[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.88,0:00:09.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's crazy that in a system that is meant to teach and help the youth,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.90,0:00:12.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's no voice from the youth at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.50,0:00:32.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If students designed their own schools, what would school look like?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.25,0:00:35.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,SANDY: Crime and Punishment is first and foremost a test.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.07,0:00:36.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.36,0:00:40.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Probably something like this: no quizzes, no grades, not even classes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.79,0:00:47.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And most of the time, no teachers or any adults in the classroom.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.11,0:00:54.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandy: It's a completely alternative academic program. We have 9 kids in it.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.10,0:01:00.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We look at the 4 main bodies of learning: English, Math, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.10,0:01:07.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a school within a public high school, designed by the students themselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.78,0:01:11.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The program, known as the Independent Project, runs for one semester
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.56,0:01:13.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and is divided into three parts.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.56,0:01:18.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All follow the same basic rule: design your own learning.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.53,0:01:23.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every monday, each students comes up with a question he or she is curious about.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.35,0:01:26.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It should be related to one of their core subjects.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.00,0:01:30.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: The most important thing about your question is that you actually want to know the answer.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.72,0:01:34.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They spend the week doing research or experimentation.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.70,0:01:41.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And on Friday, they give a formal presentation to share what they've learned.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.96,0:01:46.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: If the question is yours, the answer is going to feel great when you obtain it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.95,0:01:53.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: My goal every presentation is to be as engaging as possible
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.00,0:02:02.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and make my care for my subject as infectious as possible - try to make everyone catch it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.80,0:02:07.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The week I visited, the questions touched on diverse topics that included...
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.68,0:02:11.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unexplained mysteries, the novel Crime and Punishment,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.28,0:02:17.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the naturalist John Muir, a local music establishment called Music Inn,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.11,0:02:20.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.11,0:02:24.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Jake: For a week, I went out and took a flight lesson
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.98,0:02:27.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and built myself a model airplane.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.00,0:02:30.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Each day, I wanted to know why a wing generates lift.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.86,0:02:36.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it was that question that kept guiding me through all this research and it was fun research.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.93,0:02:41.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These weekly questions usually take up half of their time.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.21,0:02:51.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The other half is spent on their individual endeavor,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.31,0:02:56.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is a much more ambitious project that they work on for the entire term.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.00,0:03:03.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some learn to play an instrument for the very first time and put on a recital.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.97,0:03:06.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sergio: In two short years, I've learned
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.29,0:03:10.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to play the piano fairly well. I can play with other people.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.00,0:03:15.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm in a band now. I can hold a beat.\NI can play.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.91,0:03:19.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Others work on writing a book and a collection of poems.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.66,0:03:27.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Matt: I try to write 2 to 4 hours a day.\NA 1 hour day is really bad
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.66,0:03:30.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a 5 or 6 hour day is excellent.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.92,0:03:37.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some choose to devote their time to researching topics such as education or the environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.72,0:03:44.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Again, it's whatever they decide, as long as it demonstrates effort, learning
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.43,0:03:46.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a mastery of skills.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.78,0:03:51.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Joe: The thing you center your semester around doesn't have to be academic.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.21,0:03:55.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It can be something that you can really develop a strong passion for.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.76,0:04:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: This year my Individual Endeavor has been a complete blast.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.70,0:04:07.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I've been making a mockumentary of the kids in my school.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.70,0:04:12.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's been an organic process, a lot of improv. There's no script. I've been making it up as I go.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.57,0:04:25.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think I've gotten better work from having it open ended.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.89,0:04:29.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your friends can suddenly think of something and you build onto that and they build back onto that
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.71,0:04:36.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you have something that's 20 times funnier than you originally thought.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.08,0:04:49.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Aside from the weekly questions and the Individual Endeavor, students also spend the last three weeks
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.64,0:04:56.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,working on a group project, called the Collective Endeavor.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.58,0:05:04.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here, they are starting to debate what they should do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.00,0:05:09.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The goal of the Collective Endeavor is to produce social impact and to make a difference.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.20,0:05:13.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: Just tell me why you're clearly not digging it and I want to know why.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.08,0:05:21.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But as you can see, it's also a chance for this group to practice collaboration skills
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.08,0:05:26.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to unite around a common cause.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:34.55,0:05:38.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Self-directed learning in small doses can be found at many schools
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.74,0:05:41.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but few public schools have taken it to this extreme.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.74,0:05:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Giving students full control of their school day was a big gamble on the part of the principal,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.50,0:05:51.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Marianne Young: "My personal and professional investment
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.79,0:05:58.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in these opportunities is to create a school and a way of educating young people
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.79,0:06:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that allows them to be completely invested
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.41,0:06:12.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to stop trying to move every kind of human being through the same gate."
