Annabel: I'm Back!

Friend walks up to a girl while she is studying on the couch.  The Friend puts a stapled pile of papers in front of her and asks, “Annabel, did you print this out?”

(The view at right is the cover page) Annabel studies the page for a bit.  She stares at her Friend and says, “Yes. Thank you.”

The Friend is about to leave, and then they ask another question, “What are you studying, or what is it about? I skimmed through and found a couple of edits and errors within your piece.  I did not understand one thing about what it said.”

“It's cool.  I am still editing the essay.  Currently it's in the planning stages.  The essay that I'm writing will be on symbolism.”

“Ok then.  Can you be more descriptive?”

Annabel takes a long sigh and then speaks, “I am writing an essay about symbols for the Edge blog.  You know that right?”

The Friend nods their head.  Annabel continues, “As you know I am a senior preparing for college.  So, since I am not the strongest with completing tasks, I thought of writing an essay, having no idea how long it will be and then posting it.  I will be reading two books for the essay in the meanwhile.”

The Friend says, “Oh is that what's on your lap?  The book, what is it called?”

Annabel says, “Yes, this book is The Man and His Symbols, by Carl Jung.  I have only read a little bit, but I really like it.  I don't have the other book I am reading with me, but it will be The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown.”

“Cool.  Is that what you mainly do on your laptop? Is it research?”

“Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

Annabel glares, annoyed and suspicious, at the Friend, “What's your name again?  It doesn't make sense that you're just standing here for...how long? 20 minutes?”

The Friend says, “One:  it is sad that you cannot recognize me, but I am keeping myself anonymous.  This is because my work will come later.  Anyway, besides researching, what else?”

“Besides school work for Kildonan, I listen to music, watch short videos on YouTube to regain my sanity, research for the essay, and play around on Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.  Sometimes I just get bored of all of that, and I write.”

“Oh, cool.  Want to talk about something else?”

“Sure.”

“Are you staying for once this weekend?”

“I'm sorry.  I'm not.”

The Friend crosses their arms and cocks their head, “Why not?”

“I thought I told you.  I have a class on the weekend in the city at FIT?”

“Oh, right.  I forgot.  Sorry about that.  What classes are you taking again?”

“It's fine.  I'm taking two classes in the city.  My first one is an introduction to Adobe Illustrator.  The second one is a styling class.”

“OK."

A voice comes from the peanut gallery and says, “Hey, Annabel we need to go to our next class.”

Annabel starts to pack up her stuff in her nice black backpack.  She says, “See ya next time, Friend-whose-name-I've-forgotten.  I need to go to my Social Problems class.  You can ask me more about it at dinner.”

Ben: Terrain Park Design

Model of the project site (material:  plasticine).  Image and object created by Ben.

Hello! My name is Ben Baird, and I’m a junior at Kildonan. This is my first year in Edge. My plan is to push my education as much as possible and to make a really impressive project with the time I have. My project is based on terrain park design and mountain bike trail-building. For those of you who don't know what that is, at almost all ski mountains there is some kind of terrain park with jumps, rails (hand railings), and jibs (anything to jump on or tap) to ride. Mountain bike trail-building involves clearing wooded areas, building features (like jumps), and moving obstacles (rocks and roots) to create trails for different riders skill levels. This is a career I want to pursue after school.

The first thing I did was research. I started reading articles like crazy. I also watched a bunch of snowboard videos trying to find new features I could add to my park. I realize that I'm a hands-on learner, so I decided I wanted to build something.  Also its an opportunity for me to do something really fun and cool that will make me stick out when I'm looking for a job or college.

A schematic of Ben's tail-tap feature.
Original design created by Ben.

I wanted this park to be challenging but also fun: the amount of manpower I have (just me)...and the time limit I have (winter isn't long and is unpredictable)...factored into this decision. I've learned a lot already, more than I thought I would. Since snowboarding is my passion, I thought I would already know most of it.  I thought I would be just checking my information.   

Anyway, I came up with a plan to draw the park, make a model of the park, make the features, and, finally, shape the snow and complete the park. I talked to Ms. Charlap, Mr Rivera, and Mr. Bisson about my plan, and they were able to get me plasticine: a type of modeling clay that doesn’t require firing. I made a model base at home, and when I showed it to Ms. Charlap she told me it would be really cool if I could add feet to it to make it the exact angle of the hill. So I decided to measure the hill in a few spots. I dug into the hill with a trowel, making a 90 degree angle. Then, I double checked with a level to make sure it was 90 degrees. Then, I took a protractor and measured the angle of the hill. The first time I did this I made a really, really, really silly math error and measured with the protractor incorrectly. However, after I fixed that I found out that the steepest part was 30 degrees and the flattest part was 10 degrees. It worked out perfectly because the base of the model was perfectly 10 degrees (which was the steepest angle possible).

Then, I thought realistically: what can I build? I wanted something fun but challenging. I designed the park to have rollers (snowy bumps to catch speed on), berms (banked turns), rails (hand rails), jumps, and jibs (anything to jump on).  However, things changed after that. For instance, I changed my mind on the type of rails I was making. I also changed my mind on the type of jib. Instead of having an old barrel as the jib, I wanted to make a wind chime so that, when you tail tap, it makes a noise. This was a idea me and my father came to on the phone.

Ben's project site:  the hill (a.k.a. "Big Bertha") at The Kildonan School. 
Image taken by Ben.

After making some changes, I started to lay out the base. Because of the limited space on the model, I designed it so that the most important features would have the most room. I did this because I know this won't be a problem on the hill because it has plenty of room. Then, I added the clay in the spaces at the angle they’re supposed to be, added the jumps and landings, bent paper clips to make rails, and made a mini-wind chime.

Ben at work on his tail-tap.  Image taken by Ms. Charlap.

I started to design a wind chime. I knew it needed to be tall because, if it's too short, it would have to be next to the landing (which you would be coming at too fast). It had to be tall enough to be at the highest point of the jump where you're going the slowest (because you're transitioning from arcing up to arcing down). This is so nobody gets hurt. I wanted it to have legs so that it could be as tall as possible. When you put it in the ground, you lose height overall. I chose steel and copper pipes as the materials of the actual wind chime (tail tap). After I finished the design, I had one big problem: I needed wood, and it had to be scrap wood. One of the goals of my project was to make this whole park by repurposing stuff. I lucked out because Mrs. Charlap had a 9 foot piece of cedar wood that was 5 inches by 6 inches. It even had a notch (“mortise”) in the top for me to attach the arm to the pole. Then, when I came home a little later, my father, my friend, Owen, and I went and got scrap wood. We cut a “tenon” to about the size of the other notch (“mortise”) and brought it back to school to join together.

