Upper School
English
Math
History
Science
Foreign Languages
Independent Study
University Courses
Senior Project
Spirit, Body, Mind
English Department at Tandem
Friends School
Rooted in a tradition of prolific writing, round table
Socratic discussion, and richly diverse texts, Tandem’s
upper school English program immerses students in the
craftsmanship and power of words.
In his or her high school career, each Tandem Friends
upper school student composes a variety of narrative,
persuasive, descriptive, analytical and expository essays;
several extensive research papers; and an array of outlines,
oral presentation notes, poems, short stories, and reader
responses. We strive to help students develop a distinctive
writing voice, as well as the ability to revise for
clarity, accuracy, and precision. Regular peer editing,
sharing student work aloud in class, publication opportunities,
participation in local contests and readings, and individual
teacher-student conferences illustrate Tandem Friends’
commitment to writing.
Just as important, the round table format of our English
classrooms reflects our dedication to the art of discussing
literature. Teachers serve as guides and facilitators,
while study questions, reading journals, and other preparatory
writing assignments provide focus and accountability.
For example, a teacher might ask her students to write
on the following questions before discussing the previous
evening’s reading assignment: “What does
the event in chapter ten reveal about the protagonist’s
most deeply held beliefs? How might the antagonist describe
the same event?” Effectively inviting silence
into the classroom, setting a tone of curiosity and
imagination, and modeling genuine listening are skills
the Tandem English teacher continually strives to master.
Coordination of Upper School English and History courses
helps enrich our students’ exposure to other times
and cultures, and deepen their understanding of their
own place in the world. Tenth graders, for instance,
read African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Middle Eastern
texts while studying world cultures in their sophomore
Geography course. Field trips to the Smithsonian museums,
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or a Japanese garden
enhance and expand the classroom triad of reading, writing
and discourse, as do guest speakers, after-school film
seminars, and even an occasional Indian feast or African
dance performance.
Tandem Friends English classrooms are rigorous, dynamic,
nurturing, expansive environments where students and
teachers alike explore the world within and without
through language – the language of expression,
of reflection and of discovery.
Mathematics
See the Applied Maths and Physics class room-building
project slideshow
As writing is the core feature of English at Tandem Friends,
analysis is the focus of Tandem’s mathematics curriculum.
While computational proficiency and algebraic manipulation
are important aspects of our college preparatory program,
the math department’s primary focus is on the thought
process. Instructors encourage and expect conjecture,
experimentation, discussion, extension and writing in
the study of mathematics. Problem-solving (that is, answering
questions for which the method of solution is not immediately
obvious) is an integral part of the program. Throughout
the curriculum, students use graphing calculators and
computers as tools for investigation and exploration;
the necessary educational support in using these tools
is ongoing. An important facet of the math curriculum
is that all students are placed at their appropriate level
regardless of grade.
Tandem’s mathematics teachers strive to balance
three goals in their teaching: developing fundamental
skills through the rigor of daily exercises and practice;
studying math applications in the real world; and investigating
the creative and intellectually challenging realm of
pure mathematics. This varied approach builds confidence
and opens doors for all students to test their limits
and to discover their potential in mathematics.
Upper school students typically begin their mathematics
study with Algebra I or Geometry and then to the level
of Algebra II. Subsequent courses include Pre-Calculus,
Statistics, Trigonometry and Calculus. Algebra II is
offered in two forms: students who expect to take Pre-Calculus
take the Algebra II/Trigonometry course, while others
take Algebra II. Students who discover that they are
ready for more rigorous study of math during their Algebra
II year are prepared for Pre-calculus by enrollment
in Statistics/Trigonometry. Advanced students take AP
Calculus and AP Statististics. Students seeking course
work beyond the Upper School offerings may take more
advanced level mathematics at either Piedmont Virginia
Community College or the University of Virginia. In
addition, independent study and electives are offered
based on student interest.
History
Within the history and social studies curriculum at
Tandem Friends, history is presented as a cultural experience
and not simply as a sequence of political events. People,
places and events are presented as part of broad topics
such as social development, the rise of nations and
political institutions, urbanization, and conflict.
The department progressively works to achieve new standards
in an effort to create a series of offerings broad in
both scope and content. The development of reading and
writing skills is stressed, along with the encouragement
of students to become confident in their analytical
abilities. History and social studies courses are part
of a broader humanities curriculum whose development
has been a long-term, continually evolving project at
Tandem Friends. There has been, and continues to be,
a concerted effort to coordinate English and history
classes at all grade levels.
In the 9th grade, students study the second level of
world history covering the Renaissance to the Second
World War and post-war period. The following year, sophomores
study World Geography. Both 9th and 10th-grade English
teachers explore the topics covered in the history curriculum
through literature to enhance the students’ learning
experience. Students in 11th grade are enrolled in either
U.S. History or Advanced Placement U.S. history. These
survey courses, too, are complemented by the American
literature course offered by the English department.
