Curriculum Journey

The landscape of education has shifted greatly over the decades. Most schools were originally designed to prepare students to join an industrial workforce with important skills—listening, following instructions, and completing a given task. A factory line, for example, needs this type of attention, discipline, and conformity. As crucial as this line of work is, fewer students are heading into this type of employment as automation continues to stampede ahead. With college plans on the horizon after graduation, we work diligently to prepare LFA students for this shifted landscape. Our classrooms do not feature rows with students staring ahead at the all-knowing teacher. Our students work collaboratively, surrounded by walls that transform themselves into canvases. Yes, our students are encouraged to write and draw on the walls! The teacher is part of a student-centered learning process. Students take on a variety of roles, including, at times, leader, and the ever-important listener.

In other languages, such as French and Spanish, when translated literally, students do not “take” history and science as we say in English…they “do” history and science. LFA students DO. We explore the world around us virtually through technological advances, in-person as we are graced with an incredibly diverse community of learners, and thoughtfully through the subject matter our faculty teach and the methods we use to share our knowledge, experiences, and passions.

What our students learn is key. However, how our students learn is of paramount importance. Field trips are a great way for students to experience their learning from different perspectives, and sometimes even in real-life scenarios. They apply, they act, they participate, they learn, and they grow. In short, they DO. Classes have just begun, and I am already excited about a few field trips our fantastic faculty have in the works for September, from one class visit to a record store, a trip to Milwaukee to encounter an immersion exhibit inspired by a book the class is reading, and another to Northwestern to work with collegiate peers. Before classes even began, all freshmen took part in an overnight retreat. Experiential learning during these shared moments deepens understanding. I am proud that LFA provides these types of experiences for our students. All field trips that are completed as a class are fully funded by LFA as part of tuition. Our school values these opportunities and supports them.

Throughout the year, I will be traveling throughout our campus and classrooms, sharing with you stories that exemplify how our students learn and the reasoning behind it. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as our students and I do.

For more quick reads on the benefits of field trips and other excursions, here are some resources:

• The Power of Experiential Learning from American Association of Colleges and Universities
• The Educational Value of Field Trips from Education Next
• Field Trips are Valuable Learning Experiences from Informal Science