As the Dean of a small private school in Boston, I find it a constant struggle to evolve our program into a more alternative one. We have all the ingredients and then some, but the battle lies with the general public who have themselves been “schooled” to such a degree that the holistic approach, though desired at the younger ages, becomes frivolous concept to them as their children begin to reach the age when they start looking at high schools and they feel the pressure to scramble to join the pack of test-takers. Those families who had earlier championed our program then turn to complain that we are not preparing their children (test-wise) for the inevitable next step. This, of course is not true, as year after year the students who do complete our program do enter their choice schools, but every year there comes the same hysteria from parents which infects our oldest students and creeps into the minds of the faculty who are earnest in their attempts to deliver what is needed and wanted and, who themselves are victims of their own schooling, whether they know it or not.

I cannot adequately express how good it is to be reminded that I am not alone in this battle and to hear from people like you who are able to articulate the larger scale scene. I am very appreciative of your insights,
Trish R