Academy of Mount Saint Vincent - Chastellux Yearbook (Tuxedo Park, NY)

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Both Science And Math Stress Discovery And Experimentation Emphasis was placed on the experimental approach in Biology this year. Activities included the alcoholic fermentation of apple cider and the crossing of fruit flies when students were studying Mendel's ratio. New micro-viewers provided “inside information” on bacteria, photosynthesis and the inner workings of the human body. A blood-typing service was offered to the school when students were studying the circulatory system. SISTER BARBARA also teaches Chemistry, the sci- ence she loves most. Her enthusiasm is shared by her students. After basic lectures had been given to the entire class, each student received a packet for each unit being studied. The packet contained read- ing lists, problem sheets and lab experiments to be completed by the student at her own rate. The better students completed the basic assignments and went on to enrichment exercises, while students with difficulties received more individual help from Sister. Since SISTER BARBARA teaches both Religion and Science, she is well qualified to give a course cover ing basic aspects of marriage to the Seniors. SISTER BARBARA SROZENSKI Biology and Chemistry When a wasps' nest was removed from beneath the eaves a Renamor, it was enclosed in a plastic bag for several days, and any wasps in it were suffocated. Then it was brought to the Lab for students to examine. Here SISTER BARBARA is examining it with MARIANNE ANGEL and ANNE BUDIN. Each year a hamster has had a special corner in the Lab. Last year's was “Honey” and more than once it escaped from its cage and made its way downstairs to the Library. This year Honey has been replaced by “Su- gar” — a more docile little animal, with a really pleasant personality. TERRY BYRNE and KATHY CLARK will vouch for this. Here SISTER BARBARA is testing some of its reactions. 22

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MISS DEANNA VECCHIOTTI English Department It was a red letter day for the Mount when MISS DEANNA VECCHIOTTI. a graduate of the College of New Rochelle, signed her contract and joined the English Department of the Academy. Together SISTER THERESA and MISS VECCHIOTTI have planned a new approach in the teaching of English which has already sparked a gratifying response in their classes. Realizing that her students will share her own response and appreciation of poetry and other forms of literature. MISS VEC- CHIOTTI selects with care the records she will use for each of her classes. Instead of the traditional method involving the isolated study of literary pieces, the coordination of the students own interests with those of the authors they are studying has made the English classes more challenging. Even written expression has benefited from this new approach. Beginning with Ninth Year classes, students are introduced to the liter ary genre, and a firm background is established in understanding the var- ious art forms. Required readings are supplemented by research projects which will hopefully cover several aspects of the humanities — history, sociology, music and art — as well as literature. Some of this research will be done during regular class periods, some will be done outside of class. Field trips will supplement the teach- ing and research. In the course in American Literature an effort is made to cover the work of several authors of each period of our history, correlating the literary and political aspects of the period. The main goal in this course is to appreciate the purpose of each au thor and the results of his labor, rather than a memorization of charac- ters and plots. Background lectures are followed by discussions and indi- vidual research projects. A visit to the Mystic Seaport Museum Village in Connecticut helped students appreci- ate the living conditions and prevail- ing atmosphere of the period they were studying in November. The day was profitable, despite the fact that the bus broke down on the return trip, and they arrived home at 12:30 a.m. instead of the 8:30 p.m. sched- uled! 21

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YVMl lS Since Algebra and Geometry are the basic Mathematics courses in the Academy, MRS. CLEARY'S primary aim in these courses has been a complete understanding and mastery of the theories and concepts in the N.Y.S. Syllabus. The wealth of filmstrip material available in the Academy will provide special assignments for more advanced stu- dents. Students in all MRS. CLEARY’s classes have been trained to do their homework assignments on acetate, and use the Overhead Projector to present their solutions to the class. The advantages of this method are incalculable. MRS. CLEARY bubbles over with enthusiasm for her subject — and in fact for the Academy — but her students often find Math hard. One finally acted as spokesman for the class and said MRS. CLEARY, we miss SUELLEN koelsch don't love Math, but we do love you!” Not to would be impossible! Physical Science and Mathematics Discovery is the aim of MISS KOELSCH’s Physical Science Course. In it she plans to use the I P S system — a self-discovery program. Besides Physical Science, MISS KOELSCH also teaches three Math courses: Math XI, XII and Intermediate Algebra. Her classes are di- vided into groups so that more capable students can move on and discover on their own. In Intermediate Algebra MISS KOELSCH is striving to develop self-confidence in her students, and although she is following the text rather closely, she is introducing some college math — including matrices. MATH XII is a seminar class, using college Set Theory. . . . MISS KOELSCH hopes to introduce her students to Topology. Each student in this course is working on an outside project, teaching herself something new in Math. MISS KOELSCH is a Graduate of Good Counsel College and is study ing for her Master s Degree at Fordham. 23