DIALOGUE IN SMALL CLASSES
The founder of The Field School, Elizabeth Ely, maintained that "dialogue in an atmosphere of mutual respect creates the dynamic energy that motivates students and teachers to give their best to each other and to their work."  Today, Field's academic philosophy remains unchanged — we believe that small classes are the key to a great secondary school education.

FLEXIBILITY, CRITICAL THINKING, CARING
Small classes afford each student attention and give teachers the opportunity to respond quickly to need; they foster the understanding and confidence so essential to learning academic and social skills; and they demand the critical thinking that is vital both to communication and to the expression of that generosity of heart that holds a community together.

SKILLS-BASED EDUCATION
At Field, the emphasis is on the core academic skills rather than the memorization of a litany of facts.  Our classes provide students with instruction in critical thinking, analysis, problem-solving, discussion, and writing.  We take the time to emphasize the process entailed in mastering these skills over four years of high school.  Our students leave for college with the tools they need to think and perform academically.

SELF-DISCOVERY
Mrs. Ely stated that "The Field School takes its name from the idea of the connectedness of life."  Students study coherent "fields" of knowledge.  "Our aim is to point to the unity of experience, enabling students to build a coherent personal vision."  This goal is reiterated by our newly articulated mission:  Self-Discovery — Skills of Mind — Generosity of Heart.