News
SOUL Seeking
A unique end to the school year
With June around the corner and the end of the school year in sight, our academic focus has begun to shift. After weeks of dreaming and planning, a team of Shawnigan staff have developed SOUL Seeking – an exciting inquiry-based learning program designed for students in grades 8-11. This program will end the academic portion of our school year, at the time when examinations would normally take place.
At its heart, SOUL Seeking is an opportunity for students to explore something that they are passionate about. Students can work on their own or can team up with their peers, with no limit to group size as long as each team member plays an equal role.
As for what students will be working on, that remains entirely up to them. “Hopefully students will work on things that will ignite their soul,” shares Thomas Lupton, Director of Teaching and Learning. He explains that they can choose one of two routes – a guided inquiry or a free inquiry. A list of dozens of topics proposed by Shawnigan teachers, arranged into categories as wide-ranging as leadership, super science, and travel, has been supplied for those students wishing to follow a guided inquiry. All students, however, are invited to follow the free inquiry route and come up with their own idea. Regardless of focus, projects will be inter-disciplinary in nature.
Students are expected to keep a journal throughout their SOUL Seeking journey to record their goals and their progress. With proper journaling, students in grades 10 and 11 can even translate their SOUL Seeking project into their Capstone project for grade 12. Mr. Lupton emphasizes that the journaling and planning process is of equal importance to the final product – especially since students’ final products will be so different from each other, and in some cases, not “final” at all.
A key to SOUL Seeking is the independent nature of the work. Once students have chosen a focus, they will be assigned to a teacher team based on their topic. Teachers will provide guidance and structure through daily check-ins, but otherwise, students will work on their own. As Mr. Lupton explains, “We [teachers] are the cheerleaders, we’re the lifeguards outside of the pool, here to help.”
As we launch SOUL Seeking and explore inquiry-based learning in earnest, Mr. Lupton envisions a shift in Shawnigan’s approach to learning – even after we have transitioned back to on-campus learning. “We’re going to take this idea and improve it,” he says, sharing that he is excited to see project-based learning integrated into a multi-dimensional education at Shawnigan.
“I think this is going to be a really exciting period,” continues Mr. Lupton. “I think this is a huge opportunity for us as a school, as individuals, and as educators, and I’m really excited about it.”
Grade 12 students can choose to opt in to the SOUL Seeking program, but will also have their own program in place to help them prepare for life after high school. SOUL Flight: Graduation Transitions will include academic and pastoral support and will connect graduates with alumni working or studying in their field of interest.
At its heart, SOUL Seeking is an opportunity for students to explore something that they are passionate about. Students can work on their own or can team up with their peers, with no limit to group size as long as each team member plays an equal role.
As for what students will be working on, that remains entirely up to them. “Hopefully students will work on things that will ignite their soul,” shares Thomas Lupton, Director of Teaching and Learning. He explains that they can choose one of two routes – a guided inquiry or a free inquiry. A list of dozens of topics proposed by Shawnigan teachers, arranged into categories as wide-ranging as leadership, super science, and travel, has been supplied for those students wishing to follow a guided inquiry. All students, however, are invited to follow the free inquiry route and come up with their own idea. Regardless of focus, projects will be inter-disciplinary in nature.
Students are expected to keep a journal throughout their SOUL Seeking journey to record their goals and their progress. With proper journaling, students in grades 10 and 11 can even translate their SOUL Seeking project into their Capstone project for grade 12. Mr. Lupton emphasizes that the journaling and planning process is of equal importance to the final product – especially since students’ final products will be so different from each other, and in some cases, not “final” at all.
A key to SOUL Seeking is the independent nature of the work. Once students have chosen a focus, they will be assigned to a teacher team based on their topic. Teachers will provide guidance and structure through daily check-ins, but otherwise, students will work on their own. As Mr. Lupton explains, “We [teachers] are the cheerleaders, we’re the lifeguards outside of the pool, here to help.”
As we launch SOUL Seeking and explore inquiry-based learning in earnest, Mr. Lupton envisions a shift in Shawnigan’s approach to learning – even after we have transitioned back to on-campus learning. “We’re going to take this idea and improve it,” he says, sharing that he is excited to see project-based learning integrated into a multi-dimensional education at Shawnigan.
“I think this is going to be a really exciting period,” continues Mr. Lupton. “I think this is a huge opportunity for us as a school, as individuals, and as educators, and I’m really excited about it.”
Grade 12 students can choose to opt in to the SOUL Seeking program, but will also have their own program in place to help them prepare for life after high school. SOUL Flight: Graduation Transitions will include academic and pastoral support and will connect graduates with alumni working or studying in their field of interest.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
