Interest in single-sex education is on the rise in the United States. For the past decade or so, more and more schools—public and private—have experimented with what was once considered an outmoded idea: that boys and girls are hardwired to learn differently, and therefore, ought to be taught differently, with curriculum and classrooms designed for...
Read More
There are plenty of good reasons to start your son in an all-boys school as early as pre-kindergarten. But some parents still worry that, if their sons don’t have experience with girls at a young age, they’ll be awkward or disrespectful around them when they’re older. Is there any truth to this? No, says Margaret...
Read More
On this blog, we often write about how an all-boys private pre-kindergarten program will help position your son for success in kindergarten, the rest of his academic career, and life. A great pre-K program is a significant financial investment for most young families. It’s fair to ask, “Is it really worth it?” The decision to...
Read More
As they set out to research educational options for their youngest son, Dave Visco and his wife Jen were met with the same confusion that many families encounter when looking at a long list of schools. Take a glance at this list of preschools in Newton, Mass., and you’ll find—among other things— preschools, pre-kindergartens, playschools,...
Read More
If you’re up to your eyeballs in research, comparing private schools with public schools, trying to choose between single-sex and coed schools, and deciding whether to start your son in kindergarten or pre-kindergarten, you could use a guide like Dave Visco. He’s been in your shoes—three times. Dave’s three sons are students here at The...
Read More
In Massachusetts, children must begin school in September of the calendar year in which they turn 6. But most elementary schools — public and private — allow students to start earlier than that. For example, Newton Public Schools allow children to begin kindergarten if they have turned 5 by Aug. 31. At The Fessenden School,...
Read More
What’s the “right way” to find a private school for your soon-to-be kindergartner? Educational consultant Carol Kinlan thinks about this question a lot. As a consultant with the Boston-based McMillan, Howland & Spence, she’s helped hundreds of families find the local kindergarten or early elementary school program best suited to their children’s learning needs.
Read More
Is your son ready for kindergarten? This might seem like a silly question. Kindergarten, after all, is the traditional first step in a formal education. If you grew up in the ’70s or ’80s, it probably was for you. What do you have to do to get your son ready? Quite a bit, actually. Greta...
Read More
“Treat others as you would want them to treat you.” There’s a reason this adage is so popular and most people can recite it by heart. Words can be a powerful tool in teaching young boys how to treat others with kindness and make responsible decisions. Of course, with all their energy focused on play,...
Read More
The value of play in providing a positive and productive learning experience can never be overstated. For this reason, active learning and play is intricately incorporated into our Pre-Kindergarten program at The Fessenden School. In this post, Greta Sanborn and Sari Pogorzelski, two of our Pre-K teachers, explain how they facilitate learning through structured play....
Read More