If Students Designed Their Own Schools

Chazyvr. (2013, February 13).  If students designed their own schools. Retrieved April 28, 2013 from http://youtu.be/RElUmGI5gLc

This video starts off with a great quote from a student: "It's crazy that in a system that is meant to help and teach the youth, there is no voice for the youth at all."  So true!  In the video, we meet nine students who are participating in a self-designed curriculum at a high school in Mass.  The program is a semester-long, and is founded on each student's personal curiosity.  Each week, a student develops a question regarding something  about which he/she has a personal interest.  Then he/she investigates it and presents his/her findings to the group and invite discussion.  Meanwhile, each student commits to an individual semester-long project, such as learning an instrument, writing a play, and so on.  The program allows for flexibility, creativity, and critical thinking.  Rather than a regurgitation of facts, it emphasizes in-depth learning and individuality.  The results thus far show that the program suits various types of students well, inspiring their passions and enhancing their skills

I thought this video was incredibly interesting and inspiring!  I can imagine how it could motivate even a historically unmotivated or disengaged student; as one students comments "every single person wants to learn about something...everybody is interested in something."  I feel energized and excited to think about how I could use these program's concepts in my own teaching.