Westminster School kicked off its JanTerm 2017-2018 experience with a fair showcasing the 40+ courses that will be offered in January 2018 for our three-week alternative learning experience.  Here is the JanTerm description that illustrates the programs goals.

JanTerm is an intensive, three-week course of study allowing Upper School students to focus on a single topic in great depth and at an accelerated pace. This immersive learning experience offers unique, cross-disciplinary experiences in the classroom as well as off-campus field trips and opportunities for overnight travel. These classes foster collaboration and provide venues for students to create, innovate, and problem solve.

Faculty, usually in teams, create, organize, and facilitate these unique offerings that dovetail with an interest, expertise or compelling topic that they believe students will gravitate towards.  There is an elaborate process for communicating the courses, selecting options, and enrolling into the course of your choice.  While students often get their first or second choice, they need to be open to multiple possibilities.

Figure 1 shows the scope of what the Upper School is trying to accomplish as it places 820 students into the 40+ courses.

JanTerm is a place where faculty get to experiment with ideas, innovate the delivery of a curriculum, and incorporate a project-based approach to teaching and learning.  You can explore the course offerings from JanTerm 2017, some of which will be the same for 2018, and you can watch a video and see other visuals that give a taste for what students experience.

At Westminster School, JanTerm has been one part of an innovative approach to reimagining school while maintaining the traditions and excellence that has defined us through our 66 year history.