Upper School
Upper School Philosophy
Upper School students are offered a range of academic classes and extracurricular activities in a framework that encourages individual responsibility, intellectual inquiry, and personal growth. The curriculum is intended to challenge students while allowing them to discover their individual interests and passions. An innovative and supportive faculty is critical in developing a learning environment which facilitates this process.
Curriculum Overview
Tatnall students are smart and diverse and committed to becoming ethical leaders and compassionate citizens. This requires a mindset that affirms the humanity of all people and, more specifically, challenges systems that limit the voices and potential of others. Whether Tatnall students are experimenting in the STEM lab, competing on the playing field, leading a club meeting, editing a publication, or performing on stage, they’re engaged in learning that is creative, collaborative, and inspired. Students learn to think critically and to solve problems through multiple lenses, no matter the task.
They also learn in an environment that prioritizes their well-being. We want students to be the scholars, athletes, artists, and activists they aspire to be, and we know that this can only happen if they are happy and well. High school is a time when young people want to be independent and free from the pressures and influences of adults, but they’re also looking for mentors and role models. Faculty choose to teach at Tatnall because they want to mentor ambitious young people and to partner both with parents who want this experience for their children and with students who want this for themselves.
Department Philosophy
The English Department believes in offering students the opportunity to experience some of the most compelling works of American, British, and world literature. In a world in which communication skills and intellectual flexibility are increasingly valuable prerequisites, our literature-based program also provides a strong foundation for success at the college level by focusing on fluency in such areas as critical and inferential thinking, speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Theater courses complement the English Department’s focus on literary texts by considering films and plays within similar contexts of study: historical, technical, theoretical, and aesthetic. The additional goal of these courses is to make students more thoughtful in their analyses of the visual and performing arts.
Successful Tatnall English students, upon graduation, will be culturally literate and equipped to think clearly, read critically, and speak and write fluently. They will recognize and analyze the tools writers use and the ways in which writers convey meaning. They will develop visual literacy through film, print media, and performance and acknowledge the importance of multidisciplinary connections.
Students have taken their works outside the classroom through the Poetry Out Loud competition, journalism publications on News Decoder, and have been regionally and nationally recognized through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The department also sponsors a variety of writing and literature clubs in accordance with student interest.
Typical Course Sequence (courses in bold are offered at an Honors, AP, or Advanced level):
Department Philosophy
The History Department believes the study of history should shape students to become active global citizens and agents of positive change. As our engaging and relevant curriculum unfolds, students are expected to make connections, not only between cultures but between different epochs as well. Our faculty is committed to preparing students for continued study of history at the college level, as we build the cultural competency necessary for a 21st century global citizenship.
Students will analyze primary sources and complete historical research at each grade level. They will develop skills to evaluate and interpret information and critically assess sources, including proper citation practices. Students will be exposed to a variety of experiences within the classroom and take advantage of local and regional historical/cultural sites and experts. We encourage students to engage in their community and prepare them to be active global citizens and agents of positive change.
Beyond the classroom, the department supports numerous clubs based on student interest. Students have the opportunity to compete annually in Mock Trial and Model UN. Students also regularly attend the Delaware Congressional Youth Conference in Dover.
Typical Course Sequence (courses in bold are offered at an Honors, AP, or Advanced level):
Department Philosophy
The department members strive to offer an appropriately challenging curriculum that reflects the school’s mission and philosophy. The curriculum is coherent and connected at each level, offers openings to engage students at many levels, and corresponds to their unique skills and gifts.
Mathematics in the Upper School involves a blend of skills and computation with a development of reasoning and problem solving. This combination allows students to explore the elegance of pure mathematics as well as the many applications of mathematics in the modern world. In the classroom, teachers utilize a variety of technological tools to prompt students to become active and creative problem solvers. Projects and opportunities for collaboration cultivate confidence and independent mathematical thought as students learn to explore ideas, develop conjectures, and verify their results.
The Computer Science program recognizes that technology permeates the lives of all our students. It is essential for students to appropriately integrate technology to support their learning. Critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration are strengthened and enhanced through the courses in our program. These courses include an introductory level Foundations course required of all Upper School students (beginning with the Class of 2026), the courses extend through various avenues of computing such as database programming, Python, and web design, and culminate with AP Computer Science A.
Students will apply mathematics and coding to the real world, develop number sense and fluency, use technology in an efficient and appropriate manner, use proper vocabulary to communicate ideas, learn to persevere when solving problems, and develop a love of mathematics, programming, and learning.
Outside of the classroom, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of competitions, including the DCTM Math League (9th-grade division and 10th-12th grade division), The American Mathematics Competition sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America, the Data Visualization Poster Contest by the American Statistical Association, and a variety of modeling competitions as dictated by student interest.
Typical Course Sequence (courses in bold are offered at an Honors or AP level):
Math
Computer Science
Contact our Department Chair, Dr. Sara Gartland
Music Philosophy
The Tatnall Music Faculty nurtures and supports the innate musical ability of each student and strives to ignite a life-long love of learning. In a joyful environment, students experience a diverse curriculum, a language-based approach to learning music, and instruction that honors their unique identities and strengths. We educate the whole child so that they have an authentic, joyful, and lasting relationship with music.
Students in music classes and ensembles will build skills of singing, playing, reading, and writing. They will perform music alone and with others, appreciate a variety of musical genres, and develop personal character through involvement in the arts.
Beyond the classroom, students have a variety of performance opportunities, including the Jazz Band, our internal Coffee House, and All-State Ensembles (by audition). Students may participate in Playbill, our fall musical, either on stage or in the pit orchestra. Many of our ensembles perform for the larger community at local churches, nursing homes, and charity events. Students who have completed the Foundations of Music course are welcome to use the music technology lab during their free time to continue building their musicianship.
