Hotchkiss vs Andover

[usernameuser98]

Thank you for contributing to the discussion, I was wondering about the math program. My father went to Rugby, and the original plan was for me to be an Etonian. One move to America later and here I am, enrolled at Exeter. Love the Wall Street equivalent of the Eton saying, that is perfect!

[coolege2]

Exonian vs Etonian - not bad

[CateCAParent]

@usernameuser98

An issue with a “Harkness hog”(love that terminology btw)? If so, could you elaborate? I’d like to be as prepared as possible.

I’ll take a stab at describing a Harkness Hog. Some people - adults and kids - like to hear themselves talk. They don’t have to know the material better or have deeper insight, but they dominate the conversation and shut out/intimidate other participants. It can be very frustrating and diminishes everyone’s learning- including the Hog’s.

My kid’s problem-based learning (Exeter) math classes go something like this:

• No book. No written instructions. Just problem sets.
• Kids prepare the problems, or try to, on their own outside of class. They are free to attack them any way they want, alone or in groups.
• The kids each present their solution to a problem to the class, with the group conversation facilitated by the teacher, talking about alternate solutions, tweaks to the problem, etc.
• A test every so often
• more problem sets, some problems circling back to old material, so it is difficult to tell where geometry ends and pre-calc begins. It is all game.

[TonyGrace]

@CateCAParent

My kid’s problem-based learning (Exeter) math classes go something like this:

• No book. No written instructions. Just problem sets.
• Kids prepare the problems, or try to, on their own outside of class. They are free to attack them any way they want, alone or in groups.
• The kids each present their solution to a problem to the class, with the group conversation facilitated by the teacher, talking about alternate solutions, tweaks to the problem, etc.
• A test every so often
• more problem sets, some problems circling back to old material, so it is difficult to tell where geometry ends and pre-calc begins. It is all game.

This is a very good description. We are also at a school that follows this program. I am a huge fan!

Hands down the hardest class for freshmen (and new sophomores) to adjust to IMO, but everyone does eventually.

[usernameuser98]

Interesting. I had no information relating to this, so this is immensely helpful. Living in SB, I had no idea Cate offered that.

[CateCAParent]

In many ways, Cate is a traditional East Coast style boarding school that California has had its way with.

[Happytimes2001]

Ah, the “Harkness hog” is the person whose ego and inability to read the room, pushes them to “hog” the conversation at the expense of discourse. It’s often dealt with by the teacher, but on occasion, these folks become an annoyance to their peers.

[usernameuser98]

I can see how overexcited students could totally ruin a discussion. Thanks for the reply, I’m sure teachers will keep students in check.