanding of advanced musical concepts and the ongoing critical analysis that is vital to an active performer’s craft. The course will culminate in a public recital at the end of the year. This course meets once weekly on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and can also be taken as a co-curricular instead of for course credit. Required for Artist Scholars in Music; open to all other students.

Year-long minor

TOPICS IN AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC

Topics in American Popular Music is a semester-long minor that explores one or more genres of American Popular Music. Topics are offered on a rotating basis and may include: Rap & Hip-Hop, Blues, Jazz, Country & Bluegrass, Folk Revival, or Popular Music as Political Protest. Students will read about, discuss, listen to, and analyze musical and related socio-political elements specific to the topic of study utilizing audio and video recordings, lyrics, interviews, musicological studies, and observations. No prior musical experience is necessary.

Semester-long minor

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PERFORMING ARTS: 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 Andrus 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 Jennifer Carnevale M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University

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 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.

Required for all ninth-graders

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.

Year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12 40

WORLD DRAMA

Theater has long been recognized as a forum for communal reflection and communication in which cultural traditions are demonstrated and preserved and through which social and political change can occur. This course offers students the opportunity to explore the dramatic literature and styles, classical and contemporary, from an array of cultures and nationalities. In doing so, they learn about the societies that created the works themselves and how their history and culture are demonstrated through the production of each play. Students also consider the sociopolitical context in which each piece was written and performed and how theater is used to address issues of social justice. Assignments encourage creative thinking and discussion, as students read and research the plays and write analyses for each one, including ideas about staging. They also practice dramatic skills, including but not limited to physical awareness and memorization. Their work culminates in the selection and presentation of scenes from the plays they read, ideally in a public forum in an effort to share the cultural awareness gained with the rest of the school community.

Semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

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.

Year-long minor

CONFLICT AND RESOLUTION THROUGH DRAMA

We see manifestations of conflict all around us. By understanding the roots of conflict and improving communication, it is possible to bring conflicts to a peaceful conclusion. This course explores the causes of conflict and how dramatic techniques can be used to resolve conflict. Through a consideration of the cultural roots of conflict and conflict management, the course seeks to empower students to manage their own conflicts in constructive ways and to assist them in developing the necessary skills to become leaders in resolving conflicts around them. Students develop a lexicon to talk about conflict in meaningful ways and consider international and interpersonal examples of conflict, past and present, as exemplars by which they can practice resolution skills. In particular, students experiment with role-playing and storytelling as means of creating shared understanding; they also learn techniques from Augusto Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed. Students research the cultures and countries involved in those conflicts and the relevant history, and writing assignments encourage creative thinking and organization. Students practice discussion and dramatic skills, including but not limited to narrative construction via storytelling and improvisation. The course culminates in a public presentation of the students’ work in an effort to share the cultural awareness.

Semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

SCRIPT ANALYSIS AND PLAYWRITING

Ideal for both theater and non-theater students with an interest in writing, this course provides students with the opportunity to read and discuss many different styles of theater and to learn how to analyze a script as an actor, director, writer, producer, or potential audience member. Students also have the chance to write, workshop, and rewrite their own scripts with their classmates and ultimately produce and direct their plays at Masters. By studying different styles of theater through the ages, students gain a historical perspective on the art form; by writing, rewriting, producing, and directing their own works, they develop an understanding of the whole process of the theater. At the end of the course, students host an evening of their one-act plays they have created. They leave the class with new analytical skills as well as a completed and produced script.

Year-long minor – by permission of the department

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.

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.

Year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

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.

Year-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

ON LOCATION – HANDS-ON PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

This interdisciplinary course is a fusion of Art, Theater, Music, and Dance that challenges students to create an artistic vision for a sitespecific scene, story, or performance based on a specific physical location and then teaches them the skills and methods needed to bring that vision into a reality. The process for each project begins with full class collaboration in a creative development phase where instructors from the visual and performing arts departments guide the shaping of a student-driven vision. Once a project is approved, students are broken into small groups to learn and practice specific skills and techniques (screenwriting, acting, audio recording and composition, lighting, set construction, camera manipulation, editing, etc.) under the guidance of an individual instructor. The separate groups converge during the production phase of the process, during which all disciplines put their new skills and techniques to the test with directors guiding the cast in a performance captured by the crew. Once production has wrapped, crew edit and prepare the final video for screening, while the others loop back to the creative phase to begin developing the next project.

