Rising Senior Experiments with Education Outside the Classroom
Colorado Academy rising senior Nick Bain set out to conduct an experiment — using himself as the subject and his learning as his laboratory. It was partially inspired by an assignment for CA’s Upper School course Global Design and Social Innovation.
“One of the class projects was to analyze current problems in education. Nick decided to keep a log to assess what he was doing in classes every 15 minutes.” Says teacher Paul Kim, “After the course, Nick wanted to take that project another step and explore his theories about learning.”
Nick wrote a proposal for the third trimester of his junior year that would allow him to teach himself; to use his time differently, and to master the same materials and coursework as his peers, without regularly attending school.
Says Kim, “We had several follow-up conversations about this and then Nick wrote a proposal for a larger test of his ideas. Working within the context of the CA curriculum, we created space for Nick to explore his theories about learning and supported his experiment to discover and test his personal limits… to exercise his responsibility and resilience. Analytical creativity is something CA values and actively seeks to cultivate.”
Upper School Principal Dr. Jon Vogels says, “When Nick presented his ambitious idea to me, I admit I wasn't sure what to think. Many students in the past have presented unique plans for independent studies, but those students limited themselves to one course amidst the rest of their CA-based schedule. I wondered how Nick would cope without the pre-existing structures, active teacher involvement and student interaction. But the end results speak for themselves. Nick exceeded my expectations and worked on many different aspects of schoolwork. Again, I would say that this approach is not for everyone. Nick is a highly intelligent, highly motivated student who relishes the opportunity to venture out on his own.”
Nick’s Upper School English teacher and Junior Writing Seminar instructor, Tom Thorpe, supported Nick’s experiment through this course. He says, “I was excited to support Nick in this endeavor, and he and I met regularly throughout the term. He would discuss books he had read, how his writing was developing, and how this experiment was working in terms of my class.
Continues Thorpe, “To write well, one needs to think deeply about the topic, the audience, and the voice of the piece. In this experiment, Nick learned this, used his time well, and produced strong pieces. He participated in the class electronically, emailing his peers and me his pieces to proofread and give feedback, so his peers saw the benefit of how being thoughtful and taking time to develop a piece is one of the best ways to improve one’s craft.”
Nick’s experiment caught the attention of Colorado Public Radio education reporter Jenny Brundin. The article "Denver Student’s Experiment: Is School the Most Efficient Way to Learn?" highlights Nick's new insight into the learning experience, the value of school, and the role of teachers.
Nick will be back in the classroom at Colorado Academy this fall.
Back
“One of the class projects was to analyze current problems in education. Nick decided to keep a log to assess what he was doing in classes every 15 minutes.” Says teacher Paul Kim, “After the course, Nick wanted to take that project another step and explore his theories about learning.”
Nick wrote a proposal for the third trimester of his junior year that would allow him to teach himself; to use his time differently, and to master the same materials and coursework as his peers, without regularly attending school.
Says Kim, “We had several follow-up conversations about this and then Nick wrote a proposal for a larger test of his ideas. Working within the context of the CA curriculum, we created space for Nick to explore his theories about learning and supported his experiment to discover and test his personal limits… to exercise his responsibility and resilience. Analytical creativity is something CA values and actively seeks to cultivate.”
Upper School Principal Dr. Jon Vogels says, “When Nick presented his ambitious idea to me, I admit I wasn't sure what to think. Many students in the past have presented unique plans for independent studies, but those students limited themselves to one course amidst the rest of their CA-based schedule. I wondered how Nick would cope without the pre-existing structures, active teacher involvement and student interaction. But the end results speak for themselves. Nick exceeded my expectations and worked on many different aspects of schoolwork. Again, I would say that this approach is not for everyone. Nick is a highly intelligent, highly motivated student who relishes the opportunity to venture out on his own.”
Nick’s Upper School English teacher and Junior Writing Seminar instructor, Tom Thorpe, supported Nick’s experiment through this course. He says, “I was excited to support Nick in this endeavor, and he and I met regularly throughout the term. He would discuss books he had read, how his writing was developing, and how this experiment was working in terms of my class.
Continues Thorpe, “To write well, one needs to think deeply about the topic, the audience, and the voice of the piece. In this experiment, Nick learned this, used his time well, and produced strong pieces. He participated in the class electronically, emailing his peers and me his pieces to proofread and give feedback, so his peers saw the benefit of how being thoughtful and taking time to develop a piece is one of the best ways to improve one’s craft.”
Nick’s experiment caught the attention of Colorado Public Radio education reporter Jenny Brundin. The article "Denver Student’s Experiment: Is School the Most Efficient Way to Learn?" highlights Nick's new insight into the learning experience, the value of school, and the role of teachers.
Nick will be back in the classroom at Colorado Academy this fall.
© 2023 Colorado Academy
