Welcome to Summer Spark 2016! We hope you have an incredible two days of innovating, collaborating, and connectating! The collaborative notes and presenter materials will be available at http://bit.ly/USMSparkNotes16. Let us know if we can help you in any way. Enjoy!
In this session, Upper School faculty will outline the philosophy of our distinctive program, share useful materials, and make suggestions for how to implement this type of experiential, multi-disciplinary program at their own schools. A student panel will present their recent projects.
Compass 9 offers every USM ninth grader the opportunity to practice the traditional, core academic skills and daily habits we expect at University School and to apply those skills to solve real-world problems. This experiential learning program, facilitated by a multi-disciplinary teaching team, invites students to move beyond the classroom into the larger community as they independently devise and implement creative, interest-driven, long-range projects.
In Compass 9, while students practice critical reading and thinking plus effective writing and public speaking, they also learn to use contemporary tools to research authentic sources, to curate information, and to create a professional, public, on-line presence. They practice mature “mission” skills like collaboration, persistence, problem-identification and problem solving, and design thinking,
Compass 9 is a transformative educational experience, where students take classroom knowledge and skills and make them personally authentic and relevant. Here, we envision students begin to see themselves as leaders--independent thinkers, entrepreneurs, and change agents who know how to train a critical eye and use a keen mind in order to take critical action.
Ultimate Goals of Program: Design-Thinking (empathy, problem identification, iteration, assessment) Personal Choice, Vocation, Purpose
Required Elements: **Research skills and practice **Community Connections (actual or virtual) **Presentation **Reflection
