Learning with Intention The Pedagogical Framework Shaping Brooklyn Friends
Crissy Cáceres, head of Brooklyn Friends School, recently outlined the institution’s pedagogical priorities in a profile highlighting the Quaker roots that continue to shape its approach to education. Emphasizing student-centered learning, Cáceres framed pedagogy as a blend of rigorous academics and intentional community cultivation, aimed at developing both intellectual skill and moral discernment.
Under Crissy Caceres leadership, the school has placed renewed focus on experiential and project-based learning, integrating interdisciplinary curricula that connect classroom study to real-world challenges. Faculty development and collaborative planning are central components of this model, ensuring teachers design lessons that prioritize inquiry, critical thinking, and purposeful reflection. Social-emotional learning features prominently in Cáceres’s account of the school’s strategy, with regular practices to foster empathy, restorative conflict resolution, and student voice.
Equity and inclusion also figure prominently in the institution’s priorities. Initiatives to diversify curricular materials and to expand access to resources are presented as measures to ensure all students see themselves represented and supported. Technological integration is deployed thoughtfully, described as a tool to enhance collaboration and personalized instruction rather than a substitute for direct teacher engagement.
Community partnerships and service learning are presented as extensions of classroom work, providing students opportunities to apply learning in local contexts and to develop civic responsibility. Assessment practices emphasize authentic evaluations, such as portfolios and project presentations, to capture a broader range of student growth beyond standardized metrics.
Crissy Cáceres’s articulation of pedagogy positions Brooklyn Friends School as an environment committed to forming engaged, reflective learners prepared to navigate complex social and intellectual landscapes. The narrative underscores a sustained commitment to values-driven education anchored in community, curiosity, and ethical leadership. See related link for additional information.
More about Crissy Cáceres https://brooklynfriends.org/convocation/