The Way We Learn Language
At PDS, content matters. Exposure to a wide range of ideas matters. More than this, the way we learn matters. The emphasis on deepening understanding of principles and foundations takes priority over “covering” a vast…
When it comes to the skill of reading, the Middle School years are formative. This is the time in their development when sophisticated reading skills begin to allow students to analyze literature and master content. It is also during this…
“We swim in an ocean of feedback” – Sheila Heen
A few summers ago, I had the pleasure of reading Thanks for the Feedback by Sheila Heen and Doug Stone. It is a powerful and actionable book, which outlines the…
Acquiring Language
Building Fluency
As the father of an active and talkative one and a half year old, I’m getting a first-hand look into language acquisition. I watch my daughter pick up new words and phrases at an amazing pace.…
The next PDS Parents Association (PA) meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 1 @ 2pm in Gilkeson Center.
Come along to take part in a discussion about food at PDS. This is a chance to let the school know what…
Our Middle Schoolers delight in heading outside twice a day to seek out opportunities for unstructured play on the playground and fields at PDS. Combined, these two periods allow our students to experience forty-five minutes a day of unstructured time…
Offerings for this Semester
In January, students in grades 8-12 began a new semester of intensive study courses (These classes run on a different schedule than other courses – early Jan through early May).
One of the feature programs of…
The February 8 PDS Parents Association (PA) meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 13 @ 8:30am in Gilkeson Center.
We’re pleased to announce that the first 30 minutes of the meeting will focus on the World Language program at…
Using Opportunities for Deep Learning
High School English teacher, Jeffrey Fisher, chose Macbeth as the English Literature summer reading, knowing that the theater department had selected it for their Fall production. Within the literature courses, students analyzed the play in…
Crafting Questions
This weeks Moment focuses on our students as they craft questions, as part of our recent Intensive Study day. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (lnk), we asked them to spend 10 minutes ‘question storming’ around these…
