Creativity and Innovation
01
How does The Passion Project challenge traditional education methods? How does it lead the way for a new way of thinking about and delivering education?
The Passion Project allows for students to be working at their own pace, on their own passion, meeting their own goals, and taking action based on their newfound knowledge. Teaching during The Passion Project becomes a process of standing back and letting learning occur whilst being ready to support and guide. As our Passion Project evolved, we found the need for workshops, lessons, mini-lessons, seminars, small and large group work, and one-on-one sessions to meet the needs of our students. As an example, the types of learning that occurred during our Passion Project as a result of student need/interest:
- a greater understanding of copyright and the use of Creative Commons
- internet usage and etiquette
- basic photography skills
- interviewing skills and techniques, questioning skills
- presentation skills
- telephone etiquette, letter writing skills, email ettiquette
- thank you letter writing
- event planning and execution, including sponsorship, fundraising and advertising skills
Whilst some of these skills had been predetermined by us as necessary and useful to work on with our students and had been pre-prepared for when they would need these skills, many of them came up spontaneously and required adaptability and flexibility in planning and execution. Education should not come pre-packaged according to age, but should evolve according to need - it is not what you know but what you do with what you know.
02
How does The Passion Project instill creativity and innovation for those it serves?
The Passion Project is wide open. It focuses on the process of learning and skill development rather than the production of an end-product. The sky is literally the limit for what kids can achieve over the course of this project. This is a message that is repeated often throughout the course of the unit. Already, children who were in fourth grade last year have started to think about what they want to do for their Passion Project - and this creative thought will continue to grow along with The Passion Project.
When you undertake The Passion Project you have permission to investigate and explore on a topic you are passionate about. You are supported by a mentor, your classroom teacher and your peers and you know that anything is possible. There are guidelines to help you in your thinking and examples of action being taken by other passionate students around the world, but ultimately, how much you get out of The Passion Project is determined by how much you put in.
03
How does The Passion Project work to create a culture of inquiry and discovery among leaders and learners?
The Passion Project begins by meeting members of the community who have turned their passions into careers. Right from the beginning, the message is being sent that learning is an ongoing process, that discovering your passion is worth the effort, and that to live is to inquire - a daily occurrence.
This is further enhanced by bringing people into the classroom with passions that can support the learning of The Passion Project - experts on presenting, interviewing, designing, creating, and more. On a regular basis, exposing children to leaders who are still learners and emphasizing that a culture of inquiry and learning exists beyond the walls of the classroom.
Ultimately, it helps to join your students in the pursuit of your own passion - even if that means articulating your passion for making school different! During our inaugural Passion Project, teacher Sonya terBorg, shared her passion for writing, education, and technology with the students as she wrote her first book Imagine a School... as part of her Passion Project. In the coming year, we will be hosting a Passion Project for Adults - another way of sharing with our students that a culture of inquiry and discovery exists among our leaders (who are also learners!).