Academics

"Living, working, learning in the classroom and beyond…”

This motto describes the Darrow experience, and the School has been recognized as a pioneer in the field of hands-on learning since its inception in 1932.

The curriculum at Darrow is designed to lay down a solid academic foundation, but that is just the beginning. The rewards of learning come from the building of meaningful interests upon such a foundation. Our curriculum is college-preparatory, but with several distinct advantages. An average class size of just 9 students provides excellent contact among students and faculty.

Through a strongly emphasized hands-on learning process, students may find themselves applying their classroom knowledge by selling hot dogs to learn the details of macroeconomics, or getting their feet wet while studying the biology of the local watershed. In photography classes, students start by making a pinhole camera to learn how photography works before they use modern film and digital equipment. Multicultural Studies classes research Shaker history and put together detailed presentations about our campus. On Parents’ Weekends, these students lead guests on tours, describing past uses of the buildings and how the Shakers lived. Algebra I students incorporate themes of sustainability into their lessons, weighing garbage in the dining room daily, graphing and analyzing the results, and preparing a report to the entire school on food waste.

A one-on-one tutorial program is individually tailored to meet a student’s specific needs, be they the fortification of study skills, time management, SAT preparation, or advanced study.

Individualized areas of interest are pursued as Spring Term projects, in which students are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and put their hands to a focused undertaking for a week. Examples of recent projects include hiking on the Appalachian Trail, crafting boats and Shaker furniture on campus, and participating in Katrina relief efforts. On campus or off, the emphasis is on personal growth and the use of real-world learning, with a thread of community service and sustainability in the offerings.

This distinctive approach to education, where hands-on, active learning, small class sizes, and attentive teachers offer students a positive and challenging educational experience, has been at the core of Darrow School’s educational philosophy for more than 70 years. It prompted a recent graduate to remark about her decision to come to Darrow: “It’s the best decision I have ever made. Darrow has showed me what I can achieve and has supported me in every way possible. Darrow is a place to grow as a person, as well as a student."