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Page 1 of 7
The best thing about Stevens is the collection of parents that send their children to this school. By sending my child to this school, my wife and I were able to meet some very loving, caring and intelligent parents. Furthermore, my child made some good friends while there. However, the school's administration is a bit too rigid in its ways and not willing to accept much feedback on how to improve things. There is a bit too much emphasis on 'child-directed' activities, and this ultimately hurts the students, who, after all, still require much direction at this stage of their lives.
I do not normally write reviews but I feel I must about Stevens. I came across Great Schools because I need to find a new school for my children who were not thriving at Stevens. I have found that Stevens is an average academic experience and for what they charge, this is bothersome. Stevens parents (that are happy with the school) seem impressed with typical child development that naturally occurs: children learn to speak and think for themselves, they get along with their peers, they like going to school, they grow emotionally, they can negoitate...etc. The question is: what does Stevens really teach that children are not already learning either at home or as a result of natural development? The sad truth for my family is that they were not contributing much. Yes, Stevens may look good on the outside but do think twice about what they really offer.
We are not renewing our contract at Stevens and are choosing a different option for next year. We found that the Stevens curriculum was lacking and our child was not challenged enough. We were amazed to see how many other schools are now utilizing the 'progressive' way of teaching. The 'hands on' approach and 'learning by doing' has become quite common indeed. Yes, it was true that many (but certainly not all) Stevens graduates get into good high schools but we have discovered that most kids from private schools get into the good high schools. As one parent commented earlier, don't believe all the hype. Stevens produces typical and average children and we know this first hand. Of course the parents paying way too much for their child to attend feel the need to convince you otherwise. Ultimately, Stevens was a huge disappointment for our family.
Both of my children are thriving at Stevens. I have seen them develop academically, socially and emotionally during their years there. Their teachers have consistently been caring and enthusiastic. When I read the detailed narrative reports about my children I know that their teachers know them well, they are aware of the children s strengths and weaknesses, and they make sound educational recommendations. I find the well thought out reports to be highly individualized and much more informative than the typical report card. My middle schooler is challenged by the academic curriculum, and has developed not only fascination with the subject material, but also a love of learning. Students here are well prepared not only for the competitive high schools into which they are accepted each year, but for many situations they are bound to encounter in the future. I find my daughter s middle school classmates to be independent thinkers with excellent problem solving and negotiating skills. Progressive education at Stevens has been wonderful for my children. It is different than the schools I attended as a child, but the teachers and administration have been extremely helpful in discussing the school s philosophy and providing additional resources to learn more about progressive education. My helping parent days have been terrific opportunities to witness my children learning in this environment. My younger child loves being the helping student when I am there, and my older child (who is not as eager she once was to share stories of her day with me) seems to enjoy the days as well. I strongly recommend this school to any family looking for a highly stimulating educational environment for their children.
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