Over the course of the last three weeks, underclassmen and upperclassmen have undergone the vexatious process of picking out classes for next year. Freshman student Gregory Brooks said what many students were thinking, “Why they got us stressing over next year’s classes while I’m still concerned about passing this year?”
This course request form is more than just filling in the blanks and turning it in. Your first step is to consider what you’ve already done and whether you have enjoyed the classes you took. If you didn’t, or, if you have doubts, the first question to ask yourself is whether to pursue some of the same classes to further explore and give topics a second chance. Alternatively, do you start at the beginning with new subjects? The larger question looming on the horizon for all of us is how all of these course selections add up to a coherent path and whether that, in turn, leads to the pursuit of a career we love. Isn’t that the point of the education? This form then becomes an exploration of our immediate past, present and the short-term future all at once.
For starters, there are the classes you are required to take no matter what. In Form III, you have to pass health in order to complete your high school career, including one year of biological science and one year of physical science. In Form V and VI, you have to earn a major credit in English and History. Additionally, you must pass Physical Education for every semester and complete a community service requirement in order to graduate. Twenty-one major credits must be successfully completed in order to get your diploma.
While selecting your classes is certainly an important part of high school, like anything in the Fieldston community, the riddle can be solved with a little bit of hard work. All you have to do is read through and absorb 89 pages of course descriptions, leading you undoubtedly to a dilemma about the rest of your life. Do you know that there are 36 different electives ONLY for ethics? There are also 26 different electives for music, both major and minor; if you want to become a rockstar, this is the place! If you’re in Form IV to VI, the dance options range broadly from ballet to salsa, to hip hop and African dance. If you’re a history buff, quickly join the survey of United States History. Calling all mathematicians! Options for Forms III-VI include Algebra II, Trigonometry, Precalculus, Calculus, and Statistics. Journalists take note: 20 different choices of writing over a two-year cycle that has drama writing, poetry, 14 literature selections and more.
An education of this caliber also causes you to explore your passions. Whether a deep dive into geometry or a passionate exploration of Russian literature is what sparks a larger life path, then your time at Fieldston is time well spent. Like any good liberal arts education intends, the goal is to have it all add up to building the foundation for a life and career you feel equipped to pursue.
