‘If students designed their own schools, what would school look like?’ is the question posed in the mini documentary, If Students Designed Their Own Schools… (2013) that leads to an exploration of a project where students design their own learning.

By each week, Monday, students need to prepare a question they are interested in pursuing and that also relates to the core subjects: English, Math, Social Sciences, and the Natural Sciences. The students conduct research to find answer(s) to their question(s) and present their findings on the Friday of each week.

Along with their weekly research question, the students have an ongoing project called, the individual endeavour, which can be anything, as long as there is a presence of effort, learning, and a mastery of skill(s).

In the last three weeks of the semester, students also work on a project called, the collective endeavour, the goal of which is social impact and to make a difference. I see this group project as an organic way for practicing collaboration skills and unity around a common cause.

It was stated in documentary that this style of education has supported the high achieving students and those who have struggled in school, because there is a belief that “everybody is interested in something.”

At [12:04] of the documentary, one of the students makes an interesting comment: “The world we’re coming into right now – we’re going to really be on our own. We’re not going to be able to rely on our elders telling us what to do. It’s going to be us telling us what to do and then responsible for the next generation trying to help them.”

Watching this documentary gave me another source of evidence that I will use to further the inquiry approach in the public school system.

Putting Inquiry Into Practice…

I had my first meeting with my practicum mentor teacher and the grade 8 class I will be with for my first practicum. When discussing my teaching responsibilities, I asked if I could do a guided inquiry project. My mentor teacher said ‘yes’, but asked me to start from what I will be responsible for teaching from the curriculum.

I would like to take a more open approach, asking the students what they would like to learn about (any subject, any field), but I will prepare for either path. I am hopeful that we may create opportunity for some really good learning and maybe we’ll get to do two inquiry projects – one BC curriculum-initiated and one student-initiated. Let’s see!