Currently I am working on assembling my wind chime stand. I have the arm and eye hook fully attached, so all that's left are the legs. I'm also finishing up a proposal for a possible summer job building mountain bike trails for the Village of Lake George (spoiler!). Soon I will be fixing and preparing some old hand rails for the park. Also, Mrs. Charlap and I are going to get some art students to paint some big cardboard cylinders as tail taps. Then, it is just a waiting game for the first big storm!

Annabel: My Year in Edge

Upon approaching the end of the school year, Annabel elected to conclude her work as she began it:  with a blog post meditating upon her work and time in Edge.  Presented in its original wording, this piece speaks not only to Annabel's experience but also to the environment of Edge more generally.  Thank you, Annabel, for sharing your wise words.  You are braver than all of us.

- & -

Annabel's conception of fractals, The Golden Ratio, and the Fibonacci Sequence, above.
Image shared with the permission of Annabel.

The definition of a pattern is a repeated, decorative design.  The first thing that you normally think of is paisleys, optical illusions, jagged lines, a lot of circles in circles that are in circles, etc.  I joined a program, and for a full year I looked at the idea of patterns beyond the obvious.  This is what I have learned.  I am going to electrocute you with knowledge.  This is my last and final Edge blog post for the year, and I want to make it special.  So I thought of a couple of things, which will tie everything together.  Everything here does connect. 

Conspiracies are big.  They can go from a well-known president being shot to who caused 9/11 (or who took down the World Trade Center).  Conspirators are people who look up information and go more in-depth with the knowledge they seek.  They find certain spots that seem to connect everything together and say, “This is it! Here is my point of view on the story.”  One of the conspiracies I want to debunk right now - because my peers and I have been told and asked about this many times - is this belief that Edge students do not do any work.  Edge kids do actual work.  We do more work than what is expected from typical classroom habits.

One of the many qualities of human nature is neophobia, or the fear of trying new things.  People think that children must be sat down in front of a teacher and learn everything only according to that hierarchy, not allowing the child to go and figure out the information for themselves.  This idea of a child being free can seem like the end of the world.  The apocalypse.  This must seem like doomsday to most teachers, parents, and traditionalists.  Well, we Edge students do sit and think.  But we don’t do just that.  We talk to our three advisors and tell them what we have learned.  In Edge we also collaborate with our peers.  If you don’t believe me by the end of what I wrote, then I have no clue what to say. It is all just your opinion.

We have passed down knowledge to the next generation in a similar formation to hunting and gathering.  I am still digging deeper into this idea, but the gist of it is that we as humans - if you believe in the idea of evolution - started to hunt and gather knowledge and pass it down to the next generation.  We kept on doing this until we settled down into farmland and started to invent things like domestication and duplicating crops.  After about 5,000 years or so, we sat down and created optional schools for children at a young age.  This went into the factory system, which was invented in the 1800s.  We started changing this idea in the 2000s and 2010s.  But...this idea is not stopping.

Annabel's calculations using the Fibonacci Sequence, above.
Image shared with the permission of Annabel.

Another thing, which I scratched the surface of, is fractals.  This is a pattern where you see something and it keeps on repeating the more and more you get into it.  Like, irrational numbers whose origins come from the Greeks.  Like the commonly used Pi or phi.  Wait! You never heard of Phi? (Gasps from the nonexistent crowd) Well, phi is 1.181639887498948 … this could go on forever because it is an irrational number.  But the main reason why it is important is because it is used in the idea of the golden spiral.  This is a spiral where the pattern starts at 0.  Then you add 0 to 1 (0+1=1), and add 1 to 1 (1+1=2), and add 1 to 2 (1+2=3), and 2 to 3, and then 3 to 5, and so on.  If you don’t get that pattern, here it is in simplified form:  add the number before to the answer that you got before.  To the left is an example of what I am talking about.  The pattern is 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, etc..  This is just one of the many examples I have found in my learning about fractals. 

Learning about certain topics is a big pattern too.  I am going to give an example. Say you want to become an English major.  “English” is a very broad topic.  You look at certain books, and you notice that you are very into science fiction.  In a manner of speaking, you just hit about ten birds with one stone.  Deadpool-style.  With two guns, while we’re at it.  But you are still stuck because this is still a big topic.  So you say you want to look at Apocalypses.  Good, you just killed 10 more birds.  But here is the problem: what do you want to write about apocalypses? Another 10 birds after research.  Editing part of the process? 10 birds. But then you ‘finish’ or summarize what you learned. That would be the end of a hundred of birds you just killed.  (By the way, no birds were harmed in the creating of this description).

But what is the point of me joining Edge?  Well, for one reason.  To learn about something which I would otherwise never have had the opportunity for.  I started out in a normal public school and stayed there for about 10 years.  Never really knowing how to read like others, like the teacher’s “factory” way, or to do anything that is considered “normal” (which was go into a classroom and stare at a page for a long time thinking ‘what is this?’).   I had some very bad times in that school district, but there was a new opportunity presented to me.  That was, transferring to a new school.  There I was slowly able to grow.  I felt something going on.  Like, there is a part of a pattern that we are all missing. For me, something very important was missing.  So, I joined Edge thinking that creative writing was my passion, my main pattern. Patterns, on the other hand, would be something I did for art.  Then I looked more into patterns. One day one of my advisors, Ms. Charlap, told me about this thing called Fractals.  I worked my butt off trying to figure them out.  I became a very complex, modern pattern master.  Even though I am still trying to learn it, I am picking it up slowly.

I also had an opportunity to help fix a pattern.  If you do not know, I am dyslexic.  So, I am trying to learn how to read. It is a slow and super hair-raising, tedious process, but I am making strides.  I was able to read a paper about my life story to convince senators to sign a form that would help the next generation.  This bill would make teachers know about dyslexia in school and is called the A9116.  I compared my learning and how I was trying to learn to using a scythe, a trowel, and a shovel. I need to find which tool let me dig effectively for my treasure of knowledge.  I really did hope for the best.  I then realized:  a couple months later, this was a part of a pattern that helped fix the world.

If you have not noticed, I have been italicizing certain words throughout this piece. These are the words that I have been italicizing:  conspiracy, qualities, knowledge, fractals, learning, opportunity and fix.  These all do connect into one big project.  Everything that I have written about is just the beginning to a big pattern that I am up against.  And I will still be up against it.  It is a never-ending fight to learn something new.  