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.41,0:06:17.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When the Independent Project was first proposed,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.42,0:06:20.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was met with a lot of resistance from some of the teachers,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.01,0:06:25.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who felt there were too many unanswered questions.\N"What's the role of the teacher?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.92,0:06:33.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who decides what's good work?\NWho decides what earns credit
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.57,0:06:37.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and merits a diploma from this high school?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.11,0:06:40.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The project did find strong support from the guidance counselor
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.11,0:06:42.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a few teachers who became advisors.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.69,0:06:46.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So Principal Young agreed to pilot it not once but twice.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.69,0:06:48.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the second pilot.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.15,0:06:53.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lisa Baldwin: It's a pretty good risk to\Ntake on a student to allow them an opportunity
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.22,0:07:00.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for this sort of independent freedom and thinking because it can't really fail.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.05,0:07:08.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can't tell you how many times the question get me thinking
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.05,0:07:13.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then I go and try to learn or refresh.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.11,0:07:19.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everyone has gained or will gain something positive.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.16,0:07:26.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After two trials, what tangible benefits do they see?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.56,0:07:31.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First the Independent Project seems to accommodate different types of learners:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.56,0:07:35.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both the straight A students and those who have been struggling academically.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.00,0:07:40.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sergio: I have dyslexia so it's very hard reading and writing and doing those sorts of things.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.00,0:07:45.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,School has always been a big problem for me. If not for this program,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.01,0:07:50.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't know if I'd be graduating. I don't know where I would be right now.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.00,0:07:55.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I think this has been my savior and got me through the last two years of high school.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.33,0:07:59.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Free from assigned work and tests, they are able to focus on the one thing
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.00,0:08:03.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that motivates everyone to learn:\Ntheir own passions.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.09,0:08:09.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Joe: I think I've stayed up at night doing work more times this semester
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.09,0:08:12.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than in previous 3 years of high school.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.31,0:08:16.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandy: I think every single person wants to learn about something.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.61,0:08:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even kids who are barely going to classes - they want to learn something
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.00,0:08:28.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and whether that's auto mechanics or the physics of skateboarding
Dialogue: 0,0:08:28.15,0:08:33.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or how ice cream is made. Everybody's interested in something.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:33.60,0:08:39.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this gives you the room and space to really learn whatever you want.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.57,0:08:42.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another key benefit: learning becomes a group activity.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.13,0:08:49.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's mutual support every step of the way, starting with the morning check in.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.86,0:08:58.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mike: It's called the Independent Project but I don't think it can be any more
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.00,0:09:00.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dependent on a number of things.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.86,0:09:03.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This program is really dependent on people working together.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.88,0:09:10.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's dependent on people pushing each other, giving constructive criticism, giving support,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.03,0:09:13.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,giving praise. It's dependent on people using resources and finding resources.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.02,0:09:18.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's dependent on being creative. It's dependent on learning how to ask a question.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.47,0:09:23.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: Group dynamic is everything. That's like one of the most important concepts of
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.24,0:09:27.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this program: You are not only doing it for yourself
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.00,0:09:29.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but you're doing it for your group-mates. It's like a team.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.60,0:09:37.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sophie: I enjoy being with people as interested in what they're doing
Dialogue: 0,0:09:37.00,0:09:42.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as I am in what I'm doing even though we're not doing the same thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:44.89,0:09:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peer support also means peer pressure to stay on track
