Holly Greenberg, parent

I sent both of my sons to The New School for K – 4 (they are now in 6th and 9th grades at public school) and I realize now what an extraordinary gift we gave them by having them spend those early years in an environment of wonder, where learning happened as a natural byproduct of their own curiosity and deep investigation into subjects of interest through play, games, and time spent thinking. My boys have transitioned well into public school but one complaint is that it is boring and there isn’t enough time to think before embarking on a task. They are rushed through exercises that are identical for all students. At The New School, each child’s curriculum is crafted individually to reflect their interests, their own learning rate and the result is a continuous flow of engagement.

At The New School children learn not just from the teachers, but from each other. Older children read, play games and teach to the younger ones. This gives the older children a chance to practice and reinforce what they have learned, as well as, creating an environment that is more like a family. When my son started kindergarten at The New School he instantly had a group of older brothers and sisters to teach him how to throw a football, play chess, make a science project. Children love learning from older kids; it is a natural dynamic that is lost in the traditional public schools.

#30for30

Holly Greenberg | Associate Professor | Printmedia and Graphic Arts Program