Year-long minor

Year-long minor – prerequisite Acting Workshop 41

PERFORMING ARTS: 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. S tudents a re p rovided w ith p erformance o pportunities t hrough t he t hree d ance 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.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR Jennifer Carnevale M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University

HUMANITIES / 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 dancer awakens may continue their study by taking Dance Tech I. Required for all ninth-graders

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 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.

Year-long minor – open to students in grades 9-12

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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.

Year-long minor – by permission of the department

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.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

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 at a high level for the pure enjoyment and love of dance. This course fulfills both the performing arts and physical education requirements.

Year-long major – by permission of the department

DANCE COMPOSITION

This course is an introduction to the art of making dance. Topics include choreographic design, form, style, theme, motivation, and performance. Basic concepts such as space, time, line, dynamics and phrasing are explored. Improvisation is used to explore choreographic ideas, and dancers learn to collaborate on contact improvisation and partnering work. Dancers are given weekly assignments; some explore the process for creating solos, and other assignments require multiple dancers.

As a result the dancer learns to teach the work to others with confidence and clear articulation. Discussion and feedback on weekly choreographic assignments and readings develop the dancers’ ability to analyze and refine their choreographic work.

A studio presentation will be presented at the end of the course.

ON LOCATION – HANDS-ON PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

This interdisciplinary course is a fusion of Art, Theater, Music, and Dance that challenges students to create an artistic vision for a site-specific scene, story, or performance based on a specific physical location and then teaches them the skills and methods needed to bring that vision into a reality. The process for each project begins with full class collaboration in a creative development phase where instructors from the visual and performing arts departments guide the shaping of a studentdriven vision. Once a project is approved, students are broken into small groups to learn and practice specific skills and techniques (screenwriting, acting, audio recording and composition, lighting, set construction, camera manipulation, editing, etc.) under the guidance of an individual instructor. The separate groups converge during the production phase of the process, during which all disciplines put their new skills and techniques to the test with directors guiding the cast in a performance captured by the crew. Once production has wrapped, crew edit and prepare the final video for screening, while the others loop back to the creative phase to begin developing the next project.

Year-long minor

Semester-long minor – open to students in grades 10-12

DANCE P.E.

This course is an introduction to dance at a very beginning level and fulfills the P.E. requirement. The class includes the study of basic ballet, modern, and jazz. Classes in each style develop the student’s knowledge of basic terminology and technical skills.

A warm-up or barre is given, choreography is taught, and some dance improvisation is explored. There is an aerobic, flexibility, and strengthening component to each class. Students are not required to do projects for this basic level class.

Offered as needed by season

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HEALTH & P.E. 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 term-long 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

HEALTH

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.

Taken in the junior year (schedule permitting)

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.

Offered each trimester season

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OTHER COURSES The courses presented here do not fall within the framework of any of the departments.

BEGINNING JOURNALISM

This course offers specific focus on developing basic news writing skills, including developing story ideas, angles, leads, interview techniques. Students analyze and learn from a variety of news sources. Students learn the basics of writing effective news, feature, sports, and opinion pieces. Workshopping, editing and rewriting become second nature to the Beginning Journalism student. In addition to writing, an array of other technical skills, essential for the 21st-century journalist, are taught: the basics of photojournalism, using Photoshop, “tweeting” news, and learning to lay out their work using InDesign, an industry-level standard desktop publishing program. Students are encouraged to have their work published in the school newspaper, Tower, as well as in one outside source.

Year-long minor

JOURNALISM / TOWER

This production course provides students with a hands-on opportunity to re- search, write, edit, photograph, design layout, and produce the school’s newspaper, Tower, which is published approximately seven times a year. In addition, students will produce and package content for Tower’s other media sources: an online website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook fan page. Students taking the course should have completed Beginning Journalism, mastered the basic journalistic skills, and demonstrated a high degree of initiative.

Year-long minor – by permission

TOWER SENIOR EDITORSHIP

This course is designed as an independent study for the editor (or editors)-in-chief of Tower. In addition to attending the Journalism/Tower classes, this student works independently during free periods and outside of the academic school day under the direction of the faculty advisor for Tower and develops such skills as building and managing a staff, thoughtfully editing articles, and further developing design and layout. Overseeing Tower’s social media platforms are also part of the editor’s job.

Students receive major credit for this course.

Year-long major – by permission

THE MASTERS THESIS

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.

Year-long major – by special permission

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.

Required for all ninth-graders

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. Digital media and research skills are developed during the semester.

Required to graduate; Taken in the junior year (schedule permitting)

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SEMESTER PROGRAMS Each year, The Masters School offers a limited number of 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.

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.

