Fellowship Paper

"...enthusiasm can be aroused by two things: first, an idea which takes the imagination by storm; and second, a definite, intelligible plan for carrying that idea into action."
-Arnold Toynbee

I. Introduction

For decades, educators have struggled with the challenge of providing a meaningful and rich experience for seniors in their final year of high school. Come mid-winter, most high school seniors have lost interest in school and are increasingly difficult to engage in class. By this point in their academic careers, seniors have spent at least 12 years, 2280 days, and 18240 hours in school. Quite simply, they are tired of the same routines and are ready for new and different challenges.

Still, however, the vast majority of American high schools proceed annually with a `business-as-usual' approach to senior year. seniors continue to attend the same five classes each day and to learn within the parameters of their teachers' well-intended curricula. They read books, do science labs, write papers, solve math problems, and take tests. At a time when seniors' minds are most wandering - to thoughts of college, full-time employment, and moving away from home - little consideration is paid to their particular intellectual, developmental, and personal needs.

The symptoms associated with "senioritis" are clear and well documented. Grades drop, tardiness and absences increase, and seniors become less and less invested in their schoolwork. Because these problems are so prominent and recur each year, they clearly are not the fault of the seniors themselves. Teachers are therefore misguided in expecting that their students will fix these problems on their own. Instead, teachers and administrators must take responsibility for becoming the primary agents of change.

Rather than forcing seniors to `wait it out' until graduation, schools would be better served to reconceive the senior year in a way that works both for the students and the institution. The key is to create a mechanism whereby seniors are empowered to pursue their own interests and passions while still being held to high standards from their schools. One such mechanism is the Senior Project.


II. Rationale for Senior Project

The Senior Project is designed to be the culmination of each student's academic experience at the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School. It is a genuine opportunity for seniors to merge their various interests, passions, and curiosities with their academic lives at school. Similarly, the project is a vehicle for seniors to demonstrate autonomy, complexity, and awareness in their final year before graduation.

The Senior Project allows Parker seniors to have a meaningful and productive final year of high school that is markedly different from the familiar routines they have experienced in their previous 12 years. It is designed to combat "senioritis" and ensure that seniors remain engaged and accountable for the entirety of their Senior year.

Because of the liberties Seniors are afforded in the planning, implementation, and exhibiting of their Senior Projects, they tend to assume far greater ownership for their work. No longer are they simply "going through the motions" of school; instead they are entrusted with great autonomy and responsibility, enabling them to pursue their own passions. Arguably, there is no better preparation for the reality of life after high school.

The Six Tenets of the Parker School Senior Project:

1. The Essential Question: Because a successful and meaningful Senior Project necessarily involves genuine inquiry around a topic of the student's choosing, all seniors focus their work around a complex, interesting, and sustainable essential question.

2. Benefit to the Larger Community: Because we are all members of a broader community, each Senior Project incorporates some aspect of `giving back' to others. In this regard, each senior's work, time, and energy results in a lasting contribution that is bigger than the project itself.

3. Interdisciplinary Approach: Because of the multi-faceted nature of each Senior Project, all seniors incorporate a variety of modes of thinking into the planning, implementation, and exhibiting of their projects.

4. A Research Component: No Senior Project can be successful without a substantial element of new learning. This learning takes place in multiple ways, one of which must be research. Research is both experiential (interviews, internships, surveys, etc.) and text-based (library, Internet, etc.), although the degree to which each form is emphasized varies from student to student.

5. Collaboration: One of the most important skills in life is the ability to work with and learn from other people. Each Senior Project incorporates some element of collaboration with individuals outside the immediate Parker community (ideally adults who are "expert" in the field of the senior's inquiry). In many cases, these "outsiders" serve as secondary mentors (in addition to the student's academic advisor) for the Senior Project.

6. Academic Rigor: Each Senior Project is conceived in a way that challenges the student to think deeply and critically beyond what he/she already knows. The topic is big enough that when examining it the student must consider multiple perspectives but not so big that the research leads only to superficial understanding.


III. History of Senior Project

The Senior Project was originally conceived nearly fifteen years ago by a team of teachers charged with designing a new English curriculum for South Medford High School (SMHS) in Medford, Oregon. They were concerned with the increasing occurrences of high schools awarding diplomas to marginally-literate, complacent, and ill-prepared seniors, and they were determined to create a mechanism that would somehow ensure student accountability and investment. In centering their work around the question "What should a graduating senior know and be able to do?" the teachers ultimately arrived at the Senior Project as a viable alternative to the existing inefficacy of senior year.

