Have you ever thought about how you would change the education you received? What would you change? If you could create your own independent school, what might that look like? If you challenge what you already know about school, what exciting things can you come up with?
I imagine an indoor-outdoor space where students are not linked by grade level but by interest and a space where exploration and play/fun are at the forefront. I however have not created my dream school… but many people have.
Who?
Jeff Hopkins is the founder and principle educator at the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry. He took questions like the ones proposed above and created a school that he believes will best serve and support the students who attend. Jeff Hopkins describes how sustainability and innovation are the foundation of his school in his lengthy but absolutely worthwhile TEDx talk.
What?
The Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry (PSII) is not just like any other school, so whats different? Much like the school in my dreams, PSII does not group learners arbitrarily by age with specific grade levels but instead in whichever ways make sense for a task. These students are then able to follow their interests and inquiries with the support of their educators and peers. PSII and the inquiry process is described and detailed in this video.
When?
PSII was founded in 2013 and has seen success to this day.
Where?
PSII is located in “an old office space that had been empty for 4.5 years” on WSÁNEĆ & Lekwungen Territory (downtown Victoria, B.C.) instead of, “building another thing somewhere” (Jeff Hopkins TEDx talk). Facilities like the YMCA that are under-utilized during the school day become the school’s gym, the city is their playground.
Why?
Jeff Hopkins said his “goal is to provide a working example of a truly personal, inquiry-based school at the secondary level, in the hope that this approach becomes mainstream” (Jeff Hopkins Linkedin).
If you are as intrigued as I was here are some places you could check out:
Some more about Jeff Hopkins: https://www.uvic.ca/education/news/featured/current/jeffrey-hopkins-2018-distinguished-alumni.php
The PSII website: https://learningstorm.org/
Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron
