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Reimagine Your Classroom.

For the past half century, Proctor’s educational model has challenged the norm. A school culture that effectively integrates academic support for more than a third of the student body, study abroad programs for nearly all students, a Wilderness Orientation for every student, small dormitories, an Academic Concentration Program, an incredible breadth of academic, arts, and athletic offerings reminds us that Proctor’s version of “doing school” is different than other schools. 

Experiential learning sits at the core of every student’s Proctor experience. From the moment they step foot on campus and embark on Wilderness Orientation to their last when they embark on Senior Project or a Senior Capstone project, experiential learning permeates every layer of a Proctor education. While five term-long off-campus programs (Mountain Classroom, Ocean Classroom, Proctor in Spain, European Art Classroom, and Costa Rica Program) have been a part of Proctor’s offerings for over fifty years, the foundation of experiential learning is laid in every on-campus class, afternoon activity, and interaction with faculty. Proctor’s educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that experiential education and proximate experiences lead to enduring learning. 

Student and Teacher at Bog

The On-Campus Experience

We believe deeply in the value of learning as a process, not a specific outcome. Proctor’s model of academic rigor mixed with academic support results directly in a school culture that frames challenges in a way that encourages perseverance and provides opportunity for healthy struggle. We believe there is no better place to authentically encounter this type of learning than Proctor. 

Learn about Experiential Education in Proctor’s classrooms

Segovia

The Off-Campus Experience

Proximate learning does not occur without risk, but it is in those moments where students are living their education alongside the issues they are studying that worldviews are transformed. More than 70% of students elect to spend a trimester or two enrolled in a term-long off-campus program, bringing their wisdom and experiences back to campus with them. 

learn more about Proctor’s off-campus programs

Academic Concentrations

Academic Concentrations Program

It is the entirety of the Proctor experience, and the collective opportunities available to students that set the school apart from other high schools in the country. Proctor’s Academic Concentration Program lies at the intersection of intellectual curiosity and academic rigor. By empowering self-directed students to design an individualized program of coursework, experiential learning beyond campus, and a culminating capstone, Academic Concentrations assist intellectual development on a sophisticated level. Each of the five concentrations aligns with intentional interdisciplinary guidelines that students tailor to create individualized academic and experiential plans.  Learn more about this high-level academic program for the most motivated Proctor students HERE. 

Experiential Education

Experiential learning at Proctor Academy: wilderness adventures, global programs, on-campus immersion; building lasting skills.
Proctor Academy Green House Botany
Academic Lens: Stepping into Experiences with Confidence

One of the easiest phrases for a teenager to utter is “It’s too hard.” We hear it in the classroom, on the courts, ice, and in the rink, in the dormitory, and in our advisories. These moments of temporary discomfort are common as we encourage students to try something new, to develop a new skill, or to learn how a new teacher structures their class. As educators, we are always working to find that balance of pushing our students through those “It’s too hard” situations, all while providing them the safety net they need to know exists. 

 
Read More about Academic Lens: Stepping into Experiences with Confidence
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