There is one word to describe all of those words, and that is realization.  One of my greatest inspirations through my learning is Leonardo Da Vinci.  He is dyslexic just like me.  He founded this quote that helps connect this entire essay and my morals for my Edge project together: “Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else."

Max: Theater (& Edge as Performance)

Max has spent much of his Edge time interviewing - and reflecting upon the words of - Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane, Bonnie Comley, and Sharon Carr as well as Playbill.com founder and editor Robert Viagas.  For his thoughts on the experience, please read below.

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Max, pictured at right, interviews Broadway producer Sharon Carr.
Image taken by Max.

"A play is like a corporation.  It's got a lot of different people all doing different jobs.  When people see a Broadway show, they think it is just one larger thing.  But it's not.  It's got a lot of moving parts.  You've got people picking the venue, picking the costumes, the director, the actors.  It's all that coming together to put the show on.  I mean, I didn't know all of that before the interviews.  I had to learn there are people they like to work with and teams that they like to pick.  Like, when they do a show, is there a certain person that they like to be with before they pick everyone else?

"Directors have people that they mesh well with.  If they need help, they can give them suggestions.  If they need help, they give suggestions on how to do things in a different, better way.  You know, how to make clearer a scene or the understanding of what is happening at that moment in the play.  Producers are like the CEO.  They help everyone do their part.  Directors ask, 'Are you doing your part?' The producers are kind of like what the Edge team does every week.  They say, 'Have you worked on this? Work on this more.  Go into more depth into your character.  Have you found this costume yet? Are you almost done?'

"The thing is - at the end of the school year - we do a performance of what we have learned.  We show what we've learned and show how Edge has helped us to pursue that and go more in-depth.  I think the depth of it is what helps everyone get as much as they want out of their searching and their project.  They're thinking about what they want to do.  It's kind of like them not having a schedule, but they can make their schedule in the structure that they're doing it.  They're making their own school in a way that works for them.

Posters of Broadway shows The Elephant Man and The Scottsboro Boys.
Image taken by Max.

"I [did] a show recently.  We listed things that are important to us.  We saw what could connect:  social art and music, social media (because you can share it), etc.  We whittled it down to three things that connected with each other, and then we made three different plays.  I'm in the first play, which is showing how social media enhances my life.  I am an actor.  I am the boyfriend in the play.

"In college, you create your own schedule:  what classes you want to take and when they are.  Edge helps kids with that because you're not going to have a schedule that someone hands you at the beginning of the year.  You have to make that.  You have to see when the classes are, what the classes are.  You have to build that schedule toward what you want to do.  That approach makes it set in the people.  It makes us more susceptible to what is going to happen in the future.  It helps us know what is going to happen.

"Edge makes me get more in-depth with what I want to do.  So I understand more about where my life is going and how I can make that happen, or how it will affect my life.  When I choose what I want to do and what I want to study, I can automatically have a sense of where my life is going to go if I choose it.  I think it's just easier to know how you're going to function in a setting like that.  Some of the Edge setting is like that.  It's better to know how to act in a setting than to get in the setting and not know how to respond to it."

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Have a thought on Max's work? Please post in the comments section below! (If you do not see that section, please click on this post's title to be brought to its individual page.  Once there, scroll all the way down to see the comments feature).

7th Annual Academic and Art Expo

The Edge Team would like to thank parents, family members, and - of course - the Edge Makers themselves in helping to make December 18th's 7th Annual Academic and Art Expo a hit.  We saw students offer a variety of compelling presentations:  artwork, a poetry reading, a survey concerning science fiction, a guided review of scientific research, a "magical" experiment in music theater, an analysis of PTSD diagnostic tests, a presentation on entrepreneurship, cupcakes, a demonstration of a hard drive in operation, offerings of Japanese food, an overview of the history of the Native American tribes of North America, and a discussion on composting and sustainability.  Thank you, everyone, for continuing to push this community within @KildonanSchool to explore ever more innovative and fascinating interdisciplinary work.

For those students, families, and readers who missed the event, please consult the accompanying photos (above and below).  All images taken by the Edge Team.

FINAL: Trey Presents His Cartoon

Trey designed this year's work in order to transform the pursuit that he began last year.  After exploring the psychology of sound during the 2013-2014 year, he turned his gaze to sound design and ProTools (@AvidProTools) during 2014-2015.  This focus saw him spend little time in the IP building.  Partnering with one of Kildonan's music instructors Michael Klvana, Trey carved out a workspace for himself in the music building.  He received prompts from Klvana as part of a sound design class, but due to flexibility in his schedule, Trey devoted entire portions of his day to the projects.

What was he working on?

(1) A remix of David Bowie's "Changes." 

As published in a previous blog post, Trey expressed interest in revamping this classic Bowie song.  Inspired by Macklemore (@macklemore), he set off to create his own rendition of "Changes" by injecting rap breaks infused with hip hop.  He proved voracious in his approach, for he scoured the campus for local talent.  He brought in student trombonists, consulted faculty musicians for guitar, and even called upon a student rapper for the main line.  Trey ran into scheduling difficulties with his on-campus musicians, however, and at that point the process halted indefinitely.  He attempted to reach out to professionals in NYC, but these efforts did not yield results.  For now, then, the project is at a standstill; perhaps he will be able to revisit it while at Full Sail.

(2) A jazz line overlaid with dubstep.

As he said before to the IP faculty, Trey has a penchant for jazz and big band.  What if, he posed, he designed a music mash-up combining these styles with electronic/​dubstep? He made in-roads into this pursuit, but this too remains a work that he can revisit only post-Kildonan.

(3) An updated black and white cartoon.

This project constituted the bulk of Trey's work.  One day Mr. Klvana approached the sound design class and posed that they select a clip and replace some of the sounds with their own.  After hunting on the Internet for some time, Trey discovered Disney (@Disney)'s "Mickey Mouse:  Mickey's Mechanical Man."  Released on June 17, 1933, this black and white cartoon saw Mickey Mouse (per his original animation) create a robot and enter him into a boxing match with a gorilla, "Kongo Killer."  This clip possessed interesting sounds, so Trey selected this piece as the one that he would revamp.  To see the original clip, click here.

