Jane's Pocket Change: Student Showcase
As part of our recent Family Visit Days, our students treated us to a fabulous set of performances and presentations.
As part of our recent Family Visit Days, our students treated us to a fabulous set of performances and presentations.
A French class who had not only learned poetry in French—but also learned about how they learn; a beautiful harp piece, a presentation from members of the “Order and Chaos” class, and a one-on-one dance piece where a novice works with an expert. We also learned about the recent work of our iGEM group—this relatively new group on campus caught my eye.
Last summer, the iGEM team participated in a worldwide competition that encourages students to expand their understanding of synthetic biology, design and create their own organism in a lab. The team called themselves “The CSW ProTeens,” pursued plant antifreeze, a type of bacteria that prevents frost from forming on fruit near the end of the fall growing season. Students from all grade levels worked throughout the entire year on their project coined “plantifreeze,” and documented their experiments and thought processes in an iGEM Blog.
There were many aspects of this work and these students to be impressed about. This is a group working diligently on science because of their true interest, and not because they receive academic credit. This type of student-driven learning and innovation is a strong example of the value of a CSW education: providing many opportunities for students to step into leadership positions, explore their passion and learn a great deal while doing both.
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Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.
A French class who had not only learned poetry in French—but also learned about how they learn; a beautiful harp piece, a presentation from members of the “Order and Chaos” class, and a one-on-one dance piece where a novice works with an expert. We also learned about the recent work of our iGEM group—this relatively new group on campus caught my eye.
Last summer, the iGEM team participated in a worldwide competition that encourages students to expand their understanding of synthetic biology, design and create their own organism in a lab. The team called themselves “The CSW ProTeens,” pursued plant antifreeze, a type of bacteria that prevents frost from forming on fruit near the end of the fall growing season. Students from all grade levels worked throughout the entire year on their project coined “plantifreeze,” and documented their experiments and thought processes in an iGEM Blog.
There were many aspects of this work and these students to be impressed about. This is a group working diligently on science because of their true interest, and not because they receive academic credit. This type of student-driven learning and innovation is a strong example of the value of a CSW education: providing many opportunities for students to step into leadership positions, explore their passion and learn a great deal while doing both.
___________________________________________________________
Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.
The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.