DULUTH, Minn. — The Marshall School in Duluth is taking a unique approach to teaching students something new.
iTerm is the post-winter break period in which children enroll in classes outside of their regular curriculum. Classes are selected based on a combination of teachers’ special skills and interests, and student input.
These include woodworking, canoe building, coffee making, knitting, and listening to Taylor Swift. All students from 5th grade to 12th grade participate.
Students can sign up for classes at the end of September. They are always so excited to see their options.
“There’s always a lot of talk about, ‘What are the classes going to be like this year? Am I going to be in the classes that I really wanted to be in last year but couldn’t be in?’ So we’re trying to make sure that at some point in our kids’ careers, we really want to be in the classes that we didn’t get into.” I am trying my best to attend classes. But yeah, there’s always a lot of excitement when a course list is removed,” said Heather Fishel, the high school’s principal.
Students may attend classes with other students with whom they do not normally take classes. One senior made new friends while learning to make bread.
“I remember having a class with 6th graders when I was in 2nd grade and it was so much fun. I ended up tutoring them and I’m still friends with them to this day. It’s so fun to be able to partner with people who don’t have the same skills and create friendships from that,” said Rebecca Landhar, a fourth-year student at Marshall School.
In addition to teaching students new skills and lessons, iTerms are an opportunity for teachers to try out new tools and strategies for use in the classroom. Classes are not graded and students do not have homework. iTerm ends on his January 12th.