Once he had made his decision, Trey set off on a sustained process of sound engineering.  He was kind enough, too, to invite the IP faculty to his workspace so that we could begin to comprehend his process.  Separated in a small room, Trey manipulated ProTools on a desktop computer with his laptop, a microphone, and various instruments positioned nearby.  Viewing multiple lines of sound at once, Trey would highlight particular sections of the original clip and then begin to fashion his own in a parallel sequence.  He consulted banks of sound via public domain for more obscure noises, but he also did not hesitate to create his own when these searches proved fruitless.  Indeed, Trey was a veteran in this process after creating an original composition entitled "Sound Art" last year; therefore, he set about crafting his own sounds with gusto.

After months of work - on the very last day of school, no less - Trey approached the IP community ready to present his piece.  He gathered the students and his family in "The Makers' Space" and launched into a guided viewing.

Experience the presentation for yourselves by clicking here. 

(NOTE:  Please increase your volume.)

Ultimately, the Edge /​ IP faculty believe that Trey succeeded in modernizing the clip.  By inserting a heavy metal line underneath and by stressing effects that resembled actual punches, he evoked an atmosphere more honest to an actual boxing match.  In this way, as Ms. Charlap wisely pointed out during the follow-up Q&​A, Trey encouraged the cartoon to avoid shying away from the violence that it conveys visually.  He stripped away the comic score underneath and did away with Disney's reluctance to entertain violence; instead, he highlighted the latter as the central focus of his piece.

Trey produced an insightful, entertaining cartoon that allowed him to share his evolving understanding of ProTools and sound design.  In this way, he fused his two years within IP into a larger tract along which he will continue to travel once he reaches Full Sail University (@FullSail) in September.  We are proud of the progress and maturation that Trey has facilitated for himself over the past two years, and we encourage you to celebrate his work with us by posting in the comments section below.

Descriptions of images:  An album cover of David Bowie's "Changes," top-left (located at www.rockpeaks.com).  Upper-mid sees a shot from "Mickey's Mechanical Man" (located at drgrobsanimationreview.com).  Pictured at lower-mid is a screenshot of ProTools (located at www.lennonbus.org).  Kildonan and its IP program claim no ownership over the images preceding or Disney's cartoon.  Bottom left shows Trey beginning his presentation; photo taken by the IP faculty.

FINAL: Tim Diversifies His Pursuits

Tim could have chosen to conclude his IP work in April.  Why? After facilitating writing assignments for himself, he discovered a love for the craft and realized that his writing could effect advocacy and change.  He then went about assembling his fellow IPians and developing a comprehensive Keynote for a presentation to Kildonan's Board of Trustees.  This address allowed him to celebrate IP, educate the Kildonan community on the approach, and begin to push for an independent fund for the program.  More importantly, the ensuing conversation offered him a natural scenario in which to practice his public speaking, a skill that he attributes to IP and its varied forums.  To repeat, Tim might have chosen to conclude his year's work with this event.  In so doing, he would have left the year with a strong arc/​portfolio.

But he chose not to do this.  Therefore, he - and his pursuits - proved even stronger at year's end.

Per our article announcing "Edge," Tim chose to spend the remainder of his year expanding upon his learning "process."  This final push saw him begin many smaller projects that will undoubtedly inform his Edge work next year as well as his upcoming college application process.  During the final month and a half or so, Tim explored:

(1) Blogging.  Not long before designing his presentation to the Board of Trustees, Tim worked with his tutor to create a blog "Exploring Current Events" via Blogger.com (@Blogger).  This profile serves a dual purpose.  It allows him, on one hand, to continue to develop his writing skills and to practice strategies such as audience awareness, digital literacy, research, and proofreading.  On the other hand, this blog also encourages him to extend his IP work to the Internet and share his thoughts with a larger community.  Tim has reflected upon topics ranging from the limitations of dyslexia empowerment, Steve Jobs and his approach to business, Greece's request for $300 billion of Germany, and Elon Musk (@elonmusk)'s challenge to utility companies with his "Powerwall."  Please be sure to check out Tim's blog, as he is likely to continue this profile when school resumes in September.

(2) Hard Drive Deconstruction.  During the final month of school, Tim began to dissect a hard drive in order to understand its mechanics.  He felt particularly interested in how an actuator reads the disk in addition to how a hard drive's retrieval system compares to that of a floppy disk.  Tim and the IP faculty enjoyed various conversations on the defragging process and viruses.  Ultimately, Tim proved relentless in analyzing the machine.  He even used his accidents as learning experiences, such as when - after cracking one of the magnets in the hard drive - he began to study neodymium.

(3) Networking.  Early in May, IP received a visitor in the person of Evan Donovan, a Kildonan alumnus ('13) who created a personal IP-esque structure before the program even existed.  While visiting, he and the IP faculty happened to begin speaking about 3D printers.  His college possesses two of the devices, he explained, and he uses them in order to print out the body and parts for drones.  He went on to to say more, and before he made much headway, we called in Tim to participate.  The two students lost track of the IP faculty and held a heady conversation concerning rotor databases and drone designs.  Ultimately, Evan recommended that Tim purchase a $75-$120 practice drone of the hobby variety; such a device, he assured the latter, could help him learn the basics of flight without the cost of a top-notch machine.  He also offered that he and Tim get together over the summer in order to troubleshoot the latter's drone work.  Tim readily agreed.  This evolving partnership bodes well for Tim's work next year (drone specific or otherwise).

(4) Quantum Physics and Fusion.  Tim gave the IP faculty a pleasant surprise when he approached them one day with the request to explore quantum physics.  He assured us that this branch of his studies would constitute only one week's worth of study, but fortunately, he has immersed himself in this discipline to a depth much greater than he originally expected.  During Founders' Day, for instance, he replicated the "Double-Slit Experiment" (not unlike Khaled) and went on to speak towards theories he was researching.  He felt particularly inspired by quantum computing and quantum entanglement theory for their ability to revolutionize computer effectiveness.  This interest aligned nicely with the in-roads that he forged into Lockheed Martin Skunk Works (@LockheedMartin), a company that is attempting to build a prototype that harnesses the power of fusion for commercial and defense ventures (see the video below).

Thank you, Tim, for continuing to diversify your work as a true polymath! We are proud of your progress and maturation this year, and we encourage our readers to celebrate with us by posting in the comments section below.

Descriptions of images:  A screenshot of Tim's blog, top-right (located at exploringcurrentevents.blogspot.com).  Middle left finds an graphic of a hard drive (located at www.datarecoverydublin.ie).  A hobbyist's drone, pictured at middle right (located at www.hcn.org).  Bottom left sees a graphic rendering of quantum computing (located at www.slate.com).  Kildonan and its Edge / IP program claim no ownership over the media above.