The concept was as controversial as it was radical, but in the end the School Board voted to implement the Senior Project as a graduation requirement for all seniors at SMHS. In addition to their regular coursework, seniors were required to 1) prepare and write a 10-page research paper on a topic of their choice, 2) plan and carry out a project that related to the research in some practical way, took at least 15 hours of out-of-class time to complete, and was something they'd never done before, and 3) present their project before a board of judges, more than half of whom were community members and all of whom had some expertise in the student's area of inquiry.

Although at SMHS the Senior Project was initially met with great skepticism and resistance - as many teachers, students, and community members felt threatened by such a dramatic change to the status quo--students gradually began to show signs of becoming accountable to their work. The seniors become explorers, creators, risk takers, decision-makers, and leaders, and they claimed ownership for their learning. Despite many real growing pains, the pilot year of Senior Project was a clear success, and the SMHS model became a catalyst for projects at many other reform-minded schools.

The founders of the Francis W. Parker School framed the school's Charter around the "10 Common Principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools." Essential schools share a common set of ideas known as the Ten Common Principles. These call for schools to set clear and simple goals about the intellectual skills and knowledge to be mastered by all the school's students; to lower teacher-student loads, personalize teaching and curriculum, and make student work the center of classroom activity; to award diplomas based on students' "exhibition" of their mastery of the school's program; to create an atmosphere of trust and respect for the school, faculty, students and parents; and to model democratic practices and honor diversity.1

The curriculum at Parker was intended to be project-driven, and students were to be promoted through a combination of portfolio and performance-based assessment. In this spirit, the Senior Project directly reflects our school's mission. As stated in the 6th Common Principle--`The diploma should be awarded upon a successful final demonstration of mastery for graduation--an `Exhibition'"--we require that all seniors exhibit their Senior Projects to a panel of assessors who in turn evaluate the quality of student work. The emphasis is not on "credits earned" or time spent in class but on the students' demonstration that they know and are able to do important things.


IV. The Parker School Senior Project

There are four assessed components of the Parker School Senior Project: the process, the product, the exhibition, and the reflection paper. Each of these components--along with the initial proposal--is described in detail in the pages that follow. The descriptions and corresponding rubrics are intentionally written in the second person, as the seniors themselves comprise the target audience.

A Note on Assessment:

At the Parker School, we utilize rubrics as a tool for standards-based assessment. The following letters appear on the rubrics, and seniors are assessed relative to what we feel high school graduates should know and be able to do:

JB: Just Beginning (to meet the standard)
A: Approaches the standard
M: Meets the standard
E: Exceeds the standard

The Proposal

The first formal element of the Senior Project is your Project Proposal. You must submit a formal proposal that addresses your ideas and intentions with specific attention to the guidelines listed below. The audience for your proposal will be a committee made up of Senior Seminar teachers, other Parker faculty members, and two non-senior students (selected for participation through an application process). This committee will review all proposals for thoroughness and feasibility. Any proposals that are not accepted will be sent back for revision and/or reconceptualization.

While there will certainly be opportunities to make modifications and adjustments in your project as you become immersed in it, your task in this proposal is to address a well-thought out plan for your project parameters. Your proposal must explain the ways in which your project will fulfill the requirements for the Senior Project:

1. Generate an essential question.

2. Explore this question by engaging in formal academic research and by collaborating with people outside of Parker.

3. Use findings and/or products of the project to benefit a larger community.

4. Apply skills and knowledge from several disciplines that will lead to deep and critical inquiry.

5. Create a distinct product and exhibition to be presented to a panel.

6. Additionally, you must explain your motivation and rationale for the thinking behind your proposed project. Specifically, your proposal should explain your answers to the following questions:

• What is your rationale for and interest in choosing your general area of investigation and specific essential question? Why is this a good idea for you?
• How do you know this project is academically rigorous and feasible? Explain the process by which you have established plausibility for this project. What research have you done so far? What conversations you have had with knowledgeable experts/potential mentors in the field?
• How does this project build on your existing skills and interests yet also require you to explore new ideas and experiences? How will this project extend your mind and your abilities?
• What resources and sources (texts, organizations, people, etc.) have you identified as a foundation for your project? Be specific.
• For students proposing a significant off-site component, what is the timeline, contact information, and accountability structure for off-campus work

7. Finally, as an attachment to your proposal, you must submit a signed letter from your secondary mentor stating his/her willingness to serve in this capacity.

