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Far Hills Country Day School (FH) is the first private Preschool-Grade 8 school in the United States to achieve Level 1 certification in Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) Science through Neuroteach Global, an interactive online program offered by the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, MD Level 1 focuses on the learning environment. Core topics include embracing the role of teachers as “brain changers,” reimagining classroom design and layout, and ensuring that classroom culture provides psychological and emotional safety for all learners.
For the past 4 years, Far Hills has partnered with the CTTL and committed to an intensive professional development track for all full-time faculty members—to understand how the student's brain learns and reimagine teaching strategies and practices in the classroom based on this research. The result is a transformative experience for both teacher and student.
"I loved the program because it was designed using the practices of meta-cognition, spaced-retrieval, feedback, and memory, so teachers are learning using the same research-based methods they practice in the classroom," said Georgia Zaiser, Head of School. "I am so proud of our dedicated faculty for always evolving their professional development to not only be leaders within our school and to our students, but leaders in education to our peer schools as well. It was an honor to complete this certification along with them."
Actor and filmmaker Josh Radnor surprised the FH faculty with a congratulatory video noting the extraordinary challenges to reach this milestone during a pandemic. In addition, Glenn Whitman, Director of the CTTL, also shared a video message applauding the faculty on this amazing accomplishment.
"Far Hills Country Day School has been on a multi-year journey to elevate each teacher's understanding of the science of how the brain learns best. In the midst of the most complex year in the history of education, Far Hills teachers maintained their professional learning in Mind, Brain, and Education science by completing Neuroteach Global. I am so proud of this accomplishment and FH's commitment to knowing the most promising research and strategies in the science of learning to serve each of their individual students best," said Whitman. "Such an accomplishment is an important model for teachers and schools in New Jersey as well as across the United States."