FINAL: Piterson Completes a Half-Skeleton

Piterson began to feel the effects of senioritis as winter gave way to spring.  He was visiting his skeleton less frequently, so he saw his sculpting progress begin to slow.  He was cognizant of this change, too, for he spoke of it during one of his many check-ins with the IP faculty.  "OK," the team responded.  "What do you feel like you still need to accomplish while here? How do you want to leave?"

This moment of guided self-reflection proved the necessary component to spur Piterson.  Immediately following this conversation, he renegotiated his IP work schedule in order to grant himself time to visit his skeleton every day.  Soon we saw very little of him at all, for he began to spend several hours of the morning as well as the entire afternoon in "The Makers' Space."

Piterson made tremendous strides with his newfound discipline.  At one point during the spring, he approached the IP team because he was having difficulties with the smoothness of a portion of the pelvis (although he did not know the name of the bone, he was referring to the lilac fossa).  We suggested posterboard material, but Piterson configured an inventive (and more aesthetic) workaround using a variety of materials.  He bent supple twigs gradually in order to form a curved frame; using this piece as an outline, he then mapped and cut plywood to form the lilac fossa.  He glued this to the outline and repeated the process for the second half of the pelvis.

Throughout his process, Piterson launched intensive research with a heightened sense of precision. He evinced exemplary visual acuity and engineering by translating a 2D image into a 3D piece.  Perhaps he best applied these skills while wrestling with the textures of the spine.  Using various computer programs to project and rotate images on a large flatscreen TV, he noticed that the posterior view revealed two different shapes.  Although he did not know the names "cervical vertebrae" and "thoracic vertebrae," he concluded that the top bones (the former) were flatter and more rectangular while the bottom bones (the latter) were shaped almost like "W's" or teeth.  The top bones, too, appeared darker for their close approximity to one another.  Piterson therefore went about creating these two bones, using a dull cardboard for the top bones and a lighter plywood for the bottom.  He produced and connected his spine to the pelvis, creating a piece that startled the IP team for its beauty.


Piterson strove to complete the skeleton before he left.  The year ran out before he could target the skull, however, so he was only able to complete half of the skeleton.  True, he did not finish the project that he set for himself.  However, that fact does not, of course, invalidate the project that he did create or the process in which he engaged.  As the IP faculty and students cleaned up "The Makers' Space" at year-end, we happened to put together the parts of Piterson's skeleton in order to approximate its shape.  The finished piece was even more awe-inspiring than we had anticipated.  In that moment, as this humanoid figure taller than 6 feet was erected before us, faculty and students alike grasped Piterson's true progress.  These products transcended the definition of the "models" as which they were originally conceived; they now constituted true works of art. No less importantly, although Piterson did not know the names of every bone he handled, he nevertheless came to understand them - their shape, their relationship to the bones around them - for having fashioned them himself.

Piterson created a multi-faceted sculpture, but he also laid the groundwork for an anatomical knowledge that he will inevitably call upon as he pursues personal training in the future.  We are proud of his progress and maturation this year, and we invite you to celebrate his work with us by posting in the comments section below.

Description of images:  All photos taken by the IP faculty.

FINAL: Paige Explores Gamification

Paige demonstrated stellar tutoring instincts as she finished her phonics notebook.  She distilled her research into Orton-Gillingham by compiling  appropriate reading lists, and she looked to her own experience as a student to devise learning activities that visually exceeded the traditional emphasis on multi-sensory processing.  No less importantly, she did not lose sight of her intended  audience:  an elementary school student.  Early on she realized that she had to incorporate fun into her lessons:  "I started to think of the best way to make a student understand what I wanted to teach them. I wanted to make it fun because trying to teach a student - just sitting there, going over the rule - wouldn’t have been fun." She set off to bend her lessons towards a mock student's interests in order to build rapport and help solidify the lesson's content.

In order to reach these targets, Paige began to explore gamification.  According to The Engagement Alliance, this term refers to "the process of using game mechanics and game thinking in non-gaming contexts to engage users and to solve problems. Gamification leverages game design, loyalty program design and behavioral economics to create the optimal context for behavior change and successful outcomes."  If we break this definition down, gamification allows individuals to transform non-gaming scenarios using elements of games (e.g., points, tokens, virtual/​simulated reality, etc.).

As journalist and NYU (@nyuniversity) professor Adam Penenberg (@Penenberg) relates in a Forbes article, CEOs and companies have given this approach much attention in recent years so that they might improve employee competence and morale.  Indeed, as Penenberg relates, "Google (@google) engineers have been able to spend an in-house currency called 'Goobles' on server time—often a scarce resource at Google—or use it to bet on certain outcomes."  Microsoft (@Microsoft), too, "released a game, 'Ribbon Hero,' to teach users how to make better use of its Microsoft Office software."  In education, however, gamification is perhaps merely a new name for an old practice.  Teachers have long designed games in order to help students remember their timetables and alphabet, after all.  That said, their tools - and the applications for games - have changed with the advent of iPad classroom initiatves, MinecraftEdu (@MinecraftEdu), and video games more generally.

Paige began to design her Orton-Gillingham/phonics-based games with a healthy dose of design thinking.  She meditated upon their purpose and asked herself, "What should they accomplish?"  After concluding that the games would best serve her students in proving their understanding of a given language concept, she sequenced these recreations to the end of her chapters.  For the rest of the process, we invite you to consult Paige herself:

My first game [focused on] the rule of short and long vowels. At first I had no idea on what I was going to do. Then I thought I could make "Chutes and Ladders." After putting all the words [in], Mr. Bisson and I decided to play, but he wasn’t being himself. He was acting like a elementary tutoring student. He was all over the place. He was really excited and he wanted to get up and act some of the words out. This really showed me what my students might be like in class.

The next game I made focused on soft-c. This one was a little harder to try to come up with. I first thought I was going to do a tic-tac-toe game, but I couldn’t [figure out] how to make it work. Then I came up with just putting the words up and down, moving around the board that way, rolling 1-6, and having to do something based on the number you got (such as if you rolled a 4, you had to name different types [of the word]). I played with Mr. Bisson again, and this time was a lot different. He was a student that just didn’t want to do anything. He was against playing the game or even reading the words. So, I had to be very patient and not force him to play the game. I also just needed to give him time. He started to warm up a little, but he was still hard to work with. This showed me that I don’t need to always stay on the lesson plan I have. I can get off it because some days they might just be having a bad day and just can’t work.

