When students in the Apollo program arrive to the “family meeting” each morning at Central York High School, they are greeted by their teachers: Jim Grandi, Greg Wimmer, and Wes Ward. After a recap from the previous day’s activities and a preview of a new daily agenda, students disperse and get to work.
What’s different about an Apollo classroom compared to a traditional one is, well, just about everything. Each of the three teachers post daily lesson topics on the online scheduler and students sign up, electronically, to attend the lessons. Or they choose not to. Instead, students may opt to work independently on a project or schedule themselves to collaborate in a small group in the library. In other words, students have a literal say in their education — a democratic voice — which allows them to choose the path of their learning each day.
Another notable difference is the fusion of three subjects in Apollo: art, English, and social studies. In a project-based environment, students integrate all three subjects into each project. For example, a student might study poets of the Harlem Renaissance, making historical connections to the time period, while sculpting an abstract figure inspired by the literary and historical impacts. Along the way, students would attend lessons, as mentioned above, to guide them through the projects or to be influenced by other writers, artists, and time periods. They would also select standards from each subject area and connect them to various parts of their projects.
So how do the three subject areas link so easily? Truthfully, there’s a natural fit. But Apollo also has in place something more concrete: thinking skills. Every lesson, every project, and almost every discussion revolves around thinking skills. Synthesis, contextualization, reasoning, and perspective drive the curricula. Additionally, soft skills are included in the program and even assessed throughout the research and design process. Communication and time management are vital to each student’s progress and often become the topic of discussion during the daily family meeting. These skills also surface when students reach out into the community for primary sources or when they present and defend their projects to a panel of teachers.
Apollo is not the answer to a question but a process of change, a change that urges students to get up and get out. Students rarely sit at desks, raise their hands, ask permission to do this or that. They are free — free to learn, free to think, free to own their educational experience with three tour guides who challenge them to grow each day.
To see past projects and learn more about the program, visit http://theapolloschool.weebly.com. The program also welcomes visitors. Feel free to contact the teachers through the site.
What’s different about an Apollo classroom compared to a traditional one is, well, just about everything. Each of the three teachers post daily lesson topics on the online scheduler and students sign up, electronically, to attend the lessons. Or they choose not to. Instead, students may opt to work independently on a project or schedule themselves to collaborate in a small group in the library. In other words, students have a literal say in their education — a democratic voice — which allows them to choose the path of their learning each day.
Another notable difference is the fusion of three subjects in Apollo: art, English, and social studies. In a project-based environment, students integrate all three subjects into each project. For example, a student might study poets of the Harlem Renaissance, making historical connections to the time period, while sculpting an abstract figure inspired by the literary and historical impacts. Along the way, students would attend lessons, as mentioned above, to guide them through the projects or to be influenced by other writers, artists, and time periods. They would also select standards from each subject area and connect them to various parts of their projects.
So how do the three subject areas link so easily? Truthfully, there’s a natural fit. But Apollo also has in place something more concrete: thinking skills. Every lesson, every project, and almost every discussion revolves around thinking skills. Synthesis, contextualization, reasoning, and perspective drive the curricula. Additionally, soft skills are included in the program and even assessed throughout the research and design process. Communication and time management are vital to each student’s progress and often become the topic of discussion during the daily family meeting. These skills also surface when students reach out into the community for primary sources or when they present and defend their projects to a panel of teachers.
Apollo is not the answer to a question but a process of change, a change that urges students to get up and get out. Students rarely sit at desks, raise their hands, ask permission to do this or that. They are free — free to learn, free to think, free to own their educational experience with three tour guides who challenge them to grow each day.
To see past projects and learn more about the program, visit http://theapolloschool.weebly.com. The program also welcomes visitors. Feel free to contact the teachers through the site.