A Unique Approach to Learning By Regan Mull

One thing about our school that is not talked about enough is our unique approach to learning. Whether you step inside one of our classrooms or witness our amazing teachers outside of the classroom, it is apparent that this school fosters a special learning environment.

One way that we foster this environment is through our frequent field trips. Teachers and students collaborate to create unique experiences outside of the classroom where students can go into the real world to learn. A prime example of this is our past French and history field trip. We traveled to DC to visit the Historic Anderson House. Not only did we learn about the impressive lives of the Anderson family, who owned the home, but we were also able to see historical items that taught us about Marquis de Lafayette.
This trip was especially significant because this year marks the historic Bicentennial of Lafayette's return to the United States. This trip merged what is currently happening around us with the history of our country and the study of French culture.

Here at LSAS, every class you take is a learning and teaching environment between students and teachers. For example, if you were to peek into any of our English classes, sixth grade through twelfth, you would see that the students are not just sitting through boring lectures and being told what the story they read is about. Instead, they sit in a circle discussing what they took away from the story individually and then collaborate to discover possible main themes. A lot of the time, a student makes a point that even the teacher hadn’t considered before and alters everyone's views of the story. This is an increasingly important aspect of our unique approach to learning.

Independent studies are also one of the most unique ways we approach learning. If a student has a particular passion for something, they can find a teacher to collaborate with. This teacher and student will create a curriculum together that the student can follow to dive into topics they care about. For example, I have a passion for creative writing, and last year I did an independent study and wrote several short stories that I was able to incorporate into a portfolio. Throughout this independent study, I studied different styles of writing and how to create round characters. This allowed me to further develop my skills as a writer and simultaneously produce some physical works.

It’s cliche to say that this is not just your average learning environment, but hopefully, by explaining some of our approaches, I have intrigued you. I have benefited from all of these unique approaches and have progressed my understanding of topics past the average classroom level. This unique approach to learning is what makes our school special and helps students stand out from others.