Paige not only designed games but also tested them and grasped the value of remaining flexible as a teacher.  Having facilitated these learning experiences for herself - and as a high school student no less - she has laid the groundwork for an insightful career in education.  We are proud of Paige's progress and maturation this year, and we invite you to celebrate her work with us by posting in the comments section below.

Description of 1st image:  A graphic rendering of gamification.  Picture found at gravity4.com.  Kildonan and its Edge / IP program claim no ownership over the photo above.

Description of 2nd and 3rd images:  Screenshots of Paige's games, taken by Paige and shared with the Edge / IP staff.

FINAL: Brad - The Antithesis of Senioritis

Leading up to graduation, many members of the Class of 2015 complained of senioritis.  Not Brad.  After rebounding from a period of procrastination in the late winter, he developed an inspiring work ethic.  He pushed towards year's end at full throttle, and at graduation he showed no sign of letting up.

Just what was Brad up to? On one hand, he continued the intensive process of crafting his fishing lures.  As his Edge and art teacher Sandy Charlap writes:

He researched the techniques and materials needed for making bucktail jigs for striper casting. He procured Heat and Drip Powder Paint and was pleased with the high gloss, one coat finish he was able to achieve on his jig heads. He was also working to perfect his technique for adding bucktail flairs to his jigs.

He used his hands and smaller tools in order to craft these pieces, but he also began to dramatically alter his process once he purchased a lathe.  He did not at first know how to use the machine, but he demonstrated initiative by setting up the device and teaching himself how to handle it.  He grew increasingly proficient on the machine, so much so that he began to drill longer vertical holes in order to craft larger lures.  Finally, he learned various techniques of lure construction from a specialist.  Every Friday for the last few weeks of the academic year, he left school early and traveled to a tackleshop on Long Island to apprentice with its owner.  By seeking out various working conditions, technologies, and mentors, Brad constructed an independent experience for himself that has allowed him to become a formidable specialist on the subject of lures.

On the other hand, Brad also fulfilled his vision for the end of the year by planning and executing a five-day fishing trip with a friend.  For more information on this subject, we refer you to Brad himself:

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"A few weekends ago I went fishing with my friend August as part of my IP project. We went fishing based on the moon and tide. Because I wrote a research paper on it, I used my paper as a guide on what days and times to fish.

"The only thing that I had to find out when I got home was where the fish were. One stop at the Rocky Point Fishing Stop put me on the right track. I went in with August and talked to Stan. He told me that there were monster blues at Smith’s Point under the Birge on the bay side. Later that night we geared up and headed out. We got to the beach at dark, and I felt ready to fish right away. I got one on the beach, but I lost 8 others by getting tangled up.

"The next day we went on a party boat out of Port Jeff for the opening day of the fluke season. It was terrible, plain and simple. I caught two small fish and one sea robin. In my opinion, it’s not looking good for the fluke season on the north shore for this year. Later that night we went to the beach and tried throwing plugs for a little while on the incoming tide. I was dead, though, so we gave it up after about an hour or two (the bugs were getting pretty bad, anyway).

"The next day we went back to Smith’s Point. I got there at about 11 or 12, and I fished until 5:30. The weather could not have been better, for there was not too much wind and a lot of cloud coverage. The only bad thing is that we missed the bite. For the rest of the day, it was pretty dead. I caught two other fish, but that was it.

"On Wednesday morning we got out at 5 and were out of the house by 6:15 in order to try and get in on the morning bite. We fished for an hour and a half. It was dead. There was nothing. That is when we saw people move to the other end of the beach. We went to check it out, and the fish were everywhere. On my first cast into the school, I caught a 12-pound blue fish. Shortly after I got him, August hooked his first blue fish from the surf.

"It was one of the best days of fishing I have ever had. I caught about 10 or 15 fish from 5 to 12 pounds. August had about 7 fish from 3 to 12 pounds each. In the end, we had to leave early because I had to catch a train back to school. Otherwise, we would have caught more fish. We left them biting."

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We are proud of Brad's progress and maturation this year! If you have thoughts to share on his work and/​or his description of the trip, please post in the comments section below.

Descriptions of images:  Brad holding his catch, top right.  Brad instructing his peers on how to fashion lures, middle left.  A view from the Great South Bay, bottom right.  Middle photo taken by the Edge /​ IP faculty.  Top and bottom photos taken by Brad during his fishing trip.

FINAL: "Magic Max" Shines at Founders' Day

Max D. is no stranger to performances.  An avid member of the Society of Young Magicians (SYM), a youth offshoot of the Society of American Magicians (SAM) (@sammumnews), he has performed at camps, birthday parties, and other events for a variety of audiences.  Therefore, he seemed undaunted when he announced his intention to offer a performance on Founders' Day for fellow students, faculty, and parents.  But...this routine would be something special, he said.  It would not only satisfy Business Math requirements but also perform a specific function for IP:

I was thinking of a performance on Founders' Day  Some people attending may not understand it [IP] from just hearing about it.  If I show them, parents, students, and faculty can get what IP is all about. When I do my performance, they will understand and be illuminated that, when we research our project, we learn more about it than before we researched.

Max quickly went to work once he secured the necessary permissions.  He began to search through his inventory of tricks in earnest, designing last minute materials and giving the IP faculty more frequent mock performances.  Eventually he settled on three tricks; once he had this routine he selected a minimalistic costume and practiced his transitions.  The most tantalizing factor for the IP team was that Max did this work on his own.  He did not consult his advisors for assistance; he knew what he needed to get done, and he approached this work conscientiously and deliberately.

All of his efforts paid off too.  During his Founders' Day performance, Max introduced himself by jabbing playfully at Mr. Pendergast before moving onto his most powerful illusion ("Professor's Nightmare /​ Fiber Optic") and a well-known card trick ("Three Card Monty").  Ever the close study of humor, he put jokes to good use and evoked more than a frequent chuckle from his guests.  More than one audience member muttered confusedly as he traded rope ends during "Professor's Nightmare /​ Fiber Optic," and we all laughed along at our own ignorance as he tantalized us with his cards during "Three Card Monty."

Overall, Max's performance was a big success.  Over the course of the year, he has made huge gains in the deft handling of his tricks.  No less importantly, he has become more comfortable engaging others.  He has shifted his focus to "close-ups" (which call upon audience participation), and he has developed a performance personality that is quite magnetic.  He should feel proud of his good work, and the IP faculty invites you to celebrate with us by posting in the comments section below.

Description of images:  "Magic Max" with Mr. Pendergast, top right.  Max performing "Three Card Monty," middle left.  Max beginning his routine, bottom right.  All photos taken by IP faculty.

