- Wydown Middle School
- Overview
Wydown Students Pursue Their Passions
On the morning of the District’s six Early Release Days this school year, Wydown Middle School students are taking advantage of an opportunity to pursue one of their interests – or gain a passion for something new – through the school’s Pursuit Days program. On topics ranging from “Art in the Hispanic World” to “Geneology: What’s Your Story?” to “Bicycle Enthusiasts,” students are stepping outside of their normal classroom studies to learn about topics in the nearly 50 courses offered by WMS teachers.
“The Pursuit Days allow students to build authentic relationships with teachers and other students around common interests,” said WMS Principal Dr. Jamie Jordan.
The Pursuit Days are an outgrowth of the District’s Middle School Program Review, which was completed 2015. One of the recommendations from the study was to revise the school’s existing advisory program to incorporate skills such as innovation, collaboration and critical thinking that students will need to be successful in a 21st century workforce.
In preparation for the Pursuit Days, WMS teachers were challenged to come up with ideas that not only pushed their students’ learning but also were rooted in the teachers’ own interests outside of the subjects they teach every day. And each course is tied directly to the District’s vision statement of developing leaders who “shape the world through independence, creativity and critical thinking.”
Prior to the first Pursuit Day, WMS students submitted their preferences on the course topics that piqued their interest. Five of the courses will take place for the entire Early Release Day, while the other more than 40 courses are held in 85-minute blocks.
“It was great to hear the students’ excitement for all of the different sessions,” added Jordan. “I was really impressed by how they pushed their thinking when picking the topics they wanted to pursue.”
Many of the full-day courses, such as “Adventures in Forest Park” and “Reading Role Models,” take students and teachers away from the building and into the community for the day. While the students enrolled in shorter courses might stay at WMS, the topics will take students on a different kind of journey, such as delving into current events in the “International Relations” course or traveling back in time to learn about “The Olympic Games: From Ancient to Modern Times.”
“I loved the Pursuit Day, and [it] has been the highlight of my year so far. My classes were great and were highly enjoyed by several students,” said eighth-grader Ana Meyers.
No matter what courses the students are enrolled in, having the chance to pursue a new skill or advance their knowledge on a new topic is a powerful learning opportunity that will go far beyond the Early Release dismissal bell.