Campus Life & Socialization

We understand that campus life and socialization are important components of your education experience. We also understand that high school can be scary, lonely, overwhelming, boring, too fast or too slow. Andover is just right because it adapts to your strengths, weaknesses, and interests. High school should be a place that nurtures you, and enables you to discover your interests and learn about the world. High school should not be a place where the social components overwhelm you and detract from your education.

Andover has created a small, supportive community free from bullying, social pressures, and distractions. At Andover, differences are celebrated, accepted, and nurtured. As a result, each student feels safe, confident, and believes in the power of their potential.

The socialization process is traditional high schools is not only inadequate, but in many cases inferior to the socialization that occurs in one-on-one education. Traditional school settings socialize students in an artificial environment where students largely interact with other students of the same age and socio-economic demographic and where adults are purely authority figures. One researcher summarized the situation thus: “In the public school system, children are socialized horizontally, and temporarily, into conformity with their immediate peers,” where one-on-one “educators seek to socialize their children vertically, toward responsibility, service, and adulthood.” In a traditional school, teachers become the adults in every Charlie Brown cartoon.

These differences produce some interesting results. When the leading test of socialization normalcy, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, was given to traditionally schools students and those educated one-on-one, the one-on-one students scored in the 84^th percentage of “normalcy” while the public school students scored in the 27^th percentile.”¹

Typical 17-year-olds are gripped with fear when confronted with a college admissions interview, but they should not fear a friendly, short conversation with an adult. However, given that they have been socialized in an environment where standards and norms are set by other peers and not adults, it’s obvious why most public school students are uneasy with adult interaction. Unfortunately, the traditional school social dynamic is one in which the adults are the rule-makers and gatekeepers, prescribing and enforcing codes of behavior and academic requirements with little or no student input. This tends to results in an inflexible system instead of a dynamic conversation. Because traditional schools tend to position students against adults in an adversarial relationship, student socialization often occurs outside of the purview of adults who are often unaware of the resulting social dynamics. This lack of awareness and constructive influence results in what commonly called the “Lord of the Flies Syndrome” wherein students create their own norms and social rules.²

Finally, the single most important component to being well-socialized is determined by a person’s confidence and self-esteem. When one researcher employed the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale to gauge self-esteem among students taught one-on-one, he found that 50% of the one-on-one students scored above the 90^th percentile and only 10.3% scored below the national average.³

In the final analysis, students in traditional schools are more concerned with the standards and approval of their peers than with those of the adults in their lives. Given all of the evidence, Dr. Susan McDowell concluded in 2004 that the question of socialization of those taught one-on-one is “a non-issue.” The most destructive aspects of student socialization are found in traditional schools. At Andover, we don’t repeat the mistakes of traditional school socialization. Instead, we’ve created a positive environment of mutual respect and cooperation wherein standards and norms are developed and implemented cooperatively and dynamically. This sort of process requires students to take ownership of and responsibility for school standards, and further enables a supportive relationship between students and adults.

Modern, Responsible Socialization

Andover College Prep is committed to modern, responsible socialization based on the following principles:

• Schools should not create artificial environments in which to socialize students.
• Students today create social networks in many differing forums, and the school should encourage and lead in this process rather than view it with fear and disapproval.
• Students need to be socialized to interact successfully and confidently with adults and view adults not as adversarial authority figures but rather as mentors.
• The primary purpose of the classroom is to learn; most socialization should occur outside of the classroom.

These principles are designed so that students can form long-lasting friendships across the socio-demographic spectrum and across media, reflecting the way in which relationships occur in the real, modern world. To further a student’s ability to successfully and confidently interact with others, Andover requires the following:

Required Social Activities

1. Post at least two times per month on Andover’s Facebook page.

2. Start a blog (text or video) that is updated at least once per week.

Blogs may be coordinated with teachers and may include graded assignments that incorporate academic content.

3. Engage in a community social event at least two times per month, one hour per meeting.

Examples: church youth groups, 4H clubs, music recitals, art shows (eg local art center or museum), historical societies, Little League sports participation (as a coach or manager), YMCA social events, Boy/Girl Scouts, singing groups, charitable activities with neighborhood children, academic contests (spelling bees, orations, creative and research conferences).

4. Engage in an athletic exercise for at least 3 hours per week (9^th-11^th grade).

Any type of athletic exercise counts. You need to complete the Athletic Participation Form at the end of each month and submit it to the dean. A witness must sign the form (typically, a parent, coach or trainer). Examples of activities include: local/club sports leagues, martial arts, almost any activity at the YMCA, going to a local gym.

5. Participate in at least one Andover school event per month.

Andover schedules regular monthly social events; the entire school, including teachers and administrators are invited. Events are posted on the school’s calendar. Please inform the dean if you intend to attend at least 48 hours prior to the event. Keep in mind: you must attend at least one event per month.

Andover Activities Calendar 2010-2011

Other activities may include: Debate Night, online conferences/chats.

Exceptions can be made at the dean’s discretion.