Science

Department Philosophy

At Concord Academy, the Science Department presents science as an opportunity to express and develop creativity in the field or laboratory, complementing similar student experiences on stage or in studios. We hope that through engagement with the process of science, students will at some point glimpse what Charles Darwin called the "grandeur in this view of life.

Important common themes unite the Science Department’s work at CA. The department is committed to passionate engagement with processes and ideas rather than "cookbook" fulfillment of standardized curricula. Additionally, we want all students to understand the benefit of studying science; this desire manifests itself in the range of entry points and learning opportunities within the department. Students with a passion for science who are aimed at a college major or future career are well served by our advanced courses; those who are looking for broad exposure to science find electives that offer a range of topics from nutrition to meteorology to forensic science.

Beyond the course offerings lies the heart of the Science Department’s philosophy—the science faculty trains students to ask good questions, to communicate clearly, and to be skeptical consumers of information. Science content is not an end in itself. While science content is essential in providing a common language that is both verbal and mathematical, it alone does not help students make intelligent decisions about those ideas and data in which they should place value. At a time when powerful technologies provide both opportunity and challenge, we strive to engage students in an ethical consideration of science. Additionally, we help students place information in a useful context with extensive use of individual research, laboratory work, or direct observation in the field. Similarly, technology is a tool for the collection and processing of data, furthering a student’s understanding of measurement, process, and sound experimental design. The few students who exhaust our advanced offerings can pursue independent research with a faculty member. Transformative learning occurs most often when students are coached toward challenging engagement with subject matter that they choose for themselves.

The Science Department at CA believes in and represents a range of backgrounds and approaches to teaching science—while some faculty members work to build a foundation in introductory courses, others engage older students in elective courses. Science faculty members have performed research, worked in industry, have broad exposure to different disciplines, or deeper engagement in a single field, and many are career teachers.