Departments

We strive to help students express themselves with clarity and power orally as well as in writing. We want them to be able to generate authentic, nuanced questions and original ideas. Reading literature with sensitivity and exploring varied cultural perspectives are critical. Students write frequently and class participation is essential as students try out their ideas aloud.

Through studying mathematics at Putney, students learn the skills necessary for academic and personal success while building deep conceptual understanding through projects, rich problems, and explorations. Our math courses cover fundamentals for college preparation while encouraging our students to explore the beauty of mathematics and its connection with other subjects.

Students are asked to create meaning from our past and present, developing an ability to understand a historical framework for the world evolving around them. Classes emphasize discussion and oral skills, writing with an emphasis on analytical essays and critical thinking. Students are asked to write history—to formulate, support and document their own views of the past.

Learning a modern language and gaining insight into its culture(s) are important for increased self-awareness, and for increased international understanding. It is an integral part of a Putney education. Putney offers students three modern languages: Chinese, French, and Spanish. Students immerse themselves in speaking, listening, reading, writing and culture to become proficient.

Involvement in the arts is one of the central Putney experiences. The academic arts program, encompassing a diverse range of disciplines in the visual and performing arts, forms the core of the arts program. Many students continue their work in the arts during Project Week to delve into their media in greater depth and concentration.