Senior Project Process Guidelines and Assessment

While the process by which you complete your Senior Project will be individualized, you are accountable for having a thoughtful, clear, organized, and productive method of going about your work. Your process will be monitored by periodic check-ins and you are responsible for documenting the steps that you take throughout the project. The guidelines and assessment for this aspect of your project are spelled out below.

Organizational Guidelines:

It is important that you are organized throughout the Senior Project. Although a variety of individual organizational styles are expected, the following are minimum expectations:

• You keep your work in chronological order.
• You save all formal letters, records, and feedback.
• You keep a log/journal of your progress and your process.
• Your work is accessible to you and to your advisor.
• You document your sources with the notes you take.

You are encouraged to use an organizational binder or a file box for the project. This will help you stay well organized and will allow you to create an index and/or a table of contents so that your work may be readily found and easily accessed and assessed. Other acceptable forms of organization can be worked out with your advisor in your early meetings.

Specifically, you will need to keep:

A. Documentation

1. Proposal and letter of intent
2. Approval of proposal
3. Outline
4. Conference records from mentor and from peers
5. Flag Day checklists
6. Log/journal of your progress and process with the date and what you did
7. Any feedback from your secondary mentor and/or off-site mentor

B. Evidence of research

1. Annotated bibliographical and/or biographical information
2. Notes on your reading, your interviews, your videos, etc.
3. Physical evidence (photos, sketches, audio tapes, videos, etc.)
4. Other (surveys and analysis of surveys, logs, etc.)

C. Reflection

1. Discussion of credibility of your sources and usefulness of your sources
2. Long and short term goals
3. Successes, frustrations, etc.
   

Process Log/Journal Guidelines:

You are required to maintain a log/journal of your process and progress in the Senior Project. This log will serve as evidence of your process, and it will be a catalogue of the growth of your ideas. You will use this log both for the project itself and in your eventual reflection. In essence, this is the record of the work you have done and your reflection on the progress of that work. While there are a variety of ways to complete your log/journal successfully, the following are the minimum requirements:

• You must do a minimum of one log/journal entry per week. (Of course, more frequent entries are encouraged, but one a week is the minimum.)
• You must describe the work you have done during that week.
• You must comment upon the accomplishments, struggles, and breakthroughs (both process and idea-based) in your week.
• You may also want to use this log to set short and long term goals for the project. In addition to using the contents of this log for your own purposes, it will be evaluated for completeness, thoughtfulness, and timeliness (as part of your Senior Project process assessment).

Progress Checks/Conferences:

As listed on the calendar for the Senior Project, you will have check-ins with your advisor to assess the progress and depth of your project. The purpose of the conferences will be to:

1. Check on organization and documentation

2. Check on log/journal completion

3. Discuss research - open Q&A

a. Examine notes and bibliography

b. Discuss progress based on log

c. Discuss further questions to be raised

4. Identify connection to the essential question

At each of these conferences, your advisor will complete a conference check-in list (see following pages). These lists will all be considered at the end of your project when your process as a whole is assessed.

Peer Conferences (Roundtables or Peer-Peer Conferences):

On at least two formal occasions, you will have a peer conference about your project in which you will present your project and progress to your Senior Seminar. In these conferences, you will:

• Discuss research in terms of significance, connection to your essential question, and further questions to be raised. are encouraged, but one a week is the minimum.)
• Discuss progress, process, and frustrations.
• Share methods and techniques for research.
• Request feedback.

Flag Days:

As you know, you are responsible for organizing your time and work for the Senior Project. However, if you fall behind on your project, established `flag days' exist to provide you with a formal warning. The Flag Days will be your formal check-ins with your advisor. If you are behind on the Flag Days, the following will occur:

• Your advisor will inform you of this verbally and in writing.
• You will need to make a formal schedule with your advisor to get back on track.
• Your discretionary time will be devoted to Senior Project work
• A letter will be sent home to your parents/guardians informing them of your lapse and will include the plan/schedule that you developed with your advisor.
• If, by the next conference, you still remain behind, you will be in jeopardy of not graduating and a meeting will be scheduled with you, your parents/guardians, and the principals of the school.

