DISCOVERING PURPOSE:

7th Grade Philosophy Of Education Project

By Nick Morris, 7th & 8th Grade ELA Teacher & 7th Grade Advisor

If you are an educator, you have likely been asked to write a philosophy of education—a kind of manifesto for your own values as a teacher. This is essentially a writing exercise exploring the question of the purpose of education. In other words, what the heck is school for?

That was the same question that pervaded our halls on the first Friday of June, when 33 7th Graders unveiled their capstone Advisory project. The Philosophy of Education Project, PEP for short, requires each 7th Grader to formally present their core educational values, the schoolwork that best embodies those values, and their positive aspirations for the future. Intimate groups of family, friends, and Advisors gathered, fifteen minutes at a time, to support each 7th Grade philosopher. As an Advisor, I was deeply moved to witness the grace with which one student after another shared profound insights about their learning, their goals for the future, and their particular VCS experience.

PEP gives us a chance to hold space for students to embark on a contemplative exploration of their educational path thus far so they can effectively envision the path that lies ahead. Toward the end of April, we introduced the project and its four essential questions: embrace new challenges while exploring something they’re really interested in.

1. What do you value most about your education?

2. How do you learn best?

3. How do you demonstrate your learning?

4. What do you want your education to do for you?

Following these guideposts, each student crafted a speech—a personal declaration espousing their beliefs, values, and goals as learners. Students then showed examples of their proudest work.

In her speech, Anoushka J. wrote “VCS has taught me how to be creative, open, kind, and resilient.” Anoushka went on to share remarkably creative projects she had produced this year: a 3D tactile model of the human digestive system for Science, a poetry zine, a creative Revolutionary War diary, and an essay on the First Amendment for Social Studies.

What was so clear in experiencing each student’s PEP was how much fun kids are having here—that they can

VCS students are unique because they are trained inquirers, because they’re skilled at asking and answering complex, open-ended questions like the ones organizing this project. Seeing our students as the brilliant philosophers they already are, we trust them to exercise their creative intellects to do things that are traditionally reserved only for grown-ups. As lifelong learners ourselves, teachers know self-reflection and metacognition are indispensable elements of learning and growth.

Jane M. knows this, too. In her speech, Jane wrote, “I learn most effectively in different ways. There are generally four different ways of learning: Visual, auditory, reading and/or writing, and kinesthetic. In Math, I learn best visually and auditorily, but in ELA I learn best through reading and writing.” Jane walked guests through detailed stages of her writing process for a Social Studies essay on the Eighth Amendment, which is, for anyone who might need a refresher (guilty!), in Jane’s words, “to prevent punishments from being unacceptable, and the amount of money to pay bail from being unattainable. An unacceptable punishment would be cruel, violent, humiliating, and likely based on prejudice.” Jane also delineated her Hidden Founders Social Studies projects as well as her and Sadie S.’s bill in Model Congress: “an act to legalize abortion throughout the country.” have the potential to be an overwhelming 8th Grade fall semester. PEP empowers students to gain clarity about their aspirations and lay the groundwork for their future. What a relief to start articulating these things months before high school interviews begin! With trusted family members and teachers as their attentive audience, students exhibit their growth, strengths, and passions.

While the presentations in June were a culmination of a two-month project, this exercise also provided an important beginning marker, an intentional piece of reflective scaffolding to transition into what could otherwise

We warmly anticipate witnessing all our students blossom as they continue to navigate their educational paths with compassion, collaboration, and commitment to themselves and their community.