Greetings and welcome to the Pilot program’s newsletter, TGIF. It will be sent out every couple weeks to update you on student progress, setbacks, challenges, and triumphs. We have 17 students engaged in personalized learning in the Pilot this year, 14 of which are at U-32 and three others abroad! Ana, Dane, and Madison will spend the year in Morocco and India and be our first ever Pilot Abroad class. Very exciting updates from them below. They’ve been at it for a little while over there. At home here in Vermont we just getting launched. The first drafts of Learning Plans were due this week. Pilot students have been working diligently to plan their semesters and design their own curriculum. This is hard work that many of them are doing this for the first time. It’s the work that the teacher usually does for them, we commend them on taking this step to make their education more relevant to them personally. It’s not easier, that is for sure. It seems in September that everyone has a little bit of tiredness in them, you might think it’s from lack of sleep or waking up early. For me at least, I recognize that I get tired because of all the energy it takes to build new relationships. Getting to know each other and becoming a support network is a huge part of the Pilot program. We function as a cooperative work space in room 111 and we have to learn how to work together. In the theme of getting to know each other, we will be gathering for the Pilot Potluck at the Hannon’s this year. Thanks so much to them for hosting! This is a Pilot tradition, we have found it important to bring students and families together. When you’re doing something a little differently it is important that you know that you’re not in it alone. Independent does not mean alone, after all. You’re all invited: Pilot Potluck at the Hannon’s 779 Center Rd, Middlesex, VT 05602 Monday, September 24th from 5:30-7 PM Please bring a savory dish if your last name begins with A-K and if your last name begins with L-Z bring a beverage or dessert. There will be many more updates on the rigorous projects students are getting into this year in the next installment of TGIF. For now enjoy our first updates from abroad. Dane Liebermann reports from Kolkata, India: Yesterday Jaya Ma'am surprised us by arranging a classical Indian dance class after our Hindi class. It was a little tiring and wildly difficult but an amazing learning experience. Normally I would have left it at that, as that style of dancing has never really appealed to me. However, I forced myself to ask for more classes in hopes to push my comfort zone and maybe learn to love it. Today however, was the best. We started with a three hour Hindi class that ended in a very long discussion almost entirely in Hindi, regarding Indian food and much more. I have to say it was the most satisfying and inspiring moment of my year so far.
Here's a little vlog of my first couple of weeks in Morocco. Enjoy! First, I’ll introduce you all to my lovely host mom! Surekha, is a designer and has a local store called Shibori. (Here is the link to her online store http://www.shiboridesigner.in/) We do lots of yoga together. Looking forward to seeing you on the 24th when more leaves will have turned. Be well, amyK
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