Bull Explores IP through Film

Enthralled by the process of learning, Bull eventually distilled his thoughts into a central question:  "What is IP?" True to character, he found this inquiry too delicious to resist.  To begin to answer it, he met with the IP faculty and discussed a video that we had watched together at the beginning of the year.  Launched by the pioneers of the Independent Project, or the students at Monument Mountain High School in Great Barrington, MA, this film began to define the program according its original imagining.  Bull had expressed interest in creating a video response earlier in the year, so we revisited the issue with him now.  Might he still be interested in such an endeavor? Might such a film answer his own question?

His answer was a resounding "yes."  Since our meeting, Bull has used a GoPro (@GoPro) camera to create a draft of his own film.  Wishing to preserve the element of surprise, he has kept the work from the eyes of the IP faculty.  He has shown no one in the program, not even a fellow student, the full piece.

On May 8th, however, Bull graced the team with a brief preview of his work.  Speaking toward the product, he remarked that he was striving for something akin to "realism."  He wished to keep the film unpolished and natural so as to capture the informal feeling of the program.  True to his intent, the scenes in his video flitted between light joviality and quiet moments of revelation.  More profound still, Bull admitted that he is perceiving an answer at long last.  After designing an octopus that continues to sprawl into infinity, he stressed that he is forming a sort of endpoint in the film, in the program, or in the cycle of the two. (As a side note, this circle conjures Vladimir Nabokov's short story "The Circle."  Bull found Nabokov's work a primary influence on his own writing earlier this year).

Ultimately, after a lengthy discussion and critique with the IP team, Bull continues production on his film.  What will it look like once he has finished it?

Description of image:  A student using a GoPro camera.  Photo located at thelantern.com.  Kildonan and its IP program claim no ownership over the picture above.

"Magic Max" Shines at Founders' Day

Max D. is no stranger to performances.  An avid member of the Society of Young Magicians (SYM), a youth offshoot of the Society of American Magicians (SAM) (@sammumnews), he has performed at camps, birthday parties, and other events for a variety of audiences.  Therefore, he seemed undaunted when he announced his intention to offer a performance on Founders' Day for fellow students, faculty, and parents.  But...this routine would be something special, he said.  It would not only satisfy Business Math requirements but also perform a specific function for IP:

I was thinking of a performance on Founders' Day  Some people attending may not understand it [IP] from just hearing about it.  If I show them, parents, students, and faculty can get what IP is all about. When I do my performance, they will understand and be illuminated that, when we research our project, we learn more about it than before we researched.

Max quickly went to work once he secured the necessary permissions.  He began to search through his inventory of tricks in earnest, designing last minute materials and giving the IP faculty more frequent mock performances.  Eventually he settled on three tricks; once he had this routine he selected a minimalistic costume and practiced his transitions.  The most tantalizing factor for the IP team was that Max did this work on his own.  He did not consult his advisors for assistance; he knew what he needed to get done, and he approached this work conscientiously and deliberately.

All of his efforts paid off too.  During his Founders' Day performance, Max introduced himself by jabbing playfully at Mr. Pendergast before moving onto his most powerful illusion ("Professor's Nightmare /​ Fiber Optic") and a well-known card trick ("Three Card Monty").  Ever the close study of humor, he put jokes to good use and evoked more than a frequent chuckle from his guests.  More than one audience member muttered confusedly as he traded rope ends during "Professor's Nightmare /​ Fiber Optic," and we all laughed along at our own ignorance as he tantalized us with his cards during "Three Card Monty."

Overall, Max's performance was a big success.  Over the course of the year, he has made huge gains in the deft handling of his tricks.  No less importantly, he has become more comfortable engaging others.  He has shifted his focus to "close-ups" (which call upon audience participation), and he has developed a performance personality that is quite magnetic.  He should feel proud of his good work, and the IP faculty invites you to celebrate with us by posting in the comments section below.

Description of images:  "Magic Max" with Mr. Pendergast, top right.  Max performing "Three Card Monty," middle left.  Max beginning his routine, bottom right.  All photos taken by IP faculty.

Piterson: The Legs Emerge

After focusing exclusively on aquarium management for a time, Piterson realized that he had inadvertently abandoned his wooden skeleton.  He spoke with the IP faculty, who in turn suggested that he bring his work into "The Makers' Space":  the upstairs, art-meets-IP studio in the IP building. If Piterson positioned himself in a workspace, we explained, perhaps he might see new routes for his project.

Since this move, Piterson has admirably regained momentum.  He began to gather sticks in earnest from the woods surrounding Kildonan.  He also received the support of the entire community in acquiring a saw table; the cleanness of his creations immediately improved due to the clamps and equipment that came with this tool.  He blew up pictures of the leg and projected them upon a giant flatscreen TV in the studio, rotating 3D models  of bones using software on his computer.  Ultimately, he moved forward using a combination of the visual and kinesthetic:  adding to his skeleton using the saw table, studying an image, spinning it, finding another, studying that, and continuing to build.

All of this diligent work allowed Piterson to present a surprise to the IP team:  two finished legs (upper, lower, feet, and toes).  He should feel proud of his creations, for they are not only beautiful works of art but also the products of an emerging understanding of the human body.  And...where will he go next? He is already traveling up the body to consider the construction of the pelvis.

Have a thought to share? Please post in the comments section below.

Description of the image:  Piterson holding his skeleton's legs.  Photo taken by IP faculty.

"This Is Genius," by Ryan Lotocki

What follows is a spoken word poem by student Ryan Lotocki (filmed by: Nick Stroczkowski and Kurt Schlewitt).  Rather than provide an introduction for this video, we will remain silent and allow it to speak for itself.

What did you think? Please post in the comments section.  * If you would like to consult a transcript, please see below: *

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School Sucks. Now don’t get me wrong I believe everyone should have a general education. But when I know how to solve quadratic equations with imaginary roots graphically and am not sure how that applies to life… Or better yet, learned Cleopatra slept around, but never heard the history of my own city- you've failed. Now I’m not trying to sound cruel, but we live in a generation that would much rather smoke a joint then show up to school and to be honest, I’m tired of placing all the blame on them. I mean are we just pawns in a chess game waiting to accept their fate? Could the whole point of High School simply be just to graduate? You tell us to follow our dreams but have a plan B and don’t you see? The more you try to protect the children in this way, the more you reject the gifts they are trying to portray. See, school is a project in which students never get the chance to project their abilities. Having to follow a curriculum and take required classes, while stereo-typically the kid with high grades and glasses will make it into college and is more intelligent. Well, how about the student whose “Ingenious”, “In ordinary”, “Innovative”, “Intellectual”, “Incalculable”, “Inquisitive”, and has good intentions to change the world with his passion. I believe educating him would be something along the lines of ineluctable.

