Speaker Name: Hosted by Regan Drew, Gunner Drew, Rick Biggerstaff, and Sara Stillian
Speaker Info: Teachers
Date/Time: January 4, 2024
Brief Event Description: AIER coordinated with Whitworth's School of Education
The visit included the following people:
Approximately 20 Whitworth University undergraduate students in Exploring Education Careers Jan-Term Course
1 AIER Board Member
1 Whitworth professor (Dr. Lisa Hoxie)
Quotes from students about their school:
“We’re given some direction, but also flexibility to structure our learning”
“I’m a quick worker, and the way this is setup, I can get ahead so I can work on more meaningful things and socialize”
“I like doing project-based things here, but also doing things in Mead High School like French”
What is the school known for?
Individualized learning
Development of personal management skills
Using industry software and processes for learning and creating
Options to leverage personal creativity
Is there something at the school people rave about?
Teacher Gunner said kids don’t hear the message, “you can’t go ahead,” but instead are encouraged to manage their time and learn all they can. He also commented that their team of teachers performs radical collaboration, figuring out how to leverage what has to be taught, with challenges the teachers want students to experience.
Teacher Sara said that students are using industry programs like Fusion, the Adobe Suite, and CAD which gives them a head start in the real world
What else stood out during the visit?
Students were working independently on everything from Math to Science, to Social Studies. Some were working on a drone in one space, while some were working on writing an essay at a table nearby.
Students and staff both spoke to the flexibility and responsibility involved in planning one’s time. Students are in the Design Studio for 3-4 periods of the day and can design their learning during the course of those three hours. They might focus in on math for 3 hours, or spread their time between three different subjects/topics/projects.
It’s amazing to see this operating inside of a large, traditional high school. This gives students access to a variety of electives and social activities, while also providing the flexibility to learn more creatively.
Curious about Mead Design Studio?