Reply to Sienna School vs Field

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Siena and Field are like apples and oranges. Siena's mission is to "prepare bright, college-bound students with language-based learning differences, such as dyslexia, to become confident, curious learners who understand their personal strengths and gain the tools and strategies to excel." In other words, it begins with learning differences and builds out its pedagogy and curriculum from there. From what I understand from parents whose kids have gone or go there, it is very successful in realizing its mission.

Field's mission begins with an "inquiry-based curriculum" that "stresse[s] dialogue, analytic thinking, and larger lessons of how young people could grow to become generous, responsible, and self-knowing adults." While Field attracts, to be sure, many students with learning differences, it is not a special education school. In fact, none of its teachers are professionally trained in special education. It's intellectual environment uses "universal pedagogy," which means that the teachers break down projects into progressively more complex chunks resulting in an advanced final product. While this scaffolding is known for working with kids with learning differences, Field believes, based on research, that universal pedagogy improves learning for every kind of student. Perhaps, that is why Field attracts a wide range of students.

I don't think Field overpromises, as others have written. I really don't. My experience is that it tells prospective families openly, clearly, and repeatedly what it can offer and what it cannot. It does have a fantastic learning support person, and its extraordinary teachers certainly help students find successful strategies to excel in their academics. The homework load is lighter than the "Top 5," but it is not because of the student body, but because Field believes, based on volumes of research, that excessive homework, often without clear and meaningful purpose, is counterproductive for deep learning. I have heard from several parents whose children go to Field and Maret, GDS, Sidwell, is that the sophistication of the learning is quite similar. [/quote]

My daughter is in MS at Field and I think you have explained the school here better than they ever have! We have had a much better experience than others above - not sure if it is has changed from before but we met with the learning specialist in the summer before my child's first year and we have frequent check ins with teachers. Behavioral issues are not a problem, and if they become so then they deal with it quickly. At least in MS, which is what I know, the support is less structured and more integrated into every day. Some of the kids in her class have ADHD or other learning issues, while some do not. We have been really happy with her teachers and everyone there (including the head). It is an extremely warm and welcoming place.  
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