Jane's Pocket Change: "Most Likely to Succeed"
I was privileged to join public and private school educators, designers and thought leaders at a screening of the documentary 'Most Likely to Succeed' recently.
I was privileged to join public and private school educators, designers and thought leaders at a screening of the documentary 'Most Likely to Succeed' recently.
Hosted by HMFH Architects, of Cambridge, I got to be there thanks to Chin Lin P'18. The film chronicles the work of High Tech High School in San Diego, CA. The film’s website says: “Most Likely To Succeed is the best film ever done on the topic of school — both its past and its future. The film inspires its audiences with a sense of purpose and possibility, and is bringing school communities together in re-imagining what our students and teachers are capable of doing."
And of course it reminded me so much of another school close to our hearts and minds. What was powerful and special about the film was the way in which the educators at High Tech High trusted the students who came to them. This is a charter school, with some private funding. Admission to the school is on a lottery basis and students come out of local public schools. Members of one grade 9 class that we follow in the documentary are asked on day one to set up their classroom in Socratic format. The teacher shows them a drawing of what it should look like and tells them to get on with it. They struggle; they are not clear how to communicate to each other and they try to do the whole thing as individuals. The teacher interrupts them a couple of times and eventually they get there.
We follow this group of students as they determine how best to approach a series of problems they are given. Some of them work with two teachers on a physics-oriented method of problem solving—creating an intricate system of gears to show the rise and fall of civilizations over the course of history, and others write and produce a play to illustrate the patterns in the same theme. We follow Samantha, a rather shy girl whose mother is not convinced that her school's methods make any sense at all. When she directs a version of Euripides' Trojan Women set in modern-day Pakistan, her class's final project, we watch her grow before our eyes into a decisive, mature young woman.
It’s a deep, moving exploration of what school can mean today—far away from testing and standardized curriculum. Our mod system, the choices we give to our students and the ways in which we seek to empower them, echo the work of High Tech High: challenging students to solve real world problems; encouraging them to find ways to collaborate effectively; and enabling them to build valuable life skills.
Like CSW, High Tech High emphasizes “soft skills” like confidence, time management and collaboration. The success we saw in the students individually profiled in the documentary reminded me of the success we can measure at the end of a mod or several mods when a student’s confidence has improved.
As I have been meeting families new to CSW during these opening weeks and becoming re-acquainted with returning families, I smile at the power of our community that runs deep. Thank you for your stories that tell of our success.
____________________________________________________
Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.
Hosted by HMFH Architects, of Cambridge, I got to be there thanks to Chin Lin P'18. The film chronicles the work of High Tech High School in San Diego, CA. The film’s website says: “Most Likely To Succeed is the best film ever done on the topic of school — both its past and its future. The film inspires its audiences with a sense of purpose and possibility, and is bringing school communities together in re-imagining what our students and teachers are capable of doing."
And of course it reminded me so much of another school close to our hearts and minds. What was powerful and special about the film was the way in which the educators at High Tech High trusted the students who came to them. This is a charter school, with some private funding. Admission to the school is on a lottery basis and students come out of local public schools. Members of one grade 9 class that we follow in the documentary are asked on day one to set up their classroom in Socratic format. The teacher shows them a drawing of what it should look like and tells them to get on with it. They struggle; they are not clear how to communicate to each other and they try to do the whole thing as individuals. The teacher interrupts them a couple of times and eventually they get there.
We follow this group of students as they determine how best to approach a series of problems they are given. Some of them work with two teachers on a physics-oriented method of problem solving—creating an intricate system of gears to show the rise and fall of civilizations over the course of history, and others write and produce a play to illustrate the patterns in the same theme. We follow Samantha, a rather shy girl whose mother is not convinced that her school's methods make any sense at all. When she directs a version of Euripides' Trojan Women set in modern-day Pakistan, her class's final project, we watch her grow before our eyes into a decisive, mature young woman.
It’s a deep, moving exploration of what school can mean today—far away from testing and standardized curriculum. Our mod system, the choices we give to our students and the ways in which we seek to empower them, echo the work of High Tech High: challenging students to solve real world problems; encouraging them to find ways to collaborate effectively; and enabling them to build valuable life skills.
Like CSW, High Tech High emphasizes “soft skills” like confidence, time management and collaboration. The success we saw in the students individually profiled in the documentary reminded me of the success we can measure at the end of a mod or several mods when a student’s confidence has improved.
As I have been meeting families new to CSW during these opening weeks and becoming re-acquainted with returning families, I smile at the power of our community that runs deep. Thank you for your stories that tell of our success.
____________________________________________________
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.