Fall Term 2017 Project
AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE TRIP - COOKS HILL CAMPUS
Macca _Alex 1.mp4From August 21st to September 29th, I embarked on an exchange trip Newcastle, Australia, where I stayed with previous Vermont exchange student Mackenzie Pearce and attended Cooks Hill Campus by Big Picture Australia.
My project actually began last year when I discovered that Mackenzie Pearce had visited South Burlington High School back in 2015 and had established the concept of an exchange program between Big Picture schools. Intrigued by her journey and the possibility of going to Australia in return, I began researching and contacting Mackenzie and her school. By the end of the school year, Mackenzie, myself, and the school advisors had arranged all details of the trip, and flight tickets were finally purchased!
Travel Reservation August 21 for MS ALEXANDRA ESCAJA HEISS (1).pdfStudentProfileAEH.pdfExpressionofInterestFormAEH.pdfMy main fields of interests to pursue during my trip are:
- How does Big Picture Australia at Cook's Hill Campus compare to the Big Picture Program at South Burlington High School?
- What can I bring back from Cook's Hill Campus to Big Picture South Burlington?
- What are some key differences in culture between Vermont, USA and Newcastle, AUS?
- In what ways can I collaborate with and contribute to Cooks Hill Campus in an effort to exchange knowledge and experiences?
- What real-world skills will I acquire from such an independent, international trip?
Below is a google calendar where I'll be keeping track of daily events and activities during my trip, displaying brief synopsis of the occurrences of the day, which will be used as documentation alongside my journal entries, pictures, and weekly vlogs.
CLICK ON EVENTS TO READ DESCRIPTIONS
Click arrows to skip to August 21st - September 29th
EXPORTED AGENDA VERSION OF CALENDAR ENTRIES
Australia Calendar Journal Exported.pdf
VISUAL JOURNALS WEEKS 1-5
AUSTRALIA VLOG WEEK 1
August 21st - September 1st
AUSTRALIA VLOG WEEK 2
September 2nd - September 8th
AUSTRALIA VLOG WEEK 3
September 9th - September 15th
AUSTRALIA VLOG WEEK 4
September 16th - September 22nd
AUSTRALIA VLOG WEEK 5
September 23rd - September 29th
SBHS BIG PICTURE PROGRAM VS. COOKS HILL CAMPUS
> Located in South Burlington, Vermont, US
> Class size is around 20 students
> A program within a larger mainstream high school
> Big Picture classroom is two rooms and two offices within a sector of the high school
> There are two advisories, 101 and 201
> Run by three advisors, one AmeriCorps VISTA member, and one guidance counselor
> Students take mainstream school classes at South Burlington High School alongside the Big Picture program
> "Proficiencies" are used to assess student aptitude and learning
> No school uniform
> Use mainly digital portfolios and do the majority of classwork and assignments online through the Google Apps system
> Students usually have hands-on internships in the community with local organizations
> There are no dedicated "break" times, only lunch
> Located in Newcastle, New South Wales, AUS
> Class size is around 130 students
> A school on its own campus, yet still affiliated with larger mainstream Newcastle High School
> Located on a campus made up of two buildings, a patio, and multiple classrooms
> There are many different advisories, with about eight students per advisory
> Run by around 20 staff members
> Students do not usually take mainstream school classes, and most are taught Biology or Math by a teacher on-site
> No specific list of skills, instead graduation guidelines for all students
> A school uniform is enforced
> Majority of portfolios are compiled inside multiple large binders, all physical evidence, and little work is done online
> Many students have minimum-wage jobs as internships
> There are multiple "snack times" throughout the day
ORIENTATION TERM 10/17
From the beginning of the school year to mid October, Big Picture students work on a individual project that may be completed during the time frame of Orientation Term, or complete a smaller portion of a larger self-designed curriculum. The goal is to review proper project execution and management skills before the Big Picture school year begins. The theme of this year's O-Term is "I Shape the World, the World Shapes Me" so conveniently, my fall term project fits with the theme perfectly. Below is my experience as a student in Australia molded to the Orientation Term objectives.
PROJECT PLAN STEP 1 - ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What is your topic?
My topic is successfully planning and embarking on a student exchange trip to Australia. I will be living with Mackenzie Pearce and will be attending Cooks Hill Campus, a Big Picture school. During the trip, I will be learning new skills, experiencing new cultures and environments, and exchanging knowledge regarding Big Picture learning models, cultural norms, and project collaboration. I will return to South Burlington with new perspectives, global understanding, maturity, self-reliance, and additional proficiencies.
Five essential questions related to your topic:
- How does Big Picture Australia at Cook's Hill Campus compare to the Big Picture Program at South Burlington High School?
- What can I bring back from Cook's Hill Campus to Big Picture South Burlington?
- What are some key differences in culture between Vermont, USA and Newcastle, AUS?
- In what ways can I collaborate with and contribute to Cooks Hill Campus in an effort to exchange knowledge and experiences?
- What real-world skills will I acquire from such an independent, international trip?
Additional six journalistic questions:
WHO will be my main contact/mentor during my trip?
WHAT are Cooks Hill Campus' expectations from my during my stay?
WHEN does the Australian quarter end, and when will Mackenzie graduate from school?
WHERE does Mackenzie live in relation to the school? What is the commute?
WHY would this journey benefit and contribute to my learning?
HOW am I going to record evidence of my experiences in Australia?