Session 7 Week 3
Throughout my life I have heard conversations that “nothing important happens in the last weeks of school” or that “there is no point in going.” This is 100% not the case at CHOICE. Quite the opposite in fact. Truly meaningful work, discussions and events took place this week in all studios.
In the Spark Studio the concentration this week was amazing! Something as simple as stringing beads and tying knots used intense focus and considerable fine motor skills (that are so good for writing). Those who didn’t yet know how to tie knots relied on their allies and helpers to coach them through the process. 
Heroes are taking advantage of the last weeks to try new things:
This hero stretched himself into his challenge zone and asked if he could read a book to the class.
This hero went all year without showing interest in using the glue guns. With 5 days left in the school year, he finally saw a useful purpose and worked to sketch a plan to be approved and fix his spinner
Whether or not the heroes knew it, they enjoyed math all week:
These heroes started out using the rhythm cards to make a song. Then they remembered a music book we had read that had a song in it. They used the book, and patterns learned from the rhythm cards, to start writing their own songs. Music is full of math!
The skip counting songs we have been singing this week are music to my ears. As heroes master each skip counting song they sign their name to a paper showing which song they mastered.
We have been using the Montessori materials to learn how snacks should be divvied up among the heroes. This week some heroes brought apple juice to share. This required a different Montessori material to figure out how to divide the juice. Heroes used fraction pieces to represent 1 cup, ½ cup, and ¼ cup. 
We wrote number poetry.
And alongside all this math, heroes were still finding new ways to explore!
In the Fire Studio this week discussions and focus have demonstrated as well as ever the heroes’ passion for their learning journeys – both in life and here at school. We started off the week with a squad challenge that required creativity and teamwork. Afterward heroes shared what emotions the challenge brought out, and also what strengths they each brought to the challenge.
Throughout the week heroes reflected on their individual hero’s journeys they have followed this year – particularly the journeys that make them most proud. The diverse kinds of journeys the heroes reflected on were all beautiful, and all so true! Included in their learning journeys were moments of helping other heroes or receiving help, discovering new favorite authors, overcoming monsters on the path (especially Ms. Distraction!) and diving into real passions. Taking the time to remember where they’ve come and what they’ve accomplished through the year almost visibly built the heroes’ confidence in their learner-driven education choices, and it also got them thinking forward to the passions and strengths they hope to develop next year.
Other highlights of the week were an opportunity to dissect real eyes and learn eye surgery techniques from a community mentor, and the option to memorize Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Some heroes recited the speech as they scootered through the playground, some gathered on the stairwell to study the speech together, and others plugged into headphones to learn the words through music. The feeling in the studio as so many important and historic words were repeated over and over was unforgettable. Knowing that some of those words are now in the heroes’ heads is powerful.
During Quest this week, we finished off our hero led Day Quests. Hero led Day Quests are an opportunity for heroes to share their passions as well as practice organizing, planning and leading a full day of quest. This includes an opening launch, challenges and a close. The planning beforehand includes: creating materials lists, writing technical instructions, and creating Socratic questions. Guiding the day of includes: leading discussions, organizing fellow travelers, and delivering instructions. There is much to be learned and it is so much fun!
Monday – One of Halo’s passions is Harry Potter, we were sorted into one of the 4 houses and learned about the character traits that each house emulates. We made wands and played a fun dueling game!
Tuesday – Paul taught us a little bit about war and had us watch an inspiring YouTube video called Soldier Boy. We were then divided into different roles such as, general, soldier, guard, or nurse, each with their own specific jobs. After the rules of war were explained played an epic Nerf game of war!
Wednesday – Xander introduced us to Taekwondo. We learned some of the basic white belt moves to warm up. We then partnered up to practice some of the partner moves. Once those were memorized and passed off, we could get a board and break the boards!
The Middle School‘s week was filled with meaningful events.
For starters, they created a name for their studio that everyone supports. No longer are they called the Middle School, they are now the DELTA Studio. [In the DELTA studio, we Discover who we are. We strive for Excellence. We are becoming Leaders. We are a Team. We are Ambitious.] This came about as we reflected on the purposes and vision of their studio. At the beginning of the year, we didn’t have a clear vision and purpose – now we do!
With this vision and purpose, the DELTA studio heroes had the charge to evaluate the readiness of several heroes desiring to enter their studio next year. Some are coming from the Fire Studio and others from outside CHOICE.
Listening to presentations about the work and habits these heroes have been developing was a good opportunity for the current DS heroes to reflect on their own work and habits, and whether they’ve been “worthy” of the high ideals the DS would like to live by. This led into important discussions and decisions about the higher standards the DS heroes will hold themselves to next year.
Along with all these purposeful discussions we still had time to:
Play story telling games.
Play basketball, jump rope and soccer with the Fire Studio.
Enjoy the last week of Civ.
And perform eye surgery!
Whether we are enjoying the second week of the first session, or the second to last week of the seventh session, heroes are doing meaningful work, and having a blast doing it!