We are relentless in our pursuit of teaching excellence.
Berkeley Hall faculty share a commitment to ongoing academic improvement. Through the Depth of Study program, our teachers put that commitment into action.
Depth of Study faculty teams work together in an ongoing, structured way to strengthen specific aspects of teaching and learning at Berkeley Hall. Teachers analyze student data to identify facets of the curriculum and student experience that could benefit from improvement and then bring together their best ideas to make it happen.
In a profession where most practitioners work in isolation, Depth of Study is boldly collaborative. It results in better day-to-day instruction and in systemic improvements, too – continuity from grade to grade, shared vocabulary and standards among faculty, an elimination of gaps and redundancies. The result is a more powerful learning experience for every student.
This systematic approach ensures that programs such as Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and our Singapore math program are taught deeply and effectively and that our implementation of these research-based programs stays true to their original design.
In many ways, our teachers’ commitment to Depth of Study means that our students experience depth of understanding.
The Impact of Depth of Study
Test results are far from the only outcome the Depth of Study program; nonetheless, they tell an impressive story.
- From 2013 to 2019, the percentage of Berkeley Hall 7th graders earning top math scores of 7 or 8 of the CTP 5 standardized test more than tripled.
- Placement of 8th graders into Spanish II and 9th graders into algebra has risen steadily year over year.
- On the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), Berkeley Hall graduates score in the top quartiles at a significantly higher rate than graduates of comparable area independent schools.
Faculty Perspectives
“Depth of Study is not just something we talk about. It’s something we have really invested in. It sets us apart as a school.”
“Every summer, we send faculty to Teachers College at Columbia University for professional development. But Depth of Study goes beyond the summer. It’s day-in, day-out all year long.”
“Depth of Study helps teachers be consistent in adopting the same language and teaching practices, and it helps create a clear trajectory for students to follow from year to year.”
“It keeps you energized every day so you’re never at risk of slipping into auto pilot.”
“At other schools where I’ve worked, you might see teachers collaborate in a similar way from time to time, but here, it’s in our DNA.”