New Roads School is built on the science and art of progressive education.
The Magic is in the Mess
The 20th century industrial model of education assumed that students were the equivalent of factory workers: they needed to be trained to conform and to do specific jobs. Learning in those environments was largely based on rote memorization and following rules and procedures. The answers were seemingly simple and clear. While a solid foundation in the 3Rs and work habits are still necessary, this century calls for a more inspired approach. Real learning demands a process of trial-and-error: students must be courageous enough to make mistakes, to initially do something poorly, to fall into confusion, to get stuck, and to find the perseverance to continue pursuing answers; and teachers and parents must believe in children enough to let them do so. It is in this messy process that creative methods to solve complex real-world problems can be discovered. At New Roads, students are nurtured in an environment in which they are challenged to dive into the mess so that they develop the capacity to meet the opportunities and challenges their generation will face in the 21st Century. Our students know the magic in the mess.