Breck School - Mustang Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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Brusha, brusha, brusha Well, what do you want? I took the ten little bottles and set them on the drainboard . . . Mr. Jacobson, the new Physics professor

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SCIENCE During the past four years, four new programs have been added to the curriculum of the Breck School Science Department. Each new course has strengthened the over-all scientific program so much so that Breck can safely say that it has a comprehensive course of study which will satisfy any college. I he Senior year course of study is a stimulating and interesting course in Physics. 1 lie material, the P.S.S.C. (Physical Science Study Committee), makes the student draw conclusions from his own research — not just by rote. It is currently being taught by Mr. Jacobson, a new member of Breck’s faculty. In 1964, the administration instituted yet another program at Breck—CHEM Study or Chemical Education Materials Study Program. This, too, is founded on the belief that a student will learn more if he does not have to memorize a list of symbols or molecular weights; he learns by trying to explain what he sees. Mr. Man’s students have found truth in the text’s subtitle, “An Experimental Science”. Tenth grade students are currently being introduced to BSCS, an extremely modern biology course. Claude A. Welch, supervisor for the text, states that the book’s goal is “. . . to help the student obtain some understanding of the nature of science as a vigorous interaction of facts and ideas. The facts of biology will not be presented to him as a series of foregone conclusions.” I he latest innovation ol teaching science at Breck has taken place in the Freshman year. Only instituted this year, a brand new program taught by Mr. Marr is trying to acquaint the ninth graders with the basic skills used in the upper forms —graphing, collecting data, drawing conclusions, and using the slide rule. The seventh and eighth graders are being introduced to science with Mr. Nielsen’s Earth Science And General Science by Mr. Marr, respectively. 26

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LANGUAGES languages have always been an integral part of Breck’s academic program. Years ago, only two courses were offered; now there are four from which the student can choose— French, Spanish, Latin, and German. Actually, the language program extends as far back as the fifth grade where every student begins a two year introductory French course. In the First Form the pupil can continue his French course with Miss Raske, and. in later years, he can study French II, III, and IV with Mrs. Blackburn and Mr. Krenz. Thus a student may start French in fifth grade and continue until he is a senior. Many other courses in language are offered at Breck. In the seventh grade, the student may drop his study of French and begin taking Latin with Mr. Gesner. If he continues, he will take Latin II and III with Mr. Uram. In ninth grade, a boy may also choose to study either German or Spanish. The latter, taught by Mr. Uram, is a comprehensive curriculum which, in addition to the language itself, also tries to give the student a knowledge of the cultures of Mexico and Spain. A Freshman could also take upGerman, this year totally different from any other course in the school. Using ALM(Audio-Lingual Materials), Mr. Neher has developed an entirely unique and stimulating course. In his own words, “Ihe keynote of this approach throughout will be the individual student, and the entire structure, in which the conventional classroom group is virtually nonexistant, is oriented toward and for this individual.” The application of the program has been very interesting. The ALM materials have been divided into fifteen levels. The German student is given his book and. in effect, told, go to it.” Using his textbook, the Breck I inguage laboratory, and the help of Mr. Neher, the pupil proceeds through the course entirely at his own speed. This way, the fast student is stimulated to work and enjoy what he is doing and the slow student does not get lost by the wayside, overcome by materials that he didn’t understand but the rest of the class did. At the end of each unit, the student takes a test on which he must score 75% or better before proceeding. In this way, the student can cover as much as his ability will permit. When a student reaches the tenth level, completing the ALM Materials, he moves on into a completely different type of course: reading selected bcxiks from the Advanced Placement Reading List for German. There are no tests once a student reaches this level of learning. Thus the language program is expanding as fast as the school itself. 28