It is remarkable what students are interested in themselves, and what they can do when properly supported to pursue a passion. I know this because, for over 20 years, I got to watch 14 year old grade nine students demonstrate their curiosity and creativity in their annual “Masterworks” presentations at Island Pacific School in British Columbia, Canada. The Masterworks process goes like this: students select a topic of interest, research it for six months with the help of adult advisors, write a 15-25 page paper, and then stand up and publicly defend their work by way of a presentation followed by questions from the audience.
What has struck me since is how this project-based mini-model can -- and should -- be expanded into the architecture of high-school education. But instead of me telling you about this, let me show you:
Ted Spear has over 25 years of teaching and administrative experience in public and independent schools. In July, 2019 he published a book about the future of education entitled, Education Reimagined: The Schools Our Children Need. He is an engaging speaker who invites parents and educators to change the way we think about schools.