tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5163608545665506033.post1110665908428231960..comments2023-04-01T02:27:08.424-07:00Comments on TCS Bigpicture Project: The Big Picture Study Tour - Correspondence from Jen and John HoganJen McCutcheonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13154746682944629430noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5163608545665506033.post-47533151528393449932009-11-26T16:24:49.160-08:002009-11-26T16:24:49.160-08:00Fascinating reading! I am currently reading "...Fascinating reading! I am currently reading "The Big Picture" so these posts are fleshing out the framework. I have recently spoken to a young American College graduate who said he was one of 4000 in his High School, & didn't expect his teachers to know his name - so I can see why the BP schools are gaining in popularity.SueChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10987822744463709976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5163608545665506033.post-83086634134763222202009-11-13T08:57:26.184-08:002009-11-13T08:57:26.184-08:00My daughter attends a New Tech Network school. ...My daughter attends a <a href="http://www.newtechfoundation.org/schools.html" rel="nofollow"> New Tech Network </a> school. We have a student advisory meeting two times a year (9th grade has 3 as they are new to the school) with an assigned faculty mentor, the parents, and a student's choice of a peer and a member of the community. The group helps them to define what they want to do educationally, professionally, and work on developing the student's skills. In addition, the student presents a portfolio of their work to date which is a part of the evaluation process.<br /><br />Three weeks out of the year, when most schools in our region have mid-year exams, students at this school develop their own project and do research, which can include on site internships. To help them develop this project, students meet once a week with their mentor and other students with the same mentor to discuss their interests, how they are doing in their classes, what they need to work on, and to begin developing their project. In addition, there are company internship "fairs" in which representatives from various businesses come in and explain what they do. These companies are committed to the mission of the school and are willing to work with students. However, it is the student's responsibility to contact the companies based on the projects they have developed.<br /><br />More than any other school in our area, my daughter is used to interacting with professionals, teachers from outside of the school, and local universities. As this is a project based curriculum, she is called upon to describe the school and its group based, project based curriculum (which is the one thing she hates about the school...she always has to explain it).V Yonkershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11910904367068063554noreply@blogger.com