The close work between English and history is relaxed
a bit in grade 12 when students are required to take
an introductory American government course for one semester.
Additional elective offerings for upperclassmen have
varied from introductory Economics to 20th-century US
History. For the last several years, Facing History
and Ourselves has been the spring elective.
Science
The Tandem Friends School science program shares a
vision with the principles for learning science developed
by the National Research Council in cooperation with
the National Academy of Sciences. Tandem’s program
is inquiry-based, with content and curricula adapted
and designed to meet the individual student needs, abilities,
and interests. We strive to work with colleagues within
the department and across the curriculum to develop
activities that integrate science with math, art, writing
and social sciences.
Students are encouraged to think critically in order
to discuss scientific ideas, conduct scientific experiments
and analyze data. Because of Tandem Friends’ small
class size, opportunities abound to assess each student’s
understanding and ability and to provide guidance in
the self-assessment of learning. Aesthetically pleasing
and well-equipped facilities provide students with a
stimulating learning environment that provides space
and materials to encourage active and extended scientific
inquiry.
Tandem Friends’ science program takes great advantage
of the school’s rural campus setting. Access to
a variety of outdoor environments, including a small
stream, woods and fields, allows for observation of
wildlife, collection of data, performance of experiments,
and the recording of information over a period of time.
The school also benefits from our proximity to the Charlottesville
and Albemarle County scientific community, including
the University of Virginia and Piedmont Virginia Community
College. We have traditionally enjoyed welcoming a variety
of guests and mentors who share their expertise in science-related
topics.
Tandem Friends currently requires three years of science
in the Upper School program for graduation. Most students
meet this requirement by taking Biology in 9th grade,
Chemistry in 10th grade and one or more upper level
science courses; offerings may include Physics,
AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Stewardship and the Environment, Forensics,
and Bioethics. Elective courses may be added as needs and
interests arise.
The science program at Tandem Friends promotes curiosity
and creativity in a setting of enthusiasm and support.
Recognizing the need to encourage the development of
scientific literacy in a world that will present our
students with many science-related choices in the future,
the science department strives to share the excitement
and wonder of understanding and investigating our natural
world.
Foreign Languages
Learning to communicate and read in another language
gives Tandem Friends students an understanding and appreciation
of other cultures, and prepares them to live more meaningfully
in a global society. Recognizing that the study of other
languages helps students become more aware of their
own heritage and of the function of their own language,
Tandem Friends offers courses in Latin, French and Spanish.
Modern language instruction focuses on teaching students
to understand the spoken language and to speak it sufficiently
well in order to communicate in everyday situations,
to be able to gain information from articles or stories
written in the target language, and to communicate adequately
in writing. Foreign language students also explore different
ways of thinking and living by discovering the cultural
wealth of the target language in a variety of different
countries.
Viewing films and works of art, hearing music, preparing
and tasting food, experiencing plays in the target language,
celebrating the holidays of different cultures, and
traveling and studying in foreign countries gives Tandem
Friends students deeper insight and understanding of
another culture, making their language study relevant
and engaging.
Latin begins at Tandem Friends in grades 6 and 7 as
a required subject, and students may continue their
Latin study in grade 8 and into the upper school. Latin
provides students with the study of Roman culture and
history, the etymology of much English vocabulary, and
an understanding of the structure of grammar in both
English and the Romance languages.
Students normally take three, but preferably four,
years of a modern foreign language beginning in 9th
grade, although some start their study of French or
Spanish in the 8th grade. AP French and Spanish are
also offered for those students who are recommended
by their foreign language teachers. Tandem Friends'
French Exchange Program with the Lycée St. Pierre
in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, has been active since 1989,
while an intensive language program in Spanish has been
ongoing since 1996. Students have lived and studied
in Mexico, Guatemala, Spain and Costa Rica. Typically,
language programs abroad last for a period of three
weeks and occur before and during Tandem Friends' Emphasis
and Spring Break weeks. They are of incalculable value
in terms of motivating students in their chosen language
and providing them with a living cultural experience.
Independent
Study
Students interested in independent study may design
a course proposal modeled on a Tandem syllabus, select
an approved faculty sponsor, and submit the plan to
the Academic Committee.
University Courses
Students interested in courses of study not offered at
Tandem Friends are encouraged to enroll in college or
university classes on approval by the Academic Committee.
Senior Project
The Senior Research Project is a four-month, independent
study project in which each student explores, in detail,
a self-chosen subject area. This process is exciting
and serious. The project process, along with the final
product, is a graduation requirement at Tandem Friends
School and includes a research paper component, an extensive
journal, a formal individual presentation to the Senior
Project Committee and a class presentation to the community.
See
projects from the past.
Spirit, Body and Mind
For half of the year, Tandem Friends sophomores explore
and discuss topics and issues related to the Quaker
way and other spiritual/religious traditions. Additionally,
the course includes a unit on health and life skills
in which subjects such as substance use and abuse, sexuality,
nutrition and other aspects of physical and mental well-being
are discussed.
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