INDEPENDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Step 1:  Submit a Proposal

To engage in an Independent Learning Experience, students must complete the proposal form and return it in an e-mail attachment to shspersonalizedlearning@westportps.org. This proposal must be based on student-driven, self-designed interests and goals to create their framework of study, rather than the student following an outside curriculum, teacher’s, or department coordinator’s directives.

Step 2: Create a Plan

Once the proposal is received by the Independent Learning Teacher, the student will be asked to arrange a meeting to review next steps, which is a more formalized plan that includes:

• The reason why you are proposing a Personalized Learning Plan

• The goals you hope to achieve

• The skills you will acquire through this experience

• The specific steps involved in achieving your goals, in the form of a timeline

• The artifacts you will produce that demonstrate your learning along the way and the end product

• The primary mode of your learning (Online, Independent Study, Other, Combination)

This formal plan will be submitted to the Independent Learning teacher for feedback, and upon revisions, the student will then complete a contract for engaging in a semester or year-long Independent Learning Experience.

Credit will be awarded in the following ways:

• Pass/Fail

• 0.5 credit for semester Independent Learning; 1.0 credit for full-year Independent Learning

Once the Independent Learning Experience begins, students will be in regular communication with the Independent Learning Teacher. Each month, students will be required to update their materials for their independent learning either through in-person meetings with the Independent Learning Teacher or electronically through a shared folder.

Students are allowed to enroll in one full credit of independent learning per academic year, which can be each semester for two different Independent Learning Experiences, or a full year for one extended Independent Learning Experience. If students wish to pursue more than one full credit of Independent Learning, they must receive permission from the Director of Guidance, their guidance counselor and their grade-level Assistant Principal.

The add-drop period for an Independent Learning Experience is thirty days after the new semester begins, as is the case for all academic courses at the high school. If a student drops the Independent Learning Experience after the 30th school day of the term, the student will receive a W (Withdrawn) up to the last day of the 1st or 3rd quarter. At the beginning of the 2nd or 4th quarter, the student will receive a WP (Withdrawn Passing) if the student is passing the class at that time or a WF (Withdrawn Failing) if the student is failing the class at that time.

Students opting to participate in an Independent Learning Experience are also agreeing to showcase and present their work at the conclusion of their studies. A review panel is assembled featuring content area specialists, the Independent Learning Experience teacher, administrators, as well as other school staff. Mentors provide feedback on their student's work before the panel meets, and are also invited to participate on the review panel.

Students are expected to pursue their interests in their chosen content area independently. To support their independent studies, students must find a faculty mentor. The faculty member will take on the role of the Independent Learning Experience mentor if they feel they have time in their schedule to balance supporting a student’s project and the needs of the students (extra help, writing conferences etc.) enrolled in their regular course load.

Once students are paired with their faculty member, this staff member is the student's content area specialist for their Independent Learning Experience. Participating students engaging in any Independent Learning Experience are expected to schedule meetings with this mentor at least once a month. If a student is a teacher assistant (TA), the expectation is for them to meet with their mentor weekly. During these meetings, mentors can ensure students are making progress with their Independent Learning Experiences; students will review their work thus far, given their timeline. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback. It is the student's responsibility to schedule regular meetings with their mentor throughout the span of their Independent Learning Experience to meet the requirements of the program.

Throughout the student's Independent Learning Experience, the mentor will provide feedback of the student's progress and content proficiency. At the conclusion of the experience, the mentor has the option of being present for the review panel where credit is awarded.

No matter the design of the student's Independent Learning Experience, all participants will create an end product to represent each student's learning. The student will present this end product at the conclusion of their Independent Learning Experience in front of a committee comprised of educators, including a subject-specific content specialist; administrators; and guidance counselors.

This review panel uses two rubrics to assess all Independent Learning Experience students; one of these is specifically the presentation rubric, and the other is the rubric for the Independent Learning Experience as a whole, factoring in aspects such as reflections on learnings and work ethic. Please see the attached rubrics for details.