Assessment:

Your process will be assessed by your advisor, in consultation with your secondary mentor as appropriate. To assess your work, your advisor will use the check-in sheets from your conferences and the materials that you have compiled. While you cannot revise your process, you will have every opportunity to "right your ship," should it go astray. In order to receive an "Exceeds" on the Senior Project as a whole, you must earn an assessment of "Meets" on the Process Expectations.

Habits of Learning:

The Habits of Learning are a crucial part of your success in this project. While they will not be assessed separately, they are a required element of your eventual reflection, and no project can be done well without utilizing these habits. During the course of your project, your advisor will take notes about the ways in which you demonstrate these habits, and he/ she will note these on the chart that follows. You are encouraged to document your growth and use of these habits as well. You may do this on the chart provided, or you may be explicit about the habits in your weekly log/journal.

Checklist for Conferences

Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Comments/Discussion notes:





Assessor: ________________________

Senior Project Process Rubric

Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Senior Project Product

Each of your Senior Projects will result in a "product" of some sort. These products are a crucial manifestation of your research, investigation, thinking, and work. The products can be anything from a paper, to a performance, to a painting, to a public policy creation. The product of each Senior Project will be assessed on the `universal' criteria outlined on the next page. In addition to these universal criteria, the rubric will be individualized to include key aspects from appropriate Criteria for Excellence, as determined by the student and advisor, based on the particulars of the Senior Project.

Revision policy:

Any student who receives an assessment below "Meets" on their product, must revise. To address any elements of the Senior Project that do not earn "Meets" (expectations), a revision plan must by created by the student and approved by the advisor. This plan must include a timeline and a course of action to bring the project up to the expectations. The plan must include weekly check-in dates with the advisor. Projects sent back for revision are subject to closer examination and observation by the advisor.

Senior Project "Product" Rubric

Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Senior Project Exhibition

Each Senior will present a 45-minute presentation of their Senior Project to a panel (as well as other audience members). This panel is responsible for assessing the exhibition itself (not the other components of the project). The panel for each senior will differ in individual members, but each panel will have the following five positions represented: the advisor, a secondary mentor, one outside community member - can be a topic "expert" or other friend of Parker (visitors, non-Parker teachers, parents, etc.), one additional Parker faculty member, and one senior (not from same Senior Seminar). The panel must come to consensus about whether the exhibition is Just Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding the expectations. There will be a 15-minute question and answer component to the exhibition, and students are expected to be able to answer difficult questions on demand. An inability to answer questions sufficiently will reflect on the assessment of the exhibition as a whole.

Senior Projects and their accompanying documentation are due on the day of the exhibition.

Senior Project Exhibition Rubric

Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Reflection Paper Guidelines

After the completion of your project and exhibition, you are required to complete a reflection paper. This is your time to synthesize, reflect upon, and discuss all the work you did over the last several months. To do this, you will need to create a well-organized, well-written paper that reflects on your process, your progress, and your exhibition. Any reflection papers that do not earn an assessment of "Meets" will be sent back for revision until they do meet expectations. Use the prompts below to guide your reflection, but please address topics relevant to your project as well.

• What were the highlights/most successful moments of your Senior Project experience? Why?
• What were the most frustrating moments of your Senior Project experience? Why?
• In what way did you utilize each of the Habits of Learning (inquiry, expression, critical thinking, collaboration, organization, attentiveness, involvement, and reflection)? Which were most crucial to your success? Which presented you with the most frustration
• What progress did you make in your knowledge as you worked through the Senior Project?
• If you had to do this project over again, what would you do differently?
• What advice can you give to future Parker Seniors as they embark on and complete their Senior Project?
• In what way do you feel your Senior Project benefited the larger community?
• What new ideas were triggered by your Senior Project?
• What did you learn about yourself along the way?
  
  

Senior Project Reflection Paper Rubric

Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Final Assessment

The Senior Project will receive an overall assessment that takes into account all the components (as revised if necessary). This is the formal and final assessment. The overall project must earn "Meets" or "Exceeds" in order for a student to graduate. Designation of "Exceeds" on the completion of the Senior Project must be conferred by a panel of Senior Seminar teachers. Advisors who feel that a student has completed exceptional work must bring that work forward to be reviewed by a larger panel of all Senior Seminar teachers. It is not possible to receive an "Exceeds" designation on the Senior Project without earning "Meets" for the process and exhibition expectations.