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.00,0:09:50.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and follow through on your commitments.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.52,0:09:57.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Annalena: If you blow off the independent project, you're letting 8
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.73,0:10:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of your friends down and that feels a lot different than getting a D on a test.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.00,0:10:10.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It feels a lot worse so in that way, there's a lot more pressure to do well than in normal school
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.55,0:10:12.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because in normal school you're letting down one person,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.50,0:10:16.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whereas here you're impacting a huge group of people really negatively.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.74,0:10:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do you guys criticize each other?\NYes, period. Yes. That's definitely the hardest part.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.34,0:10:31.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The most visible benefit however is the ownership that students feel over their learning.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.00,0:10:37.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandy's presentation on Crime and Punishment sparked a lively discussion but didn't go as planned.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.34,0:10:50.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Although no one else noticed it, he felt he lost control of what he wanted to say.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.93,0:10:56.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,SANDY: I just faltered and I couldn't get\Nthe grasp on the book I wanted to grasp.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:56.80,0:11:02.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what really frustrated me was that I wanted to give them a taste of what I have learned and
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.22,0:11:05.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it felt like the taste I gave them was probably rancid.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.26,0:11:08.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I slipped up on that and that kind of made me upset.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.26,0:11:11.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For the following week, he assigned himself a five page essay
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.63,0:11:15.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so he can present his thoughts more coherently.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:22.17,0:11:27.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During another presentation, Joe started to describe a logic problem he learned to solve.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.05,0:11:35.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before he could present the answer and without any prompting from him,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:35.76,0:11:38.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the other students formed two small groups
Dialogue: 0,0:11:38.76,0:11:42.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and solved the problem themselves, using two different approaches.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.32,0:11:48.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandy: I like the way you guys did it. That's a much more innovative way to do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.68,0:11:52.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is like, I don't have anything else, I'm just going to go for it.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.04,0:11:56.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peter: The world we're coming into right now - we're going to really be on our own.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.82,0:12:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're not going to be able to rely on our elders telling us what to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.00,0:12:07.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's going to be us telling us what to do and responsible for the next generation trying to help them.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:07.41,0:12:17.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The only way we can learn lessons and be individuals and autonomous is if we do it by ourselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:17.40,0:12:19.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Are students capable of teaching themselves?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.50,0:12:24.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And is it enough for teachers to be mentors and coaches?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:24.61,0:12:27.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are the tough questions being asked and tested
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.92,0:12:30.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the most innovative schools around the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.93,0:12:33.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Marianne Young: I think the more options we have in our schools
Dialogue: 0,0:12:33.93,0:12:41.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the more students we will help develop into the citizens we need.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:42.53,0:12:46.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's ok for you to need a little bit of a different approach from mine.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:47.00,0:12:51.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mike Powell: The power of a young mind is pretty impressive. One, they're so resilient.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:51.32,0:12:57.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Two, they're extremely creative.\NThree, they're fearless. They'll try anything.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:57.69,0:13:02.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the qualities that many many teenagers have go very well with a program like this,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.90,0:13:05.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which makes sense… it was developed by a teenager.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:05.92,0:13:09.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Independent Project itself continues to evolve...
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.86,0:13:13.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but students are taking pride in the fact that dozens of schools around the world
Dialogue: 0,0:13:13.98,0:13:16.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have already expressed interest in their model
Dialogue: 0,0:13:16.00,0:13:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and may soon replicate their program elsewhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.00,0:13:26.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sandy: It would mean the world to me if just one other school saw this video and said,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:26.94,0:13:31.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Let's start an Independent Project."\NThat's all I want.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:32.00,0:13:35.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If that happens then more students will finally get to have
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.90,0:13:42.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their say in how to reform education for the 21st century.