What if we let students design their own schools? That's exactly the question that was explored with The Independent Project. The program provides a model that empowers students to design and learn in their own school. The project was proposed by students. Their principal agreed to allow students to create and attend this school within a school located Monument Mountain Regional High School, a public school in Massachusetts. In this video teens share how this model worked well for them. Especially those who weren't thriving in a traditional setting.
Want to learn how they did it? Here is The White Paper.pdf, a formal document outlining the details of The Independent Project. It was created as a guide for others interested in bringing a version of the model to their own schools.
Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.
Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.
