Getting out.
The Pilot is based on the idea that learning happens best when people pursue knowledge and skills that they are interested in with a real world mentor in a real world setting. Our goal is that you will control your time and location to support real learning. After the beginning of the year, when you have shown some expertise in all the seven skills, you will be set free to learn, thrive, and grow in mentored independence. If not? We will keep you in school, with a dictated schedule, of course.
Here are the things that you need to show us in order to be set free to control your own time and location:
The Pilot is based on the idea that learning happens best when people pursue knowledge and skills that they are interested in with a real world mentor in a real world setting. Our goal is that you will control your time and location to support real learning. After the beginning of the year, when you have shown some expertise in all the seven skills, you will be set free to learn, thrive, and grow in mentored independence. If not? We will keep you in school, with a dictated schedule, of course.
Here are the things that you need to show us in order to be set free to control your own time and location:
- Learning Plans written and approved by content area teachers, mentors, parents/guardians, and advisor
- Annotated Bibliographies for each study that you hope to earn credit for, with at least 2 people, 4 books, and 8 internet sources
- Your journal/blog in place and with substantial entries already (at least one per week, meet the minimum)
- A weekly schedule laid out and shared with your advisor
- A mentor, at least one, signed up and good to go
listen.
The thing is, we can invent all the procedures and policies in the world, but you are the one who can make this work. You came to the Pilot because you have an idea that you’d like to own your own learning. Ok. These procedures are a way to help you take that ownership, but all we can really do is help.
It’s up to you to own it.
For some people, making the switch to owning your education is a really challenging thing. For your whole time in school, it’s been accepted and encouraged to follow directions, and lots of the directions have led you to interesting, fun, and rich experiences. Taking the responsibility to give the directions yourself - to become your own Pilot - is not only a scary and brave
thing to do, it’s also something most of you won’t have ever tried before. We hope you can go for it, and remember: we are here to help.
The key is to become a conscious, self-aware learner with a genuine knowledge of your own strengths and weaknesses in a variety of learning skills and a genuine commitment to improving these skills.