V. Reflections on the Parker School Senior Project, 1999-2000

The greatest testimonials to the success of the Senior Project come from the Seniors themselves. 16 of last year's 33 Seniors exceeded the standards established for the Senior Project, and in their 8-10 page reflection papers (written after their exhibitions), most commented on how pivotal the Senior Project was in centering the work of their Senior year. Similarly, the parents, outside panelists, and secondary mentors were continually impressed by the depth and quality of the work produced and the articulateness with which the seniors presented their Projects. The following are some testimonials from individuals who experienced various aspects of the Senior Project in its inaugural year at Parker:

I was a juror and a mentor. The students I saw and worked with had a great amount of enthusiasm for what they did. I believe this is because they owned their project--they had to take the initiative - create the project, pursue it, learn from their mistakes. Likewise the presentation before jurors held them accountable to the last--as there was no guarantee their presentation of their project would succeed before the jury. --Parker Faculty Member

I felt Senior project was valuable in that it allowed the students to pursue something that was of personal interest with a depth of involvement that was not previously possible and/or required. Selection of the subject matter promoted personal reflection and engagement that is likely to carry over into other aspects of the students' lives. --Parent, Class of 2000

My experience with Senior Project was as juror, mentor, and observer. And I strongly believe that it was ONLY the senior project that kept many of those kids engaged and involved in school throughout the year. I found that it was the goal of "meeting the standard" that kept students working. And because it was THEIR chosen project, and generally, of interest to them, that they remained motivated and committed to it throughout the length of the project. I have also heard from many prospective seniors, that their senior project is what they are looking forward to most during their final year. --Parker Faculty Member

The key to the success of the Senior Projects was in the students' decisions about what to pursue. Those who were deeply interested in their topics rose to and often exceeded the standards for the project, whereas those who cared little about their topics struggled throughout the process. --Parker Faculty Member

With the implementation of the Senior Project, I observed my daughter's entire attitude about school shift. In the past she often felt as if school were being forced upon her, but this opportunity allowed her to follow her own interests in a way that was supported by Parker. No longer did she feel that she `had' to do her work; she WANTED to do it! --Parent, Class of 2000

Completion of my Senior Project was an extremely important element of the Parker Senior Year, and it wasn't finished until school was almost out. The most frustrating thing was how impractical slacking off became. In fact, I had to work harder, and with more dedication and serious thought, those final weeks than I did all school year, because the pressure was really on. --Student, Class of 2000

It feels almost impossible to reflect comprehensively on a Senior Project that has more or less encompassed my life for the past twelve months. For me the Senior Project was not `another graduation requirement.' It wasn't something that I pushed onward through because I had no other choice. The Senior Project was one of the reasons I came to Parker, one of the things I had eagerly anticipated throughout my years there, and perhaps the only thing that has ever lived up to my rather high expectations. - Student, Class of 2000

The `real world' component of the project is what thrills me most, and what I'm most proud of. I feel like the ultimate test of the success of this project is not any of my assessments, but the actual impact of (the work that I did). And the fact that I can say that demonstrates how completely I was able to achieve my goal of doing `real world work' and is the true proof of the success of my Senior Year. - Student, Class of 2000

My project became real for me through this internship (working on the set of a small independent film). I wasn't just working on a project; I was working on an outline for my future and a glimpse at the possibility of it all. Needless to say that part of my hands-on education was irreplaceable and without tangible value, and incredible learning experience. - Student, Class of 2000

In the end, my final project wasn't perfect, but it was a start. I know so much more than I used to, and now I have at least a little experience with a variety of elements related to scriptwriting, acting, directing, shooting, and producing a film. --Student, Class of 2000

The thing that most impresses me about the entire project is how, in trying to change the "unbending" minds of others, I changed my own views on life. My original message stays true - `different isn't bad; there is more than one right way to live.' However, my delivery and own understanding of this message have evolved. --Student, Class of 2000