CITYTERM

Our own CITYterm, situated on the campus of The Masters School, seeks 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 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 HMI 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 way of life through near-total immersion in a foreign culture. SYA provides its students with 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).

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ATHLETICS & CO-CURRICULAR OFFERINGS During each of the three seasons of the school year , all students are required to play on an interscholastic athletic team or take part in an after school co-curricular offering, such as a theatrical production, community service project, fitness class, or school publication.

Team sports and co-curriculars begin at 3:30 p.m.. Co-curriculars generally end at 4:45 p.m.; athletic team practices and games end later. Participation in Interscholastic athletics or a “Fitness Co-curricular” will satisfy the P.E. requirement for the season. Students interested in our non-fitness co-curricular offerings (also listed below) must participate in P.E. during the academic day.

INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC TEAMS

Competitive team sports meet five afternoons per week; there will be some weekend practices and games. Upper school fall athletes are required to attend pre-season practices, and spring athletes travel to Florida during spring break for a week-long spring training program.

FALL

Cross Country (coed) Field Hockey (G) Soccer (B, G) Volleyball (G) Tennis (G)

WINTER

Basketball (B, G) Fencing (B, G) Indoor Track (coed) Squash* Swimming*

* Programs added in 2015 with new MAAC

SPRING

Baseball (B) Golf (coed) Lacrosse (B, G) Softball (G) Tennis (B) Track & Field (coed)

NON-FITNESS CO-CURRICULAR OFFERINGS

Unless noted, the following co-curricular offerings do not qualify for physical education credit, so all students taking any of these offerings must take a physical education or dance class during the academic day.

COMMUNITY SERVICE, TOWER, AND STUDY HALL

Community Service – Student volunteer opportunities; offered one to four days per week TOWER (school newspaper) – meets Wednesdays only Study Hall – one to four days per week

PERFORMING OR VISUAL ARTS FALL SEASON

ATHLETIC OPTION

Fall play – five days per week

Students who participate at a high level in a sport may apply for an athletic option for a season when the sport is not offered at Masters (such as soccer in the spring) or for the entire year if the sport is not offered at Masters at all (such as riding, crew, or diving).

To apply, you must obtain an application form (available from the website) to be completed by you and your coach. If approved, you must participate regularly in your sport or as stipulated in your application. Near the end of each season, you will be provided with an assessment form for your coach to fill out to assess your progress. Athletic options earn physical education credit.

Dance Company – five days per week (by audition; receives P.E. and ACR credit) Open Art – one to four days per week Theater Tech – five days per week Studio Composition– two to four days per week in our Pro Tools recording studio. Students learn the process of musical composition. They also learn about microphone placement, mixing, mastering, the use of audio effects, and setting up a recording session, as well as honing their craft as musicians.

WINTER SEASON

FITNESS CO-CURRICULARS

Musical – five days per week (may receive P.E. and ACR credit)

Fitness co-curriculars earn physical education credit and meet four days per week, Monday thru Thursday. The options listed below will each be offered contingent upon sufficient enrollment: FALL

Pilates Fencing Weight Room Ultimate Frisbee

WINTER

Pilates Weight Room Yoga

SPRING

Pilates Weight Room Yoga

Winter Play – five days per week Studio Composition – two to four days per week (see above) Open Art – one to four days per week Theater Tech – five days per week SPRING SEASON

One-Act Plays – five days per week Dance Company – five days per week (by audition; receives P.E. and ACR credit) Open Art – one to four days per week Theater Tech – five days per week Music Performance Workshop – two days per week and focuses on music skills for performance including but not limited to sight-reading, audition techniques, collaboration, musical theatre performance.

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COLLEGE COUNSELING The goal of the college counseling office is to help students make informed educational choices, be experts on the college search process, and advocate strongly for our students with college admission offices. While acceptance at a college or university that matches the student’s educational, social, geographic and financial needs is vital, the Masters college office takes a very personalized approach that guides students through a process of self-exploration so they may learn more about themselves to help create a positive vision before they move on to the next, more independent phase of their life. All counselors have Master’s degrees in counseling psychology and recognize the importance of helping students to articulate their interests and skills, to examine their personality and aspirations and link these to their choice of colleges and universities.

Our team begins the process in ninth grade and is dedicated to understanding and helping determine each student’s college goals, coupled with knowledgeable advice and attention to detail, in order to ensure a timely—and successful—process. We bring more than 130 college representatives to our campus each year and they will tell you how well prepared Masters students are to achieve in college and beyond. Reflecting the diversity of our student body, Masters graduates matriculate at a broad range of colleges and universities, including the most selective institutions in the nation and abroad.

DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Adam Gimple BA, Psychology, Music, Hobart and William Smith Colleges MS, School Counseling, University of Rochester

ACADEMIC PREPARATION AND COURSE SELECTION

There are many factors that enter into college admission decisions, but none may be seen by colleges as more important than 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 firstyear 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.

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 Masters’ college admission information. Students use Naviance to take self-awareness, personality, and interest inventories to help them assess their individual strengths. Results are interpreted for each student and then for the parents at a meeting in the spring, at which time are discussed the standardized test results from the Practice ACT and the PSAT along with other 48

topics as determined by the development and interests of the student. There is also an emphasis placed on visiting colleges early in the process 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. A College Counseling packet is 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.

THE ELEVENTH GRADE PROGRAM

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. 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 Application and printing a copy for the student to use.

Issues regarding the college application process are discussed in these groups, and sessions are held on how to write a cogent essay geared to the college admission reader. Writing quality essays is a key part of the application process, and the counseling staff teams up with the English Department to support the student’s efforts in crafting the best essay to submit to schools.

COLLEGE COUNSELING - STANDARDIZED TESTING THE TWELFTH GRADE PROGRAM

Students are asked to fill out the Common Application online after August 1st before their senior year. 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.

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 PSAT and the Practice ACT) 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 here:

PRACTICE ACT

In November, sophomores take a practice ACT administered by staff at The Masters School. A timed, multiple-choice exam, the ACT tests a student’s ability in English, reading comprehension, math, and science reasoning. The results of this practice ACT provide a testing baseline, and the scored test document is returned to the school in late December. In January the college counselor will notify parents when the scores have arrived and make arrangements for a family conference.

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, multiplechoice 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 10th and 11th grade.

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.

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.

SAT SUBJECT TESTS

SAT subject tests are exams that 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. 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.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP)

Advanced Placement exams are the comprehensive tests administered upon the completion of 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.

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BEYOND MASTERS College Acceptances & Matriculation We are proud to list the colleges and universities from around the world that our graduates between 2013-2017 have been accepted to and have chosen to attend. This list reflects the considerable talent and diversity of our exceptional student body. Below is just a sample of some of the schools our students have chosen to attend. (*At least 4 students enrolled from 2014-2017.)

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American University Amherst College Babson College Bard College Barnard College* Bates College* Binghamton University Boston College Boston University* Bowdoin College Brandeis University Brown University* Bucknell University University of California at Berkeley* University of California at Los Angeles* Carnegie Mellon University* University of Chicago* Claremont McKenna College* Colorado College* Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University* Dartmouth College* Denison University* Dickinson College* Emerson College* Emory University* Fordham University* Franklin & Marshall College* The George Washington University* Georgetown University Hamilton College Harvard University Haverford College Hobart and William Smith Colleges* University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Johns Hopkins University* Kenyon College Lafayette College Lehigh University* Loyola University Maryland Macalester College

McGill University University of Miami University of Michigan* Middlebury College* New York University* Northeastern University* Northwestern University* Oberlin College* University of Oxford Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania Pitzer College Princeton University Purchase College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Richmond* Rochester Institute of Technology University of Rochester Rutgers University-New Brunswick* Skidmore College* University of Southern California* Swarthmore College Syracuse University* Tufts University* Tulane University* Union College Vanderbilt University* Vassar College University of Vermont Villanova University Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis* University of Washington Wesleyan University* College of William and Mary* Williams College University of Wisconsin, Madison* Yale University

Top 10 Matriculated Colleges 2013-2017 New York University - 38 Boston University - 16 Cornell University - 14 Bates College - 11 The George Washington University - 11 Oberlin College - 11 Skidmore College - 10 Washington University in St. Louis - 10 Middlebury College - 9 University of Souther California - 8

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS • National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists • National Achievement Scholarship Finalists • National Hispanic Scholarship Finalists • College Board Advanced Placement Scholars • Top Scores: Latin and French National Exams • Gold Key Award winners: Scholastic Art & Writing Competition

• Princeton and Yale Model U.N. Best Delegates • USA Math Olympiad Finalist • VEX Robotics Best Overall Team East Rockaway Tournament • High School Contest in Mathematical Modeling Finalist (HiMCM)

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THE MASTERS SCHOOL | 49 CLINTON AVENUE, DOBBS FERRY, NY 10522 | MASTERSNY.ORG P: 914.479.6420 | F: 914.693.7295 | ADMISSION@MASTERSNY.ORG

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