It was extremely interesting to learn about this school, as well as inspiring to hear from a teacher who is so passionate about what he’s doing that he took out a mortgage to be able to start the school!
I think while it wouldn’t be a great fit for everyone, this could be amazing for motivated students who want to more choice in their learning. While inquiry is being introduced in public schools, a fully inquiry based learning model would really benefit bright and self-motivated students. I thought it was super cool that the students’ entrepreneurial skills were being encouraged by providing them with a platform where they could sell their goods. I think this model would be a great fit for artistic students who want more creative and tangible ways to display their learning.
I thought it was a valid point that this school remains inaccessible for students whose families can’t afford private education. It would be great if within the public system there were offerings for different programs/schools that provide different learning models. However, considering the current craze for cutting streaming and lumping everyone together in the name of inclusivity, I don’t think that is likely to happen. It would also be expensive to provide that framework. However, this presentation definitely raised interesting questions about how self-directed learning can be.
