Photo Essays: Specialized Classrooms


Figure 1.--All prep schools have specialized classrooms. The most common are the science classroom and art room. The art room has been a long standing tradition. Many schools did not begin opening science labs until after Wotld War II. Most have several other specialized rooms. And in recent years computer rooms have been added. 

In addition to the form room classes there were also specialized classrooms. The younger children spend most of their day in their form rooms. The older children spend more time in the specialized rooms. Schools vary in the rooms set aside for specisalized studies. Perhaps the most obvious are the science labortories and the art room. There was also often a music room. After these rooms which obviously require special rooms, there is more variation from school to school. Here it is often a matter of available space and the size and financial situation of the school. Often there is a special foreign lnguage room, usually for French. Some schools had language labs, but this was not very common. In recent years computer rooms have been set up. Some schools may have specil rooms for history and geography. Some schools have set up museums often dealing with historical artifacts.

Form Levels

Most prep schools deal with children from about 8-13 years of age. Many have younger children in the pre-prep. The younger children spend most of their day in their form rooms. Lessons for most subjects are given by their form teacher. Thus for the most part all the children have the same curriculum, although there may be some variation for special needs children. Prep schools tend to have a traditional curriculum, heavy on basic reading and writing and numercy skills. This is something the form teachers are preoared to habdle with considerable skill. The older children who begin to get into more advanced subject matter. Here it is better to have teachers with specialized training. Thus the older children tend to spend more time in the specialized rooms. They thus have to change classes during the day and not all the children in the form take the same classes. Such variations, however, are limited because of te size of the chools. One of the major differences is foreign language work.

Variation

Schools vary in the rooms set aside for specisalized studies. Some of these specialized rooms can be quite expensive to set up. Here it is often a matter of available space and the size and financial situation of the school. There is quite a range in the size and financial position of the various schools. Thus the science lab and foreign language faciklituies can vary widely. Music is another subjects in which favilities can vary. Some schools have a very elaborate music room and practice facilities. Other schools have much more lmited facilities.

Specific Subjects

Perhaps the most obvious are the science labortories and the art room. Here there was substantial variation in how well equipped these rooms were. These are subjects in which specialized equipment and materials are needed. There was also often a music room. Here an important factor in isolating the music class from the academic classes because of the noice factor. And of course the musical instruments are needed if it is not singing. Music is an area that the modern prep schools give much more attention than was formally the case. After these basic rooms which obviously require special rooms, there is more variation from school to school. Often there is a special foreign lnguage room, usually for French. Some schools had language labs, but this was not very common. In recent years computer rooms have been set up. Some schools may have specil rooms for history and geography. Some schools have set up museums often dealing with historical artifacts.






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