Vermont is a state in New England noted for the historical and Victorian memories it shares with its residents and visitors. What Vermont is most recognized for, however, is the high-quality education, diverse course offerings, and experiential learning opportunities available to its students and citizens through its small number of colleges. Goddard College is one of those colleges that emphasizes students’ abilities and provides non-traditional and experimental education.
About Goddard College
Goddard College, founded in 1863 and now over 159 years old, is a private liberal art low residency college. This college has three campuses in the United States: Port Townsend, Plainfield, and Seattle. This college was developed mainly on John Dewey’s experimental and non-traditional learning strategy, which stated that experience and education are closely entwined.
The institution primarily focuses on low residency programmes designed to be taken from a distance as remote learning, allowing students to experiment, experience, and learn from them. Goddard College provides many undergraduate and master’s degrees in the arts and fine arts and several specializations. Every year, the college enrols more than 300 students, with more than half of those students pursuing a master’s degree.
A Brief History
Goddard College was formerly known as Green Mountain Central Institute and received its current name in 1870 in memory of Thomas A. Goddard and his wife Mary, who were renowned Boston merchants. The college was once a high school, but Royce S. Tim Pitkin was appointed President of the junior college to preserve it.
Because of Pitkin, progressive education was adopted at Goddard College, giving birth to a wholly new institution with experimental learning and a progressive approach to education and establishing its reputation as one of the state’s most creative schools. Since then, Goddard College has been in operation, introducing numerous programmes that emphasize the development of an individual, with each student having a voice in the classroom.
Academics at Goddard College
As Goddard College focuses on the diverse abilities of its students, each student is allowed to create their own curriculum. Instead of simply knowing the subject, students are expected to enhance their critical thinking skills and develop them.
The college employs a student-directed mentoring system in which teachers provide oral assessments of student’s development rather than marks.
Considering Goddard College takes a low residency strategy, students are expected to visit the campus every six months and participate in various activities and study plans. The materials are given to the mentors regularly, and with technological advancements, students can now send audio, video, and other media online instead of writing and uploading them.
Additional Details
Goddard College has three campuses in the United States. The main campus is in Plainfield, Vermont, with substantial historical significance due to its old architecture. The Washington Campus, on the other hand, is a multi-use institution focused on continuous learning.
The final location is the Seattle campus, which offers master’s degrees in education and is multicultural. Goddard College also has a library and access to community radio on its Plainfield campus and the Haybarn Theatre, which is open to students.
