2016-2017
Year-long projects are especially engaging, complex, relevant, and time-consuming. The transformation of a project idea into a year-long project plan is an intensive one, simply because the commitments and opportunities are so significant. Please consider the following carefully before submitting a year-long project proposal. If you have any questions or would like specific support with this process, please send a professional email to Tim and Addie
PROFESSIONALISM
IDEAS Academy is committed to providing opportunities for all students to have professional, transformative experiences through projects. A year-long project requires attention and tuning of Habits of Professionalism from the beginning stages of communicating the idea through a proposal to the final stages of presenting to a panel of professionals from the community and publishing the work. A student proposing a year-long project must be able to demonstrate evidence of proficient Habits of Professionalism through past projects (within IDEAS Project Block, academics, seminars, or another venue outside of school), including the ability to show evidence of learning and process. Finally, a year of IDEAS Project Block equates to more than 200 hours of time in school and a year-long project will require even more time outside of school; attendance is essential.
IDEATION
Ideation is typically when a student and/or advisor will identify the potential for a project to become a year-long project. In that moment of wonder, it is important to explore or remember what the reasons for that thinking are. This will be the basis of the proposal.
- Initial research provides the background information for the student, advisor panel, and potential audience of the project. Evidence of this will reflect academic sources and annotations. Since ideation occurs for all students in one week at the beginning of the school year, this is an opportunity to show how a student can extend their thinking and understanding with additional time outside of class.
- Proposals for year-long projects will have the same deadline and criteria as other projects in the fall. This will be in the format of a professional email. If requesting a year-long project, your proposal must also include the following:
- Annotations for initial research
- Panel of teachers who have interest, expertise, and/or experience relative to the proposed project. A proposed date and time to meet with the panel.
- A detailed timeline for what will be completed in Semester 1 & 2.
- A collaboration plan. Student must identify specific collaborators who will augment the project. These people might be advisors, peers, community members, professionals, academics, etc.
- Advisor panels are 15-20 minute meetings scheduled and lead by the student(s) and will take place within three weeks of the proposal deadline. This is the student's opportunity to demonstrate Habits of Professionalism, defend their proposal, present revisions, and additions to the proposal. The panel is responsible for asking questions and setting expectations that will support the success of the project. If these cannot be achieved during the panel meeting, a project may not be approved. Panels may request follow up revisions or meetings prior to approving a proposal.
APPROVAL : Make it official by Tim and Addie
Approved projects proposals will be published and shared with professionals who are invited into the creative process to advise, consult, and provide feedback.
RESEARCH
Research will require collaboration with Addie and advisors. The components listed below are requirements, however deadlines and content will be determined for each project on an individual basis.
First Semester
- Extended Annotated Bibliography
Second Semester
- Written Analysis of Creative Experts / Model Projects
- Formal Writing - Disciplinary based
- Annotated Bibliography (continued)
CREATION
- Studio journals can be video diaries, journals, blogs, or another format agreed upon at the advisory panel meeting. The time and intensity of a year-long project requires a lot of reflection and self-awareness.
- Artist statements will be completed at the end of each semester. Second semester might be a revision of the one created first semester, but with new insights.
EXHIBITION
First Semester
- Feedback sessions will be scheduled close to the time of the school-wide Exhibitions of Learning. These are opportunities to share ideas, current research, synthesis of information and process for creating the vision for a final project.
Second Semester
- Expert panels will be curated for each year-long project. Students are required to plan, host, and execute an appropriate exhibition of their complete work for the panel and then engage in a critique by the panel. The more public and authentic the exhibition, the better.
- Exhibition of Learning with IDEAS Academy community
- Publication on your own or in coordination with the Étude Studios interns before leaving for summer break.
REFLECTION
- Benchmark checks should be scheduled by the student in the timeline proposed. The purpose of these are to self-evaluate the progress of the work and measure it against the year-long plan. These checks will involve an advisor and need to be reported to Tim and Addie. In some cases, the report may propose a new direction for the project but must always provide evidence of progress toward completion.
- Panel Check-Ins must be scheduled December. This is an opportunity to, again, demonstrate Habits of Professionalism and follow up on the expectations set by the panel initially. The panel will determine if the project is viable to continue through second semester.
- Written Reflections will be completed in the middle of the year and end of the year, along with other students.
