A Fresh Start: Adjusting as a Freshman
October 15, 2017
Filed under Opinions
Over summer vacation, dominating eighth graders have to learn how to transform into bottom-of-the-food-chain freshmen. The adjustment creates many challenges for the incoming students, and the new freshmen are handling this transition in different ways. The Ramaz Upper School is known for its stri...
My BIMA Experience
September 7, 2017
Filed under Opinions
As I was looking for something both fun and educational to do over this past summer, I specifically wanted to focus on some of my hobbies to which I was unable to allot much time during the school year. BIMA, a Brandeis Precollege Program, met my criteria. BIMA is a program devoted to the arts, a...
Midterms at Ramaz: Should There be Other Options?
March 4, 2017
Filed under Opinions
As expected, midterms are a time of great stress for most Ramaz students. They require the ability to study a semester’s worth of material for eight different classes within a span of eight days of consecutive exams (with only one weekend serving as an interruption). As midterms progress, students ...
The Wall
Natalie Kahn '19 and Esther Beck '19
March 4, 2017
Filed under Opinions
Beck: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, bear with me. This has been (and will continue to be) a trying time for anyone following political news, no matter which party they belong to - it has been almost impossible to keep up with the flurry of executive orders and statements flying out of the White Hou...
How to Fix Student-Teacher Conferences
January 15, 2017
Filed under Opinions
Walking into school on the day of student-teacher conferences, one can see students crowding the hallways in long lines or clumps, talking to each other or on their phones, impatiently waiting for teachers to be ready to meet with them. Waiting times on lines to meet with teachers vary drastically depen...
The Lost and Found Quandary
January 15, 2017
Filed under Opinions
With classes to run to and many books and binders to carry around, it is no surprise that students frequently lose track of and misplace their belongings. Unfortunately, there is no set system for students to recover their lost belongings, and these items often end up being replaced, rather than fou...
Yeshiva Break?
January 15, 2017
Filed under Opinions
Winter vacation at Ramaz is often seen as a much-needed break, and it gives students the opportunity to travel and enjoy experiences with their family members. Ramaz differs from other yeshivot in that our vacation takes place around the same time as Christmas and New Year's Eve, rather than during "ye...
Track English and History
November 20, 2016
Filed under Opinions
Ramaz is known for its rigorous and intellectually stimulating curriculum in both Judaic and secular studies. Students who excel in Talmud have the opportunity to learn the subject for over an hour each day and to practice the necessary skills until they come naturally. Students who pick up languages ...
Should Teachers Express Their Political Opinions?
Natalie Kahn '19 and Yonatan Weitzner '19
November 20, 2016
Filed under Opinions
As the election drew near, Ramaz students engaged in many political discussions with their teachers. One issue students began to notice was that instead of informing the students about the current political situation and letting the students form their own opinions, some teachers attempted to...
The PSAT–To Study or Not to Study?
November 20, 2016
Filed under Opinions
Each year, the juniors are faced with the inevitable standardized testing process, beginning with the PSAT. The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) has evolved into less of a “preliminary” test to get familiar with the SAT and a way to choose between either the SAT or the ACT. Now, the PS...
Recycling: Better Late Than Never
September 21, 2016
Filed under Opinions
This past year brought with it many new developments in school. One of these developments was the recycling bins. It’s difficult to ignore the colorful bins in the lunchroom or to fail to notice the signs and posters that the Environmental Club laboriously plastered all over the school bulletin boards....
Is There Value to Group Projects?
April 22, 2016
Filed under Opinions
From collaborative presentations to science labs, every student must eventually complete a group project during his or her time at Ramaz. The “group work” model is often an important element of the classroom experience. Teachers promote the concept to help develop their students’ communication...