The only advice that I can give to the juniors about to embark on the journey of their Senior Project is to make sure that they pick something that is interesting to them and that they want to work over the next 5 months. The planning period for this project is the most important part, because if you do that right, then the actual work isn't work--it's fun. Senior Project is way too big to be a pain in your ass--take the time to find out what you want to accomplish. --Student, Class of 2000

The Senior Project has been an experience I will never forget. I have learned so much about the world, small business, the learning process, time management, people and myself. I have learned through other people, books and experience. --Student, Class of 2000

I have learned so much about myself in the past six months. I learned about motivation and keeping the momentum up. I had some low spots, but they helped me in the end. In the moment they stressed me out because I was lost. Now I look back and know it is OK to have ruts, as long as you recover from them. That is a valuable lesson. I learned what it was like to have my thinking challenged by other people, and I know how to justify my choices. --Student, Class of 2000

This project reinforced my knowledge that I learn best by doing. I wouldn't have learned how to shoot video by reading about it in a textbook. The fact that I knew I had to learn video to create something also helped me to learn effectively. --Student, Class of 2000

I would advise future Parker students to utilize the connections they already have in their lives when choosing a project. Also choose something that they have a passion for and a project that will somehow change their perspective on the world. And even though sometimes I really didn't want to write those stupid journal entries, I actually surprised myself a few times while I was writing because I realized helpful things I hadn't thought of before. --Student, Class of 2000


VI. Suggestions for Implementation

Successful coordination of the Senior Project is a major logistical challenge. Communicating with secondary mentors, scheduling exhibitions, and assigning juries all require a substantial amount of time and energy. Similarly, the students demand close monitoring and frequent `check-ins' to ensure that they are making satisfactory progress. Additionally, there must be an institutional "buy-in" so that proper time and resources are devoted to facilitating the process of the Senior Projects.

At Parker, the locus of support for the Senior Project is the Senior Seminar. Each Senior Seminar is comprised of 12-14 students and one teacher. The primary function of Senior Seminar is threefold: college/transition preparation in the early fall, Senior Project work in the late fall through early spring, and graduation portfolio synthesis and reflection in the late spring. Senior Seminar meets for an hour a day throughout the entire school year.

The small size of Senior Seminar allows teachers and students to become intimate with one another in a way that allows for close monitoring of individual progress. In addition to frequent student/teacher check-ins, a series of peer conferences are instituted over the course of the year. By design, therefore, the Seminar serves as a source of encouragement and support for seniors as they engage in the work of their projects. Senior Seminar teachers come from a variety of disciplines--math, social studies, science, and English--and work together to coordinate logistics and instructional priorities.

The most important factor in the success of the Senior Project is institutional buy-in. The school must treat Senior Project as a priority and devote adequate time and resources to its implementation. While most schools don't have the luxury of Senior Seminar, the Senior Project can just as well be housed in an existing class. At South Medford High School in Medford, Oregon, a team of English teachers spearheaded the Senior Project initiative (with SMHS Seniors completing their Senior Projects as part of the English curriculum), and their school has become a model for effective management ever since.

Additionally, the sooner the Senior Project expectations and requirements are introduced to the students, the better prepared they will be to delve into the work. Last year, we were not ready to launch the Senior Project until mid-November, and many Seniors later reflected that they would have benefited from more time. This year, we intend to distribute the Senior Project Handbook to students in late September, and already the rising Seniors have begun to think about possible topics and projects. Hopefully, with its growing success and visibility, the Senior Project will continue to become part of the cultural fabric of the school in such a way that even younger Parker students will look forward to their Senior year.


VII. Conclusion

In an era where high-stakes examinations are becoming an increasing trend in public education, the Senior Project provides a viable alternative to multiple-choice questions and weeks of disruptive testing as a means of assessing student performance. If we truly care to determine what graduates from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts know and are able to do, then we must be willing to empower them to show us.

By instituting the Senior Project as a graduation requirement, one which holds students to high standards, seniors are no longer entitled to "blow off" their final year of high school. They are treated as mature and independent individuals, and they are given a true glimpse of what it is like to function as adults in the "real world." In the words of one member of the Class of 2000:

Although it is unpleasant, the possibility of failure is real. Although no one would ever want to see a senior fail, the possibility of their failure must be admitted. If a senior were to fail, it would not be the end of the world. In fact, that senior would be forced to develop autonomy by their failure because they would have to know how to work autonomously so they could do their second Senior Project and graduate. It would be far better to have a senior fail and learn autonomy than to have a senior go off into college (or the real world) unable to do their own work.