Take a musician for example: See to him, a score on a math exam will never mean as much as the score in front of him. Why waste his time trying to count and measure when he can already count each measure with just the tap of his foot- See this is genius; watch as the bow grazes against the instrument and his fingers pluck and pull at each string appropriately that creates a sound that just makes his body sway. But if he is controlled by a bell that just rings I guess you could say the school’s pulling his strings.

Or how about the cook with only a seventh grade reading level. If his ingredient list is not written in MLA format I think he’ll do just fine. Does his grammar matter when where you choose to dine is on the line and I’m not talking about margin. But when it comes to margarine and butter he actually knows the difference. He couldn't care less about the sophisticated words coming out of his mouth and more about the food going into yours- See this is genius. And if that doesn't fill the Hunger Games appetite you couldn't even think the Grapes of Wrath might.

Some Brilliance is as simplistic as hitting a ball. It doesn't matter if her science grade is an atrocity because I've never seen anyone spike a ball with so much strength, precision, and velocity, and the only elements she need know are those of speed and surprise, but to her parents’ eyes sports are just a waste of time- See this is genius. Practicing for so long she has little time to study for chemistry the only question remaining is, why can’t you be more like your sister Emily? What’s the matter? Kind of ironic though because like life, when it comes to school versus education every things the matter.

Putting children on an assembly line that has checkpoints. Where there only goal is to get us from point A to point Z but if we only get to F then we've failed. Plus our values and gifts are locked up and jailed. And why do we take tests? To tell us we’re wrong? It’s a number, not my wife. There is so much more to life than a grade in a book and what even of the SAT I just took. Because we all receive a number or a grade if you will, but our answers are locked up in vaults. Was the point to learn, or the thrill? And Common Core won’t solve anything so take a chill pill. We are not here to memorize facts but figure our future; and if the future holds taking a test to see who’s the best I want no part in that, there’s a fact. Now while I’m speaking to adults, I’m relating to the youth. I’m not pointing out your faults, but showing you the truth. Stop labeling us by standards and put us all on an even playing field. But let us choose our positions based on our passions, values, and where we can be proactive. Make schooling less multiple choice and more... Interactive. Because maybe your exponential at math, but that’s not how he functions because we all don’t have the same mechanics. Or possibly, you rock at science but in her opinion she’d rather not fill her head with space.

We are all sculpted in a different way. All made with different values, ideas, and clay; and if during my day, the only offered opportunity is continuity I could never get the chance to say: I am genius.

Max D. Travels to NEMCON

We in IP pride ourselves on our efforts to break down the physical walls of the classroom, to encourage one another to seek our passions well beyond the boundaries of the IP building (and Kildonan, more generally).  In keeping with this philosophy, Max D. approached the IP team one day with an exciting request.  Inspired by Trey's visit to NAMM, he explained that he wanted to attend a convention himself.  He was not sure when or to where he would depart, but he knew that he wished to connect with individuals who were just as passionate about magic and illusion as he is.

The IP team worked closely with Max on the research process.  Together, we discussed a myriad of possible conventions, travel plans, ticket prices, and the professional magicians in attendance.  After weeks of careful consideration, Max decided that he wished to attend the New England Magicians Conference, Inc. (NEMCON), held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, CT from March 6th-7th.  These dates happened to coincide with the beginning of Kildonan's spring break, so after a quick performance with his chapter of the Society of Young Magicians (SYM), Max was off.

During his time at NEMCON, Max was able to explode his understanding of magic and illusion.  He noted fondly that Tom Mullica was a skilled emcee for his deft handling of humor and his ability to play up to diverse audiences.  He also explored the wares of a variety of vendors, and all told, he brought back many interesting "magic" samples to begin integrating into his routine.  Perhaps the central highlight of his experience, however, was his ability to interview the professional magicians in attendance:  Mullica, Jon Armstrong, and 17-year-old Ryan Lally.  In conducting these conversations, Max was not only able to practice his verbal conversations but also learn tips and seek inspiration from the greats in his field.  * For an example of his budding interview skills, please click here. *

Back in the IP building after spring break, Max described the experience as "mind-boggling."  When asked why, he had this to say:  "I feel like everything is coming together.  I know what I want to do now."

Any thoughts on NEMCON? Have you ever attended yourself, or would you recommend another magic convention to Max? Please post in the comments section below.

Description of 1st image:  Max at NEMCON with Roger Dreyer of NYC magic retailer Fantasma Magic (@FantasmaNYC).  Photo taken by Max's father.

Description of 2nd image:  The performers of NEMCON.  From left:  Stephen Bargatze, Rick Merrill, Ryan Lally, Jon Armstrong, and Tom Mullica.  Photo taken by Max's father.

Paige Builds a Phonics Notebook

Having conducted extensive research into the history of the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach, programs that are off-shoots of OG (e.g., Lindamood-Bell, Wilson Reading), sample OG lessons, and myths concerning dyslexia, Paige has reached a stage at which she feels ready to apply her extensive understanding.  She has debated between options for a few months now.  This careful consideration, however, has allowed her to settle upon a project:  a phonics notebook not unlike one that a tutor would craft with an elementary student at Kildonan.  Paige hopes to compile a chapter concerning open and closed syllables; this section would contain games, lesson plans, cards, and manipulatives.

To craft this piece, Paige is currently conducting a three-fold process.  First, she is communicating with both elementary school teachers on-staff, Mrs. Elliott and Ms. Hollander.  She hopes to observe both of their classes in order to determine how younger students respond to challenges in language acquisition, and she also plans to interview both teachers about their approaches to coaching students through these tasks.  Second, she continues to add content to a process portfolio that she maintains through iBook Author.  She manages this document in order to compile her notes, track resources, and hypothesize situations that she will face as a future elementary school teacher.  To date she has produced sixty-five pages.  Third and finally, she took time out during her break to draft sound-symbol cards.  Soon she will engage in a critique with Ms. Charlap during which the two can evaluate the layout and design of her slip.  They will also explore alternative designs for such manipulatives.

What do you think of Paige's work? Do you have a question or recommendation? Please post in the comments section below.

Description of 1st image:  A page from an interactive, kindergarten phonics notebook.  Picture located at www.pinterest.com.  Kildonan and its IP program do not claim ownership over the above photo.