The 3rd ISP ~ April 20th - May 1st

As we returned from our wonderful two-week respite, we launched directly into our 3rd ISP period. We began with a short pep talk in the Palm Theatre where I spoke to our students and framed the ISP period once again. Here are some of the highlights of that talk:

1) I wanted our students to realize how special and lucky they are to be in this school. Of all the schools in the USA, only very few are doing anything as innovative and as progressive as the ISP program. This program is completely student-centered and learner-focused. We are giving them access to local and regional experts int the field they have chosen to study. Whether it is sports medicine, architecture and design, cuisine, music theory and production, or sustainability, our students will be intensely immersed into this field of study. I hope they consider themselves fortunate to have this opportunity and take full advantage of the ISP program. I want them to "suck the marrow" out of life!

2) I wanted to remind them what an ISP should be:
a) It is designed to be a hands-on, interactive, real-world, engaging, student centered learning experience. They MUST be actively involved in the program to get the most out of it. Passive learning is frowned upon in the ISPs, and they will enjoy and benefit more if they participate fully in the offerings.
b) These ISPs are a vehicle for THS to help students have opportunities to learn and master the "21st Century Survival Skills" that they will need to be successful in their futures. These skills are (as defined by Tony Wagner in The Global Achievement Gap):
* Critical thinking and problem solving
* Collaboration (teamwork) and leadership
* Effective oral and written communication skills
* Agility and adaptability
* Initiative and entrepreneurialism
* Accessing and analyzing information
* Curiosity and imagination
Because these skills are not content and/or curriculum specific, we have found that the ISPs create a perfect "laboratory" for students to practice and master these 21st century skills. In fact, these lessons could easily be more important to their future success than any of the course content we teach in the regular classroom setting.

It is also important to note that our Advanced Placement students are taking this time to intensively prepare for their AP end-of-course exams with two weeks of review and preparation. We hope that this creates an opportunity for our students to succeed at very high levels on these very important and weighty tests.

If you have any questions or concerns about our program, don't hesitate to contact me.

Have a great spring!