Sponsored Scoop: The Beekman School

Individualized curriculum is a term often used in education. When public schools have 30 or more students in a class, and private schools are placing 12 or 14 students in a class, being able to create a custom curriculum is a goal, not a reality, for many programs.

Large classrooms force students to work at the pace of the group. This means that some students could move faster while others are struggling to keep up. A course of study that is designed specifically for an individual student is an ideal situation that requires a flexible curriculum in order to make it work.

A program that has the student’s best needs addressed is one that allows them to:

• take courses from a variety of grade levels;
• take longer to complete a syllabus or finish it in less than a school year;
• have a later start to the school day or finish earlier to have time for extracurricular activities.

The hard part is finding a school that can accommodate a student’s individuality. To help in this search, it’s important to know what questions to ask and what information carries the most value for you. Please make sure to review our FREE 23-question guide that was specifically developed for families looking to find a school that can meet their student’s specific needs and interests.These are several of the questions that you will find in this guide, along with how Beekman replies to these concerns.

How does your school personalize the educational experience?

During individual meetings with students and their parents, and by reviewing previous academic records, our administration can design a daily schedule that accommodates the needs of most college-bound students. Flexibility throughout the term, coupled with quick, ongoing feedback from teachers, enables us to be sensitive to the unique needs of each student and offer program changes when appropriate.

Many schools say they have small classes. What is your average class size?

Beekman caps its classes at 10 students and most classes will average six or seven students.

How flexible is the scheduling? What time does your school day begin and end?

Our first class begins at 8:45 a.m. and students are asked to be at school by 8:30 a.m. since no one is permitted to interrupt class by entering late. Although there are a few elective classes that finish at 4:30 p.m., most students end their day at 3:00 p.m. or 3:50 p.m. Students who need a late start or an early finish can be accommodated through a combination of our Beekman and Tutoring School programs, which combine classroom-style education with one-to-one instruction.

Is there the possibility of different instruction levels for students in the same grade?

While some courses follow a standard progression (i.e. math and foreign languages), Beekman students are not locked into certain courses based on age or grade. They take the highest level they are capable of in particular subjects, and can be in classes with their peers from different grades.

The Beekman School

220 E. 50th St.

New York, NY  10022

212-755-6666