This high-stakes nature of the Senior Project is precisely what makes it such a viable and integral part of the Senior year experience. It forces Seniors to be accountable--not to state-imposed content standards--but to designing, implementing, and exhibiting a rigorous, inquiry-driven, research-based, multidisciplinary and collaborative project that is of some benefit to the broader community.

Additionally, the effects of the Senior Project are far more wide-reaching than any data that could be amassed from standardized tests. As well as the obvious sense of individual accomplishment that seniors feel upon completion of their projects, the Senior Project also reaps the following benefits:

• Eliminates "senioritis" and causes seniors to model focused, independent learning for the younger students.
• Fosters staff renewal (by affording teachers the opportunity to mentor students who share their interests and passions).
• Enhances school/community relations.
• Focuses curriculum.
• Promotes cooperative learning.
• Requires all seniors to actually apply a skills demonstration which is tied to their diplomas.
• Is a multi-intelligence model.
• Allows seniors to model active vs. passive learning.
• Focuses all students on a long term, academic goal.
• Increases interdisciplinary efforts across the curriculum.
• Requires students to become meaningful decision-makers.
• Enhances school-to-work programs and the development of students' technological and higher level thinking skills.2

Any true agenda for educational reform should consider the Senior Project for all of the above reasons. It has instilled a sense of ownership in and brought excitement to Seniors at Parker and at dozens of other schools nation-wide, and it truly has the potential to revolutionize the constitution of the senior year experience. Rather than idly complaining about the lethargy and laziness of their post-January seniors (while allowing the same problems to recur each year), teachers and administrators everywhere would be better served to challenge seniors through the innovative work of the Senior Project.

1. Coalition of Essential Schools. http://www.essentialschools.org,

2. Far West EDGE, Inc. [a consulting group that provides workshops and materials for Senior Project programs]. http://www.seniorproject.org,

3. Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School. http://www.parker.org,

Parker School Senior Projects, 1999-2000

Our first class of 33 Seniors graduated in June of 2000, and their projects were as varied as the individuals themselves. The following is a list of the project topics for the Parker School Class of 2000:

Building an Electric Guitar
Portrayal of Women - Body Image
Meteorology
ESL Education
Song and Composition
Fusion Jazz
Set Design
Justice and World Politics
Physical Therapy
Caricature
Start-Up Businesses
Intentional Communities
Teenage Risk-taking Behavior
Homelessness and Technology
Small Business Management
Effects of Tourism on Native Cultures
Honduran Notion of "Home"
Students with Special Needs
Environmental Conservation
Music Production
Professional Wrestling
Girls in Science and Math
Commercialization of Schools
Teenage Depression and Suicide
Independent Filmmaking
Music Business
Assimilation into "American" Culture
Latina Women and Literature
Nutrition
Busing and Integration
Teenage Homelessness
The Physics of Sound
Epidemiology of Lyme Disease
The Southern Accent

About the Parker School

A six-year public secondary school of choice, the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School is open by lottery admissions to all residents of Massachusetts in grades seven through twelve.

One of Massachusetts' first charter schools, Parker was started in 1995 by area parents and teachers committed to the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools (see p. 3), of which it is a fully approved member. In June 1999, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts granted Parker a five-year renewal of its charter as a public school reporting directly to the state Department of Education. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges elected Parker in 1999 as a "candidate member school" for accreditation. 3

The school was named after Francis W. Parker, the 19th-century New England educator who is known as the father of American progressive education.

About the Author

Jed Lippard is a founding teacher of the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School. He completed his undergraduate degree in American Civilization at Brown University in 1995, where he also earned Secondary English teaching certification through Brown's Teacher Education Program.

Jed teaches Arts and Humanities (history, literature, writing, and the arts) at Parker, and he has had the unique experience of "moving up" with the first cohort of students from seventh through twelfth grade. In addition to teaching, Jed also coaches the Parker baseball team, led a group of 14 students on a trip to Costa Rica in the summer of 1999, and he coordinates a bi-monthly performance evening for all members of the Parker community.

In the summer of 2000, Jed served as a mentor teacher for the Teacher Education Program at Brown University. He worked with new teachers on methods of developing curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, and he is now back at Parker for his sixth year.