Theater Philosophy
Each year, Tatnall students have multiple opportunities to be involved in theater. Students can develop and broaden their skills and interests in stagecraft through a hands-on program in all aspects of theatrical performance and production. We believe in the power of theater to transform—to entertain, to educate, and to enlighten. We aim to produce challenging and engaging shows while providing training in all aspects of theater.
Showcase, the cornerstone of the theater program, mounts the school’s major dramatic production at mid-year. Each company member learns several theatrical skills, engaged perhaps not only in acting but also in set design and construction, costumes, props, technical matters, and publicity.
In the fall, Playbill students produce a Broadway-style musical. As in the other drama groups at Tatnall, Playbill relies heavily on student input, talents, and dedication in all areas, ranging from on-stage duties to in-the-pit music to behind-the-scenes lighting, set design, and make-up. All of our theater experiences emphasize direct student engagement, teamwork, problem solving, and creative thinking.
Students with lead roles or significant responsibilities in Showcase or Playbill may be eligible for arts credit toward graduation. Eligibility is determined at the discretion of the lead faculty member/director and the Head of Upper School.
Department Philosophy
The faculty of the science department believes that the study of science is essential for every Upper School student. Science students are actively engaged inside labs and outside on our natural lands in explorations and investigations that inspire them to become life-long scientists. As the impact of scientific innovations, applications, and information increasingly permeate our daily lives, it is imperative that our students have a solid base of understanding and the skills to be critical thinkers in order to function as knowledgeable citizens, consumers, and decision-makers in our technology-dependent world.
Students will learn to use their senses and appropriate equipment and technology to gather information about the world around them. They will engage in the design and process of experimentation, experience opportunities to measure changes outside and in the lab, and develop the abilities to question, articulate, and defend positions and ideas using supporting scientific evidence.
Typical Course Sequence (courses in bold are offered at an Honors, AP, or Advanced level):
Contact our Department Chair, Mrs. Tijen Pyle
Department Philosophy
The Visual Arts curriculum focuses on nurturing the unique creative voice of each student. Our arts faculty believes that all critical and creative processes involved in artistic endeavors are important life skills that can be applied to diverse areas. The Visual Arts curriculum provides students with a wide scope of art experiences to promote the innovative use of materials, creative exploration, and development of technical skills across different media. Students are taught the vocabulary and historical context related to specific media, subjects, and styles. The artwork produced by our students reflects their ability to think creatively, experiment, problem-solve, and evaluate.
We aim for students to demonstrate understanding and application of the Elements and Principles of Design according to their grade level. Additionally, students will develop constructive skills for giving and receiving artistic criticism and gain an appreciation for various artistic movements.
In addition to the classroom experience, student artwork has been featured in regional, national, and international exhibitions, including DCCA’s SABA exhibitions, Delaware Art Museum’s Art Smart Exhibition, the Traveling Pacem En Terris Visionary Peace Youth Art Exhibition, Center for Contemporary Printmaking Juried Miniature Print Biennial, Longwood Gardens, the Brandywine Art Museum, and The Bigg’s Museum of American Art. Student work has also been published in Blick Art Material’s Celebrating Art contest, the DAEA Student feature, the Davis Art Education Cover, and the School Specialty Student feature. Student work has been regionally and nationally recognized by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. We provide opportunities for guest artists and speakers to work with students on their artwork and engage students with working artists (e.g., Runcie Tatnall and connections to local galleries). The department sponsors An Evening of the Arts, a student-curated fundraising exhibition in the spring.
Typical Course Sequence
Department Philosophy
The World Languages program affords students the ability to choose between modern and classical languages. Students who choose to study French or Spanish will have the opportunity to become proficient in reading, writing, listening, and speaking according to the standards defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Our program is designed to take beginning language learners from the novice-low proficiency level through the intermediate-high and advanced levels upon completion of 4 or more years of their chosen language. At each level of study, students participate in meaningful and authentic activities that facilitate their acquisition of a second language while helping them to cultivate a sense of global awareness and cultural sensitivity. Teachers consistently seek out resources made by native speakers for native speakers to help provide comprehensible and authentic input for their students, and technology supports attaining these goals.
Latin instruction combines a reading approach with the more traditional grammar/translation method. The fusion of the two methods ensures that students gain a solid foundation of Latin grammar and syntax, but also allows them to approach the language organically and inductively. From the very beginning, students read adapted passages of Latin literature. As they learn more complex syntax, students progress to reading passages of unadapted Latin. At all levels, emphasis is placed on expanding English vocabulary by finding derivatives of Latin words and improving one’s understanding of English grammar. In all classes, we study various aspects of the Roman world, including culture, religion, history, politics/government, war, social groups, literature, myth, daily life, geography, and entertainment. The upper-level courses place a particular emphasis on learning how to read a text closely, think about it critically, and explain it persuasively.
Beyond the classroom, the department supports the Latinx Club, while Latin students participate in the annual Latin Day, and French students celebrate Mardi Gras. The department also organizes and supports various travel abroad opportunities. Students have the opportunity to take the AAPPL (French and Spanish) and STAMP (Latin) proficiency exams and earn the Delaware Certificate of Multiliteracy.
Typical Course Sequence (courses in bold are offered at an Honors, AP, or Advanced level):
Upper School Academic Enhancements
The Upper School offers several academic enhancements for students in grades 9-12.
These enhancements are designed to give our students greater access to fresh and innovative curricula in specific disciplines, as well as the ability to translate these focused interests into specializations that will greatly enhance their academic experience. Our faculty has worked hard to develop foundational coursework that incorporates offerings at the collegiate level and elevates student engagement. These programs enhance the breadth and quality of a Tatnall education and support our mission to develop stronger citizens, both locally and globally.