Can I Ask For More Aid?

Progressive schools have been around since the early 1900s. Some educators think that progressives are rebels against traditional rote learning. Progressive educators like to think of themselves as reformers. The truth is somewhere in between the two points of view.

This video offers an overview of the Progressive movement.

The movement has an interesting history. Read about John Dewey (1859-1952), the modern founder of the movement in the U.S. You can only wonder what might have happened to public education had some of his ideas taken root. As it is, progressive educators and schools that employ their philosophies are confined to the private sector. A list of private schools that embrace progressive ideals, teachings, and curricula is below.

• Bank Street College of Education
• Buxton School
• The Calhoun School
• The Children's Community School
• The Children's School of Oak Park
• The City and Country School
• Dalton School
• Foundations School Community
• Friends Community School
• Greenwood Friends School
• The Little Red Schoolhouse and Elisabeth Irwin High School
• The Little School
• The Manhattan Country School
• The Miquon School
• Oak Lane Day School
• Oakwood School
• Our Community School
• The Park School of Baltimore
• The Park School of Buffalo
• The Philadelphia School
• Presidio Hill School
• The Putney School
• San Roque School
• The School in Rose Valley
• Sequoyah School
• St. Francis School
• Westland School
• Windrush School
• Wingra School

The Origins of the Progressive Movement

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Teacher recommendations and transcripts are an important part of the applications process. They have to be handled according to each school's very specific instructions. They are the evidence the school needs to substantiate and all oral or written statements about your child. These documents are not hearsay or anecdotal. They are professional opinions and records which the school needs to review.

Teacher Recommendations

Most schools require your child's current math and English teachers to complete a teacher recommendation form. These are fairly detailed evaluations of your child's efforts and abilities in these core subject areas. They take about 15-20 minutes for the teacher to complete. So be thoughtful and considerate of the current teacher's time by giving him these forms to complete well in advance of any deadlines.

You typically will download the teacher recommendation forms. You complete the information at the top of the form, then hand the blank form to your child's teacher. Be sure to include an envelope addressed directly to the school's admissions office. Stamp the envelope before you give it to the teacher. Remind the teacher to submit the recommendation forms as soon as possible, in any event no later than December 31 for mid-January deadlines.

Note: you waive your right to review or even see what the teacher writes in her evaluation. This information is strictly confidential.

Here are some examples of the forms:

From Miss Porter's:

• English Teacher Report
• Math Teacher Report

From Shattuck-St. Mary's:

• English Teacher

Applying for a job at a private school is a little different from posting your resume on Monster.com, which is what you would do if you were seeking a position in the business world. In the K-12 private school employment market, you present your application materials in the format and manner set forth on each individual school's website. In other words, you customize every application you submit. One size does not fit all. Each application requires an original cover letter, not one which you have used on another application. In case you think that this detail doesn't matter, remember that dozens of other applicants, i.e., your competitors for the position, will have followed specific application instructions to the letter. And that is as it should be. Don't question a school's application instructions. Do as it asks. Of course, when you have questions, do not hesitate to call the school and ask for clarification. Most of the time schools will be happy to help.

This video shows you how to write a four-sentence cover letter.

Let's take a look behind the scenes. I screened applications and interviewed candidates for almost two decades. My company did not specify a format for applying. It used Monster.com to find candidates who seemed to have the qualifications and experience which we were seeking. But I was always amazed, and sometimes shocked, by the resumes and the occasional cover

I wrote this article and its companion article Applications - The Candidate's Statement to explain how to understand and complete these important forms. The problem with these parts of the application is that they require you and your child to express your thoughts in your own words. You won't be able to check any boxes to select from prepared answers. You will have to write out responses to the school's questions in any way you choose.

David Petersam of Admissions Consultants offers some tips in the following video. While he targets colleges admissions, the advice is quite sound for private high school admissions.

Many schools require a statement from the applicant's parents. After all, you probably know your child better than anybody. The school also wants to know what your concerns and educational objectives are. The goal here is to make sure that everybody's expectations are the same. For example, if you want your son to play on a varsity hockey team and the school offers limited hockey time, you need to deal with that before you decide to send your son to that school. Perhaps your daughter finds math challenging. You will want to point that out so that the school can discuss how it might deal with that concern.

The following questions posed by McCallie School and The Hun School are fairly typical of what you will encounter as you prepare