Those who work with Montessori adolescent programs know that student-planned bonding trips, also known as Odyssey trips, are an important, and joyful, part of the learning process. You may not know that this can happen in online school programs too!
There is so much that sets Bridgemont International School apart from traditional online experiences; it seems wrong to call it “online”. Our students are part of a tight-knit community of teachers and peers. They log into class to speak to real, highly qualified, compassionate teachers and collaborate on projects, papers, Socratic seminars, and “maker” projects with teens (7th gr.+) like themselves who join them from around the country. Much of the work is actually offline with paper and pencil as well as outdoors.
Two weeks ago, we put the students’ plans into action as we toured Washington, DC. This was not through a pre-planned tour company.
- Our students chose the location.
- They sold yearbooks, hosted brunches in their local, partnering schools, sold soaps and washed cars to fund their way.
- A committee researched BNBs and found three LARGE houses on the Metro line for the students to vote for their favorite, another committee planned the itinerary.
- Still another group worked within a budget to plan the week’s menus, create a shopping list and assign cooking teams for each meal of the trip.
They were amazing! The house was ideal, every day’s itinerary was full, and the food was well-planned and prepared.
In the process of planning, one teen questioned the wisdom of students, with no prior experience, planning such an event. I said, “So often, society underestimates what teens are capable of. It’s not surprising that you might doubt yourselves, but you can do this!”
I am so honored to see the smiles on the 20+ teens who flew in from around the country to sight-see, sign yearbooks, play music, tell stories, and bond as a community. Every young person should have these experiences. — Tamela Mills, Head of School, BIS
Written by Tamela Mills