At
the core of Wakefield's methodology in the cultivation of capable, ethical, and
articulate citizens is its rigorous academic program.
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While the school
acknowledges the essential role of meaningful co-curricular pursuits and
student leadership outside of the classroom, it is in Wakefield's vibrant
classrooms that students are invited to do the kind of disciplined, thoughtful,
creative, and inquisitive intellectual work that will complete a core part of
the school's mission: to "help students distinguish that which is true
from that which is not, and to use that knowledge in positive ways."
Throughout
all three Divisions, students are encouraged to master content, to develop
sound study habits, and to think independently about what they are learning.
The curriculum is characterized by inquiry-based science classes, an English
Department that focuses from first grade through twelfth on sound writing and
communication skills, and a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary connections.
The
confidence that comes with Wakefield's combination of focused scholarship and
freedom of speculation shows itself clearly in the Senior Thesis project, a
year-long inquiry process into an area about which each student is passionate.
While the culminating projects that cap this year of investigation vary widely
in form, all reveal that they were created by students not afraid to ask hard
questions, and possessing both the skills to seek answers, and the discernment
to probe the meaning of what they discover.