News & Articles

What in the World is Executive Functioning? Why Should Parents and Teachers Care?

Here’s one for the messy kid who can never find two matching socks. The kid who says “nothing” when asked what they have to do tonight; who forgets what you asked them to do five seconds ago. The kid whose backpack is stuffed to the gills with wadded up pieces of paper and the remnants…

Read More
News & Articles

Mentors Make All the Difference: A Reflection on Student-Teacher Relationships at High Tech High & Bennett Day Upper School

Bennett Day School is the only school in Illinois to receive the New School Creation Fellowship from High Tech High, the progressive, project-based school featured in the documentary “Most Likely to Succeed.” Representatives from Bennett Day Upper School spent a week at High Tech High in San Diego for the second phase of the fellowship….

Read More
News & Articles

For Students Highly-Committed to Extracurriculars, Bennett Day Upper School Provides an Ideal Experience

Most high schools expect their students to sit through regimented class periods beginning strictly at 8am (or even earlier), participate in their after-school activities that can sometimes go well into the late evening hours, and then somehow manage to thoughtfully complete hours of homework and get a good night’s rest—all to do it again the…

Read More

The Power of “Quiet”: Thoughts by Cameron Smith on Tomie dePaula’s Latest Picture Book

Quiet by Tomie dePaolaSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers I recently heard the NPR Author Interview about Tomie dePaola’s latest book, Quiet.  I listened to the three-minute interview around 5:45 am on my way to the gym.   And I turned off the radio. Immediately. Not exactly what NPR might have been going for, but…

Read More