By Sarah Buchert
In all my years at TPA, I have wondered, what makes TPA different from other schools? What makes TPA…TPA? I asked some of the new teachers who have not yet experienced the TPA atmosphere for a long time and for whom the difference is still fresh in their mind.
When I asked Mr. Kneisel about how TPA compares to other schools, he replied: “TPA has a much more family atmosphere. I feel by the time most of the students reach 8th or 9th grade they know a lot of their upper classmates. There do not seem to be as many ‘groups’ that do not associate with other ‘groups.'”
I also asked Dr. Konikoff about what she thought was different about TPA compared to other schools and she said, “the sense of community, small class sizes, and a heavy use of the Socratic Method.”
Mr. Kneisel thought it was “the smaller class sizes and the uniforms.”
When asked their professional opinion on the uniforms, Mr. Kneisel answered, “I feel the uniforms do make a difference in the school. All students are always dressed appropriately and when there is an infraction of the dress code, it is usually something small. I also like the dress code for the faculty. I feel the uniforms do help keep down distractions that result in not having uniforms.”
Dr. Konikoff believes, “They unite everyone while allowing each student’s unique personality to shine through and they grant students the better ability to focus.” Dr. Konikoff and Mr. Kneisel both agree that the small class sizes at TPA allow the student to better connect with the teacher and allows them to give the students more individualized attention and to know the students better.
When asked his thoughts on the conducting of classes, Mr. Kneisel said he likes the idea of “there being more discussion and less direct instruction in math class and students taking an active role in their own education.”
Dr. Konikoff replied with, “Students get to experience the process of science directly, through designing and executing experiments and then interpreting the results. It’s an accurate reflection of what scientists actually do.”
Finally I asked how TPA students compare to students at other schools. Mr. Kneisel responded with, “TPA students are not that much different. There may be more students who take their education more seriously because of the high expectations at TPA. But the students are still teens and have their moments, which is one of the reasons I enjoy teaching. It helps keep me young and on my toes.”