Our Wildwood, Summer 2016, Volume 39

m i d d l e s c h o o l f e a t u r e

by Erin Rottman, WILDWOOD PARENT

A BRAVE AND REFLECTIVE JOURNEY

Along with Nicholas’s graphic novel, students boldly embarked on projects such as building a bike from scratch, learning to play the banjo, making a model of the Battle of Gettysburg, and producing a play in the school’s first middle school student–directed production. For Division Two humanities teacher Megen O’Keefe, who created and runs Into the Wild, it was particularly exciting to watch students find their passions and navigate the projects on their own. “As a history teacher, I can help them with that subject area because it’s a discipline I know very well,” she says. “But if a student wants to learn how to play the guitar, all I can do is encourage them because I don’t happen to play the guitar.” One of the first challenges for students is settling on a project. Choosing may be easy for someone who has always loved dance or making music videos, but what about the student who hasn’t yet found a single passion? Megen guided one student as she waded through a number of interests. “She could not settle on a project,” Megen says. “Part of what was holding her back was that she’s interested in a lot of things.” Finally choosing something, trying it, and having it not work is part of the process; failure is OK. “They learn through failure,” Megen says. One student discovers they don’t want to be a writer. Another doesn’t want to work in a group. It’s typical middle schooler trial and error. Finding a mentor to offer guidance — either within or outside the school — can be difficult for the 8th graders and is part of the learning process. Zac M., who started a skate-inspired streetwear line for his project, had been set up with a professional photographer and lifelong skateboarder. It seemed like it would be the perfect fit, but for whatever reason, the two didn’t connect. Zac independently asked for help from someone he met at a skateboard park who started his own company making shoelace belts. “I can actively seek out a mentor on their

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 12/13

Into the Wild is a yearlong independent student- driven exploration of a topic of personal interest. With the guidance of a mentor, students embark on a brave and reflective journey that has them building autonomy, mastering new skills, applying the Habits of Mind and Heart, and strengthening their sense of purpose around learning through a single long-term project of their choice. It culminates in an evening celebration with family, friends, and the entire Wildwood community where students present their work. Sometimes the project continues long after Into the Wild ends.