Parent Natalie Carithers said that when her son was in sixth grade she had trouble getting him to study. Now, when I come home from work, he is already studying, and he is studying all the way until his homework is done. Students are expected to do writing assignments in every class. In fact they are expected to submit seven writing projects a month, says Harris. Moreover, Timilty involves the community in its writing program through a unique pen-pal program, Promising Pals.
Students write at least four letters to people with interesting careers in Boston.
Then they and their pen pals meet for the first time at a breakfast reception in the spring at the school. Reading is also serious business at Timilty. During the extra 90-minute periods from Monday to Thursday, half the time is devoted to reading and half to a mathematics class. Every student experiences two math classes and two reading classes daily. And the school takes computers seriously as well.