Weekly Reflection #2 – Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry
My First Impressions:
When I first walked into the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry last Friday, it did not feel like the traditional school I was used to. It is located downtown Victoria among other stores, cafes, and is inside a brick building. I got lost many times while walking around the school as there isn’t a hallway with classrooms lining it but rather the rooms are all over the place. There were no typical classrooms with rows of desks and there were many different spaces for different types of learners to feel happy and productive. There was a tech room, a music room, a woodwork room, a ceramics room, science lab, and so much more which also included larger shared workspaces and quieter areas where students could work alone.
What I Learned about the Students:
One of the biggest things that stood out to me during my time there was how much independence the students have in their learning. Students are encouraged to ask all the questions they have, then explore the topics they are interested in, and finally decide what they need to work on during the day to get things done. They can also choose if they want to attend certain booked sessions where someone comes in and talks about a subject for example having a psychology lesson and the students are able to go if they are interested in it.
What I Learned about the Staff:
The teachers also seem to have a much different role than in a traditional classroom. There are about 10 staff members and about 125 students at this school, and the staff members are there to help the students when they get stuck or need some extra help on their projects. Each teacher is able to support students with different subjects, although some teachers have more knowledge and are stronger in certain subject areas than others.
One Part that Stood out the Most:
I found the “Storefront” especially interesting at this school and it really opened my eyes to see how many different factors and ideas went into planning the school and its space. With this space, students can show their work, such as art and many other things, and the doors open directly onto the street so that people from the community can come by and see what the students have created.
One Question I am Left With:
“How are teachers able to support students working at a Grade 12 level across so many different subject areas? I know that some teachers specialize in certain subjects, but I still wonder how staff are able to help students outside of their own areas of expertise?