April 21, 2016

Sr. Mary Bourdon, RJM – Head of School, Washington School for Girls (WSG)

Washington School for Girls (WSG) introduced a new core project for the 8th grade class where the students developed and worked on independent projects of personal interest.  The inspiration for this project came from Google’s innovative “20 percent time” policy.

Google created the “20 percent time” so employees could spend one day a week of paid time on unassigned, independent projects that could benefit the company. This year, WSG began a similar project. The eighth graders were provided time to work on independent studies as part of their core curriculum. The assignment was as follows: During the allotted one-hour weekly period, work on a project of personal interest. Projects do not have to be in a particular subject area, nor are they required to be strictly academic.

One student developed a fitness routine and then recruited classmates to co-star in a workout video demonstrating the exercises. Another student developed a personal nutrition plan and kept an on-going journal about her experiences using the plan. Several students explored the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing. They designed products and then printed their designs using the local library’s public 3D printer. One student used the opportunity to connect with her grandmother –learning family recipes and creating a cookbook. Another student sought to help the school’s 6th grade students by forming a club that mentors and helps them develop organizational and time management skills. Other projects included photography, creating natural beauty products, designing a mural, and producing videos about community issues.

During their mid-year project reports, many students shared the challenges they had faced when working independently.  Several girls struggled to meet their goals because of time management issues, unforeseen roadblocks, or an unclear direction. Through the process, however, students learned to adapt their end goals based on new information.  They also set clear benchmarks and looked from within for meaningful motivation. WSG believes that these life-long skills will help students as they continue their education in high school and beyond.